204 INFECTIVE DISEASES. 



In this country accounts have been published from time to time 

 of a fatal disease in pigs induced by eating the flesh of animals 

 which had died of what was described as " blood-poisoning." 



Some very striking cases occurred in the practice of Mr. "Wilson, 

 of Berkhampstead, and were reported in the Veterinarian. A 

 farmer consulted Mr. Wilson respecting an illness with which his 

 pigs were affected, stating that two or three were dead and many 

 others seriously ill. They were strong hogs, ra,nging from six to 

 nine months old. On inquiry it was ascertained that the farmer 

 had lost a beast suddenly about a week previously, that the carcass 

 had been opened in the yard, and the viscera thrown to the pigs. 

 Mr. Wilson expressed the belief that the disease was anthrax, and 

 .stated that he found the pigs exhibiting many of the symptoms 

 observable in cattle, with the additional one of enlargement round 

 the throat from infiltration of a yellow fluid causing discoloration 

 of the skin. 



Also, in the reports of the Agricultural Department of the Privy 

 Council thirteen pigs were reported as suffering from anthrax in 

 1886, and one hundred and fifty-nine in 1887. 



But the question arose whether the disease in the pigs was 

 genuine anthrax or septic poisoning. 



Williams says : " The flesh of animals which have died or have 

 been killed whilst suffering from the disease [anthrax] should not 

 be used as food either for men, pigs, or dogs, as it is apt to cause 

 death by blood poisoning " ; and Steel writes : " Pigs, dogs, and 

 poultry should not be allowed to feed on blood, flesh, and ejecta 

 of anthrax victims," birt no statement is made as to the nature of 

 the illness produced. No doubt these writers have been greatly 

 influenced by the opinion of many bacteriologists, for Toussaint 

 maintained that pigs could not be infected with anthrax, and a 

 similar view was at one time upheld in this country by Klein, 

 who stated that pigs were very insusceptible. In Germany also, 

 pigs have been credited with an immunity from this disease. 



In the face of these conflicting statements the author carried 

 out a series of experiments in order to ascertain the nature of the 

 disease in swine resulting from the ingestion of the offal of animals 

 which had died of anthrax ; and the result of inoculation with blood 

 of animals which had died of anthrax, and with pure cultivations 

 of the Bacillus anthracis. 



As a result of these experiments genuine anthrax was produced 

 in swine (a) by feeding them with anthrax offal ; (i) by injection 

 of blood of a bullock which had died of anthrax; (c) by passing 



