Anthrax in Man. 229 



serum subcutem in the treatment of anthrax. (Miinch. Med. 

 Woch. 1894). The sterilized cultures of the streptococcus 

 erysipelatos therefore offer themselves as promising curative 

 agents. The same is true of the sterilized cultures of the bacillus 

 pyocyaneus (Woodhead and Cartwright-Wood). 



The blood serum of animals that are naturally immune (frog, 

 white rat, pigeon, dog,) is bactericidal and to a certain extent 

 antidotal to the bacillus anthracis, but that of an animal which 

 is naturally susceptible but which has been artificially immunized 

 has proved much more potent. In the experience of the writer 

 this potency attaches no less to the blood of an animal in the ad- 

 vanced stages of the disease. In adult cattle he has found the 

 symptoms of anthrax subside under two successive daily doses 

 (4 cc. ) subcutem of the sterilized blood serum of one of the 

 herd which had just died. Relapses were observed several days 

 after the serum treatment was abandoned. In experiments on 

 rabbits two check animals with anthrax inoculations died at the 

 end of 3j^ and 4 days. Of six inoculated with anthrax and in- 

 jected from one to three times with sterilized (anthrax) blood 

 serum one recovered, and the others died, one at the end of the 

 7th, two of the 6th and two of the 5th day. In this connection 

 it may be stated that successful treatment by leucocytes is claimed, 

 (Pawlowsky) and that one of the effects of serum treatment is 

 the destruction in part of the globules and the release of nuclei, 

 and in this we may have an explanation in pan at least of the 

 therapeutic action of the serum from the infecting and immunized 

 animal. 



Protective serums may be utilized by hypodermic injections 

 daily or every second day for a week, giving time for the dis- 

 posal of the bacilli present in the system. In the intestinal an- 

 thrax they may be given by the mouth and injected into the 

 peritoneal cavity. In pulmonary anthrax they may be introduced 

 into the trachea, bronchi and pleural cavity. 



