3H ANTHRAX. 



difficult to arrive at a certain conclusion as to its merits. 

 Undoubtedly a certain number of animals die of anthrax 

 either after the first or second vaccination, or during the 

 year following vaccination. At the end of a year the 

 immunity is lost in about 40 per cent of the animals vac- 

 cinated ; and thus to be permanently efficacious the process 

 would have to be repeated every year. Further, the 

 immunity is much higher in degree if, after the first and 

 second vaccinations, an inoculation with virulent anthrax is 

 performed. Everything being taken into account, however, 

 there is no doubt that the mortality from natural anthrax 

 is much diminished by this system. 



Statistics are available for the twelve years 1882-93. During that 

 time 3,296,815 sheep were vaccinated, with a mortality, either after 

 the first or second vaccination or during the subsequent twelve months, 

 of .94 per cent, as contrasted with the ordinary mortality in all the 

 flocks of the districts, of 10 per cent. During the same time 438,824 

 cattle were vaccinated, with a mortality of .34 per cent, as contrasted 

 with a probable mortality of 5 per cent if they had been unprotected. 



Other means of immunising animals against anthrax 

 have been elaborated, but these have a more strictly 

 scientific interest. In dealing with the toxines of anthrax 

 we have already referred to the work of Hankin and 

 Wesbrook on this point. We have also seen that Marmier 

 succeeded in immunising animals by using a toxine isolated 

 by him. Even, however, as a method of immunising 

 animals for scientific observations Pasteur's method still 

 obtains. 



Serum Anticharbonneux. The properties of the serum 

 of animals vaccinated against anthrax have been investigated 

 by Marchoux. The animals were immunised in the usual 

 way. The serum of sheep and especially of rabbits was 

 found to afford a certain degree of protection to susceptible 

 animals against subsequent inoculation with virulent bacilli. 

 It also exhibited a small degree of curative action. When 

 it was injected immediately after inoculation with the bacilli 

 a certain number of the animals survived, but in propor- 



