Among Horses in India. 73 



3. Ascertain tlie source whence the grass is obtained, and 

 take measures to ensure its being cut upon well-drained land. 

 (During the hot season^ when most of the grass in a district 

 is burnt to the ground, the grass-cutters are very apt to cut 

 from dried swamps, or the bottoms of dried tanks.) 



4. Increase the ration of salt, giving to each horse one 

 chittak, or two ounces, night and morning for three or four 

 days, and afterwards that amount once daily, until the 

 disease has disappeared from the station. 



The period of incubation of the fever is usually only five days 

 in the Bengal Presidency ; so that if no fresh cases occur after 

 that time, it is generally safe to conclude that the spread of 

 the disease has ceased. 



It should be remembered, above all things, that a horse 

 with anthrax is much more dangerous when dead than when 

 alive. M. Pasteur, who has been engaged for many years 

 past in investigating the nature of disease-germs, has recently 

 proved, by actual experiment, that the spores of charbon, a 

 kind of anthrax, may be brought to the surface of the ground 

 in the casts of earth-worms after having been buried for two 

 years, and that they still retain their vitality. He took some 

 worms from the ground immediately over a spot where the 

 carcase of an animal which • died from anthrax had been 

 buried, and inoculated a guinea-pig with some of the contents 

 of their intestinal canals. The guinea-pig very quickly died, 

 with all the symptoms of charbon. 



It can therefore be readily seen how necessary it is to bury 

 the carcases . of horses which die of anthrax as deeply as 

 possible ; certainly not less than five or six feet, and ten 

 would be better. 



Before covering them over, the hides should be slashed in 

 various places, so that natives may not dig up and skin them. 

 They should then be thickly sprinkled with Dougal's powder, 

 chloride of zinc or of lime, or with common salt, both for 

 disinfecting purposes and in order to prevent worms working 

 near them. 



The earth with which the graves are filled should be 

 well rammed and covered with pieces of rock and prickly 



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