ANTHEAX. 459 



It is well known in India as Loodiaua Fever, and is frequently met 

 with on the Eastern frontier of Bengal ; particularly among the 

 ponies of the Munipur country. 



It is not confined to horses, but also attacks cattle, buffaloes, 

 sheep, pigs, elephants, deer, and almost all the larger animals. 

 Those which feed on herbs appear specially liable to it. Dogs are 

 but seldom affected. It can be readily communicated to man, and 

 then takes the form of " malignant pustule " (woolsorters' disease). 

 Hence, the attendants on animals suffering from this disease, and 

 persons who make post-mortem examinations of anthrax-stricken 

 animals, should be most careful in guarding against the possibility 

 of their becoming inoculated by its virus. 



VARIETIES. — Strictly speaking, there is only one kind of 

 anthrax; although, for convenience' sake, it may be divided into 

 anthrax accompanied by swelling of the throat and neck, when the 

 seat of the disease seems to be located chiefly in the organs of 

 breathing ; and anthrax without this symptom, located in the 

 organs of the abdomen. The one might be termed the thoracic; 

 form ; the other, the abdominal. 



SYMPTOMS. — There is a marked rise in the internal tempera- 

 ture, which not very infrequently exceeds 107° F. The horse with 

 little or no warning, becomes dull, the appetite fails, and there is 

 great debility. The pulse is frequent and weak. The lining 

 membrane of the nostrils, and of the eyelids, assumes a bilious red 

 colour. The breathing becomes greatly quickened ; and the 

 nostrils, widely dilated. On this account, and from the red appear- 

 ance of the mucous membrane, cases of this disease have been 

 mistaken for congestion of the lungs. When affected by con- 

 gestion, however, the animal fights for breath, and does not 

 exhibit the depression and semi-unconsciousness of one suffering 

 from anthrax. The breathing, which is almost entirely abdominal, 

 as may be seen by the heaving of the flanks, becomes more and 

 more hurried, until, at last, the animal falls from exhaustion, 

 becomes convulsed, and dies, apparently, from suffocation. There 

 is sometimes a flow of rusty-coloured fluid from the nostrils, and, 

 often, towards the end, or after death, a discharge from them of 

 foam more or less tinged with blood. Colic is frequently present. 

 The disease may kill in three or four hours ; but in cases in 

 which the symptoms are less marked, the animal may linger on 

 for a few days. 



When there is swelling of the neck, that part and the space 

 between the branches of the lower jaw swell, often, to an enormous 

 extent, so that the head and neck become hard and immovable, as 



