MODE OF SPREAD IN NA TURE. 31 1 



reactions of albuminoid matter, peptone, propeptone, or 

 alkaloid. This he considers the toxine. It killed animals 

 susceptible to anthrax by a sort of cachexia, and in suitably 

 small doses could be used to immunise them against sub- 

 sequent inoculation with virulent bacilli. It was chiefly 

 retained within the bacilli when these were growing in the 

 most favourable conditions. Unlike the toxines of tetanus 

 and diphtheria, and unlike ferments, it was not destroyed 

 by heating to 110 C. The toxine produced by the B. 

 anthracis growing in a fluid medium remains intimately 

 associated with the bacterial protoplasm, as such cultures 

 when filtered are relatively non-toxic. 



From this account of the researches into the toxines of 

 the B. anthracis, it will be seen that our knowledge is far 

 from complete. It is difficult to say what interpretation is 

 to be put on the results of Hankin and Wesbrook. The 

 researches of Marmier rather indicate that, as is the case 

 with the toxines of other bacilli, the toxine of anthrax may 

 belong to a group of non-proteid bodies of whose chemical 

 nature we are in complete ignorance. Be this as it may, 

 the results detailed open up a way for our arriving at an 

 idea of the true pathology of the disease. The bacilli in 

 all parts of the body, whether directly or intermediately by 

 ferments, produce bodies toxic to tissue cells. Further, 

 bacilli confined locally produce by this means effects on 

 distant tissues. This explains how in certain cases, while 

 the bacilli are still locally confined, there may occur oedema 

 spreading from the pustule, and pyrexia. 



The Spread of the Disease in Nature. We have seen 

 that the B. anthracis rarely, if ever, forms spores in the 

 body, and if the bacilli could be confined to the blood and 

 tissues of the carcase, it is certain that anthrax in an 

 epidemic form would rarely occur. For it has been shown 

 by many observers that in the course of the putrefaction of 

 such a carcase the anthrax bacilli rapidly die out, and that 

 after ten days or a fortnight very few remain. But it must 

 be remembered that while still alive, an animal is shedding 

 into the air by the bloody excretions from the mouth, nose, 



