Xlll] MICROBES OF MALIGNANT ANTHRAX 31^ 



and 1 89 1 I made experiments on eight milch cows (which 

 had calved some weeks previously), which strikingly showed 

 that this is really the case. The results of some of these 

 experiments are so definite and so important in connection 

 with milk derived from such cows being charged with the 

 diphtheria contagium that we may be excused for giving two 

 of these experiments somewhat in detail. 1 



A broth culture was made of the bacillus diphtheriae 

 derived from a human diphtheritic membrane, but passed 

 through several gelatine subcultures ; the broth culture had 

 been growing for two to three days at 37° C, and was very 

 virulent on the guinea-pigs. 



One cubic centimetre of the culture was injected under 

 the skin into the subcutaneous tissue of the left shoulder in 

 each of two cows. These animals were, at the time of the 

 experiment, in very fine condition (teats and udder quite 

 clean, copious milk secretion), and had been so during eight 

 to ten days, during which they had been under observation. 

 During the second and third days after inoculation the 

 body temperature showed a slight rise (to 40'6°), and they 

 did not feed well on those two days ; but afterwards the 

 temperature went down to the normal state, and the 

 animals became all right again otherwise. But at the seat 

 of the inoculation there was a painful large soft tumour to 

 be felt and seen. On the fifth to the sixth day, for the first 

 time, there was noticed on the udder and on one teat in one 

 cow an eruption of about half a dozetl firm papules : red 

 and injected, projecting above the surfac'e of the skin, the 

 subcutaneous tissue indurated with a nodule. In addition 

 to the papules about half a dozen vesicles and two round 

 patches covered with brown crusts could be seen on the 

 udder. 



^ Report of the Midical Officer of the Local Government Board for 1 88g, 

 p. 168. 



