ANTHRAX. 139 
since the flesh of animals affected by splenic fever, 
and only killed when the microbe is fully developed 
in the blood, is often eaten in farmhouses. In this 
case the custom prevalent among French peasants of 
eating over-cooked meat constitutes the chief safeguard, 
since the bacteria and their germs are thus destroyed. 
II. VaccINATION FOR ANTHRAX. 
The rapidity with which anthrax is propagated 
by inoculation generally renders all kinds of treat- 
ment useless; if, however, the wound through which 
the microbe is introduced can be discovered, it should 
be cauterized at once. This method is often successful 
in man. The pustule is cauterized with red-hot iron, 
or with bichloride of mercury and thymic acid, two 
powerful antiseptics, certain to destroy the bacteridium. 
It is expedient, as an hygienic measure, to burn the 
tainted carcases, and if this is not done, they should 
be buried at a much greater depth than is usually the 
case. 
But the preservative means on which chief re- 
lianece is now placed is vaccination with the virus 
of anthrax. Pasteur has ascertained that when 
animals are inoculated with a liquid containing bac- 
teridia of which the virulence has been attenuated 
by culture carried as far as the tenth generation, or 
even further, their lives are preserved. They take 
