444 DISEASES OE CATTLE. 



Treatment. — This is as a rule ineffectual and useless, excepting per- 

 haps in cases which originate from external wounds. The swellings 

 should bo opened freely by long incisions with a sharp knife and 

 vashed several times daily with carbolic acid solution (1 ounce to a 

 quart of water). Care should be taken to disinfect thoroughly any 

 fluid discharge that may follow such incision. When suppuration has 

 set in, the treatment recommended in the chapter on wounds should be 

 carried out. 



Prevention. — Since treatment is of little or no avail in this disease, 

 prevention is the most important subject demanding consideration. 

 The various means to be suggested may be brought under two heads: 

 (1) The surroundings of the animal, and (2) protective inoculation. 



(1) What has already been stated in the foregoing pages on those 

 conditions of the pastures which are favorable to anthrax will suggest 

 to most minds, after a little thought, some of the preventive measures 

 which may be of service in reducing losses in anthrax localities. All 

 that conduces to a better state of the soil should be attempted. The 

 State or Nation should do its share in preventing frequent inundations, 

 by appropriate engineering. If pools of stagnant water exist on the 

 pastures, or if any particular portions are known by experience to give 

 rise to anthrax, they should be fenced off; Efforts should likewise be 

 made toward the proper draining of swampy lands frequented by cat- 

 tle. Sometimes it has been found desirable to abandon for a season 

 any infected and dangerous pastures. This remedy can not be carried 

 out by most farmers, and it is liable to extend the infected territory. 

 In some instances withdrawal of cattle from pastures entirely and 

 feeding them in stables is said to have reduced the losses. 



It is of the utmost importance that carcasses of animals which have 

 died of anthrax should be properly disposed of, since every portion of 

 such animal contains the bacilli, ready to form spores when exposed to 

 the air. Perhaps the simplest means is to bury the carcasses deep, 

 where they can not be exposed by dogs or wild animals. It may be 

 necessary to bury them on the pasture, but it is better to remove them 

 to places not frequented by susceptible animals and to a point where 

 drainage from the graves can not infect any water supply. 



If they are moved some distance it must be borne in mind that the 

 ground and all objects which have come in contact with the carcass 

 should be disinfected. This is best accomplished with chlorid of lime. 

 For washing utensils, etc., a 5 per cent solution may be prepared by 

 adding 3 ounces to 2 quarts of water. This should be prepared fresh 

 from the powder, and it is but little trouble to have a small tin measure 

 of known capacity to dip out the powder, to be added to the water 

 whenever necessary. The carcass and the ground should be sprin- 

 kled with powdered chlorid, or, if this be not at hand, an abundance 

 of ordinary unslaked lime should be used in its place. 



The removal of carcasses to rendering establishments is always 



