264 SPECIFIC DISEASES. 



Cause of Hntbrax. 



Certain influences seem to favor the development of the 

 disease. It is found to be more prevalent in the early fall when 

 the days are hot and the nights cold. Sudden changes in the 

 weather are frequently attended by an outbreak of anthrax; 

 humid weather, if associated with fogs, being especially liable to 

 cause its development. Pastures bordering on rivers and streams, 

 Avhich are submerged at certain seasons of the year, frequently 

 abound with anthrax infection, presumed to be carried there by 

 the floods, which bring the germ from other localities where 

 animals have succumbed to the disease. Hay from infected 

 fields is liable to produce the disease, the spores having become 

 attached to the blades of grass, only wait a suitable time and 

 media for their development. Flies also spread the contagium 

 by carrying the bacteria in their systems, and while resisting the 

 influence of the virus themselves, they inoculate other animals 

 with the germs, with disastrous effects. Dietetic errors seem to 

 predispose the system to attacks from this disease, particularly 

 is this noticeable in changing from poor to highly nutritious 

 foodstuffs, especially if the same contain a high percentage of 

 nitrogen. A plethoric condition is extremely favorable to the 

 development of the anthrax bacillus, which would account for 

 the fattest sheep in the flock generally being the flrst to suffer, 

 especially those which have been thriving rapidly. It is also no- 

 ticeable that the disease is very liable to break out after moving 

 the flock from a poor to a rich pasture. Sheep on high feed pre- 

 paratory to slaughter also frequently succumb to this complaint. 

 Grazing animals on pastures or ranges, where deaths have previ- 

 ously occurred from anthrax, is also a prolific cause of the 

 trouble. 



Symptoms. 

 Anthrax fever is more particularly marked by its lack of 

 diagnostic ante-mortem symptoms, deductions being drawn from 



