468 MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERY 



litter, manure, whether from home or foreign sources, 

 may contain the spores. A water-course may carry 

 the poison. In fact, the channels through which the 

 infecting agent may be conveyed to the susceptible 

 animal are beyond calculation. 



3. Diseased animals do not transmit the infection 

 to others in the ordinary way by association. The 

 organism on which the disease depends must be in- 

 troduced into the blood through a wound however 

 small, or an abrasion however slight, before the 

 affection can be communicated, and it may be said 

 without exaggeration that the carcase of an animal, 

 dead of anthrax, is more dangerous than a living 

 diseased animal. 



SYMPTOMS AND POST-MORTEM APPEARANCES 

 OF ANTHRAX. 



4. In most cases, the first sign of an outbreak of 

 anthrax or splenic fever is the discovery of a dead 

 animal in the pasture or byre. Probably the animal 

 was left a few hours before in apparent health ; at 

 least there was nothing to attract attention, or give 

 any warning of the approaching catastrophe. Occa- 

 sionally, and in the case of sheep not uncommonly, 

 there are certain premonitory symptoms of an attack 

 of anthrax which can be recognised by an expert. 

 The affected animal is dull and disinclined to move. 

 If one of a herd or flock is attacked, the fact is 

 indicated by the separation of the sick animal from the 

 rest. Close observation will enable the observer 

 to detect an occasional shiver, which seems to pass 

 rapidly over the body, and then ceases. Sometimes 

 a little blood is discharged from the nose and also 

 with the faeces, and from time to time the animal 



