312 ANTHRAX. 



and bowel, myriads of bacilli which may rapidly spore, and 

 thus arrive at a very resistant stage. These lie on the 

 surface of the ground and are washed off by surface water. 

 At certain seasons of the year the temperature is, however, 

 sufficiently high to permit of their germination, and also of 

 their multiplication, as they can undoubtedly grow on the 

 organic matter which occurs in nature. They can again 

 form spores. It is in the condition of spores that they are 

 dangerous to susceptible animals. In the bacillary stage, 

 if swallowed, they will be killed by the acid gastric con- 

 tents ; but as spores they can pass uninjured through the 

 stomach, and, gaining an entrance into the intestine, infect 

 its wall, and ultimately reach, and multiply in, the blood. 

 It is known that in the great majority of cases of the 

 disease in sheep and oxen, infection takes place thus from 

 the intestine. It was thought by Pasteur that worms were 

 active agents in the natural spread of the disease by bring- 

 ing to the surface anthrax spores. Koch made direct 

 experiments on this point, and could get no evidence that 

 this was the case. He thinks it much more probable that 

 the recrudescence of epidemics in fields where anthrax 

 carcases have been buried, is due to persistence of spores 

 on the surface which has been infected by the cattle when 

 alive. 



The Disposal of the Carcases of Animals dead of Anthrax. It is 



extremely important that anthrax carcases should be disposed of in 

 such a way as to prevent their becoming future sources of infection. 

 If anthrax be suspected as the cause of death no post-mortem examination 

 should be made, but only a small quantity of blood be removed from an 

 auricular vein for bacteriological investigation. If such a carcase be now 

 buried in a deep pit surrounded by quicklime, little danger of infection 

 will be run. The bacilli being confined within the body will not 

 spore, and will die during the process of putrefaction. The danger of 

 sporulation taking place is, of course, much greater when an animal 

 has died of an unknown disease which on post-mortem examination 

 has proved to be anthrax, but similar measures for burial must be 

 here adopted. In some countries anthrax carcases are burned, and 

 this, if practicable, is of course the best means of treating them. 

 The chief source of danger to cattle subsequently, however, proceeds 

 from the infection of fields, yards, and byres with the offal, and the 

 discharge from the mouths of anthrax animals. All material that can 



