562 BACTERIOLOGY. 
method in France show that 3,300,000 sheep have 
been thus inoculated. Of these 1 per cent. only have 
died from anthrax, either during or after treatment; 
whereas the mortality previous to the introduction of 
this method was 10 per cent. on the average. Of 
438,000 cattle inoculations only 0.33 per cent. have 
died; the previous mortality from anthrax was 5 per 
cent. These figures would seem to indicate the prac- 
tical value of Pasteur’s method of inoculation, notwith- 
standing the arguments which have been put forward in 
opposition to it. It is, however, not unattended with 
danger, as some of the animals succumb to the after- 
effects of the attenuated culture. 
Differential Diagnosis. The differential diagnosis of 
the anthrax bacillus is ordinarily not difficult, as this 
organism presents morphological, biological, and patho- 
genical characteristics which distinguish it from all other 
bacteria. In the later stages of the disease, however, 
the bacilli may be absent or difficult to find, and culti- 
vation on artificial media and experimental inoculation 
in animals are not always followed by positive results. 
Even in sections taken from the extirpated pustule it is 
sometimes difficult to detect the bacilli. In such cases 
only a probable diagnosis of anthrax can be made. It 
should be remembered that the bacilli are not found in 
the blood until shortly before death, and then only in 
varying quantity; thus blood examinations often give 
negative results, though the bacilli may be present in 
large numbers in the spleen, kidneys, and other organs 
of the body. The suspected material should be inocu- 
lated in nutrient gelatin and agar in Petri plates and 
in mice. 
Among other bacteria which may possibly be mis- 
