3l6 ANTHRAX. 



deuxiime vaccin ; fourteen days later an ordinary virulent cul- 

 ture was injected without any ill result. This method was 

 applicable also to cattle and horses, about double the dose of each 

 vaccine being here necessary. Extended experiments in France 

 generally confirmed earlier results, and the method was, before 

 long, used to mitigate the disease, which in many departments 

 was endemic and a very great scourge. Since that time the 

 method has been regularly in use. It is difficult to arrive at a 

 certain conclusion as to its merits. Undoubtedly a certain num- 

 ber of animals die of anthrax either after the first or second vac- 

 cination, or during the following vaccination. At the end of a 

 year the immunity is lost in about 40 per cent of the animals 

 vaccinated ; and thus to be permanently efficacious the process 

 would have to be repeated every year. Further, the immunity 

 is much higher in degree if, after the first and second vaccina- 

 tions, an inoculation with virulent anthrax is performed. Every- 

 thing being taken into account, however, there is no doubt that 

 the mortality from natural anthrax is much diminished by this 

 system. 



Statistics are available for the twelve years 1882-93. During that time 

 3,296,815 sheep were vaccinated, with a mortality, either after the first or 

 second vaccination, or during the subsequent twelve nionths, of .94 per cent, 

 as contrasted with the ordinary mortality in all the flocks of the districts of la 

 per cent. During the same time 438,824 cattle were vaccinated, with a mor- 

 tality of .34 per cent, as contrasted with a probable mortality of 5 per cent 

 if they had been unprotected. 



Other means of immunising animals against anthrax have 

 been elaborated, but these have a more strictly scientific interest. 

 In dealing with the toxins of anthrax we have already referred 

 to the work of Hankin and Wesbrook on this point. We have 

 also seen that Marmier succeeded in immunising animals by 

 using a toxin isolated by him. Even, however, as a method of 

 immunising animals for scientific observations Pasteur's method 

 still obtains. 



Serum Anticharbonneux. — The properties of the serum of 

 animals vaccinated against anthrax have been investigated by 

 Marchoux. The animals were immunised in the usual way. 

 The serum of sheep and especially of rabbits was found to afford 

 a certain degree of protection to susceptible animals against 

 subsequent inoculation with virulent bacilli. It also exhibited 



