HISTORY 277 



eases recognized at that time into three groups, (i) anthrax 

 fever, where the disease manifested itself without external 

 swelling, (2) true anthrax, where the lesions consisted at 

 first of small, hard and very painful swellings followed or 

 accompanied by fever and other general symptoms, and (3) 

 symptomatic anthrax, where the swelling was preceded by a 

 rise of temperature, loss of appetite and symptoms of general 

 depression. This classification was held for nearly a century. 

 Boutrolle, in 1797, refers to a disease which he called mal de 

 cuisse (quarter evil) because it affected the animal in the thigh. 

 Viborg described the disease in Denmark, where it has long 

 been known to the laymen and designated by them as raslesyge 

 ("rattle disease"). Its clinical features were very accurately 

 described by Walraffin 1856. In 1879, Arloing, Cornevin and 

 Thomas proved the causal relations of a certain microorganism 

 to this disease and thus established its specific nature. A 

 year later (1880) they described the specific microorganism 

 and demonstrated that the disease could be produced by inocu- 

 lating susceptible animals with it. Since that time both the 

 organism and the disease itself have been studied by many 

 investigators. In this country, it has been under investiga- 

 tion during the last few years by the Bureau of Animal 

 Industry. 



§ 200. Geographical distribution. Black quarter ex- 

 ists to some extent in nearly every country in the world. It 

 is reported as occuring in the most northern latitudes in which 

 cattle are kept, as well as in the temperate and tropical zones. 



In Europe, it occurs on the pastures on the Alps, where 

 for five months in the year the ground is covered with snow 

 and ice and in America it is quite common in certain northern 

 districts. It has been reported from Asia and from Northern 

 and Southern Africa. 



In the United States, it prevails to a greater extent than 

 is generally supposed. The states and territories which, 

 according to the reports of the Bureau of Animal Industry, 

 suffer most from it are Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, 

 Colorado, North and South Dakota and Indian Territory; but 



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