INFECTIOUS DISEASES OF CATTLE. 421 



I 



washed daily several times with carbolic acid solution (one ounce to a 

 quart of water). When suppuration has set in, the treatment recom- 

 mended in the chapter on wounds should be carried out. 



Prevention. Sinc6 treatment is of little or no avail in this disease, 

 prevention is the most important subject demanding consideration. 

 The various means to be suggested may be brought under two heads : 

 (1) The surroundings of the animal; and (2) protective inoculation. 



(1) What has already been stated in the foregoing pages on those 

 conditions of the pastures which are favorable to anthrax will suggest 

 to most minds after a little thought some of the preventive measures 

 \\hich may be of service in reducing losses in anthrax localities. All 

 that conduces to a better state of the soil should be attempted. The 

 state or nation should do its share in preventing frequent inundations, 

 by appropriate engineering. If pools of stagnant water exist on the 

 pastures, or if any particular portions are known by experience to give 

 rise to anthrax, they should be fenced off. Efforts should likewise be 

 made towards the proper draining of swampy lands frequented by cat- 

 tle. Sometimes it has been found desirable to abandon for a season 

 any infected and dangerous pastures. This remedy can not be carried 

 out by most farmers, and it is liable to extend the infected territory. 

 In some instances withdrawal of cattle from pastures entirely and feed- 

 ing them in stables is said to have reduced the losses. 



It is of the utmost importance that carcasses of animals which have 

 died of anthrax should be properly disposed of, since every portion of 

 >u< h animal contains the bacilli ready to form spores when exposed to 

 the air. Perhaps the simplest means is to bury the carcasses deep, 

 \vlu-re they can not be exposed by dogs or wild animals. It may be 

 necessary to bury them on the pasture, but it is better to remove them 

 to places not frequented by susceptible animals. If they are moved 

 SIIMUJ distance it must be borne in mind that the ground and all objects 

 which have come in contact with the carcass should be disinfected. 

 This is best accomplished with chloride of lime. For washing utensils, 

 !.. a 5 per cent solution maybe prepared by adding 3 ounces to 2 

 q i i;iits of water. This should be prepared fresh from the powder, and it 

 is but little trouble to have a MI mil tin measure of known capacity to 

 dip out the powder to be added to the water whenever necessary. The 

 r;ir< ass and the ground should be sprinkled with powdered chloride, or 

 if this be not at hand, an abundance of ordinary slaked or unslaked 

 linn- should be used in it place. 



The removal of carcasses to rendering establishments is always 

 fraught with danger, unless those who handle them are thoroughly 

 aware of the danger of scattering the virus by careless handling in 

 wagons which are not tight. As a rule, the persons in charge of anch 

 transfer have no training for this important work, so that deep burial 

 is to be preferred. Burning large carcasses IN rarely feasible. It is, 

 however, the most certain means of destroying infectious material of 



