WOOLSORTER'S DISEASE. ' 311 



also extends beneath the centre of the pustule. In the tissue 

 next the eschar necrosis is commencing. The subcutaneous 

 tissue is also cedematous, and often infiltrated with leucocytes. 

 The bacilH exist in the periphery of the eschar and in the neigh- 

 bouring lymphatics, and, to a certain extent, in the vesicles. It 

 is very important to note that widespread CEdema of a limb, 

 enlargement of neighbouring glands, and fever may occur while 

 the bacilli are still confined to the immediate neighbourhood 

 of the pustule. Sometimes the pathological process goes no 

 further, the eschar becomes a scab, the inflammation subsides, 

 and recovery takes places. In the majority of cases, however, 

 if the pustule be not excised, the oedema spreads, invasion of 

 the blood stream may occur, and the patient dies with, in a 

 modified degree, the pathological changes detailed with regard 

 to the acute disease in cattle. In man the spleen is usually not 

 much enlarged, and the organs generally contain few bacilli. 

 The actual cause of death is therefore the absorption of toxins. 

 It may here be said that early excision of an anthrax pustule, 

 especially when it is situated in the extremities, is followed, in 

 a large proportion of cases, by recovery. 



(2) Woolsorter's Disease. — The pathology of this affection 

 was worked out in this country especially by Greenfield. The 

 local lesion is usually situated in the lower part of the trachea 

 or in the large bronchi, and is in the form of swollen patches in 

 the mucous membrane often with haemorrhage into them. The 

 tissues are cedematous, and the cellular elements are separated, 

 but there is usually little or no necrosis. There is enormous 

 enlargement of the mediastinal and bronchial glands, and 

 hasmorrhagic infiltration of the cellular tissue in the region. 

 There are pleural and pericardial effusions, and hasmorrhagic 

 spots occur beneath the serous membranes. The lungs show 

 collapse and oedema. There may be cutaneous oedema over 

 the chest and neck, with enlargement of glands, and the patient 

 rapidly dies with symptoms of pulmonary embarrassment, and 

 with a varying degree of pyrexia. It is to be noted that in 

 such cases, though numerous bacilli are present in the bronchial 

 lesions, in the lymphatic glands, and affected tissues in the 

 thorax, comparatively few may be present in the various organs, 

 such as the kidney, spleen, etc., and sometimes it may be 

 impossible to find any. 



