28 Anthrax. 



in one estate and in three weeks' time 44 became affected with anthrax, 35 dying 

 of the disease. 



Satisfactory results are obtained in many places with spore-containing vaccine. 

 This method was also employed several years ago in Hungary (according to Detre, 

 with vaccines which he prepared by washing old agar cultures with a salt-glycerin- 

 water mixture). -In 1901 to 1902 the losses amounted, according to Detre's esti- 

 mate, to 0.26% in horses, 0.03% in cattle and 0.12% in sheep. 



According to a report of the Veterinary Institute at Charkow, Eussia, 5,584 

 horses, 19,572 cattle and 174,172 sheep were vaccinated in 1897 in the southwestern 

 part of Eussia with losses of 0.25, 0.09 and 0.35% respectively. In Eussia a method 

 of vaccination originated by Lange is also used. The preparation of this vaccine, 

 however, is unknown. 



According to Beinarowitsch the direct loss in reindeer from vaccination 

 amounts to 1%. 



III. Immunization with Immune Serum. If animals sus- 

 ceptible to anthrax are injected with increasing doses first of 

 attenuated and later of fully virulent anthrax cultures, they 

 will after a certain time produce a serum, which, while possess- 

 ing no direct bactericidal action, protects rabbits, g-uinea pigs 

 and sheep against a fatal infection. If injected shortly after 

 the infection such serum even prevents the development of 

 the disease. Such immune serum also renders good service in 

 practice, especially in cases in which infection threatens, or 

 where anthrax has already appeared in a herd. The action of 

 the injected serum becomes effective in the course of a few 

 hours. However, the established passive immunity is only of a 

 short duration, lasting only from 1 to 2 weeks. It is therefore 

 advisable in cases of continued danger of infection to render 

 the animals actively immune. This may be accomplished by 

 a subsequent regular vaccination with attenuated cultures by 

 one of the above described methods. 



Potent anthrax serum was first prepared from sheep by Marchoux, and also 

 by Sclavo almost at the same time, in 1895. Later ■ Sobernheim, Mendez, Detre, 

 'Carini and Ascoli carried on investigations along this line, but they employed large 

 animals, especially horses, for this purpose. This method was also followed by 

 Sclavo. The horses withstand after a certain time an intravenous injection of 

 500 cc, and even more of a virulent culture; and they produce a very potent serum. 

 Of Sclavo 's serum 0.5 cc. protects a rabbit and from 5 to 10 cc. protect a sheep 

 against a fatal infection. Detre's serum has a similar effect on rabbits, while from 

 3 to 5 cc. will protect a guinea pig against an intraperitoneal infection, which is 

 ordinarily fatal in from 1 to 1% days. In the experiments of Sobernheim, of whose 

 serum 2 cc. protects rabbits against 1/1000 of a loopful of a virulent culture, the 

 serum proved a protective agent even against the feeding of anthrax spores. San- 

 felice prepared a serum by immunizing dogs, and 3.5 cc. of this serum per kilo 

 weight had a protective effect, while 7 cc. had a curative effect on rabbits even when 

 administered 40 hours after the infection. 



In practice the dose for large animals consists of 10 to 20 cc, while for small 

 animals it is 5 cc. Sobernheim uses a mixed serum which is obtained from cattle, 

 horses and sheep;, Sclavo obtained it from asses. Even when exposed to the harm- 

 ful influences of light and air the serum retains its potency for 2% years (Sobern- 

 heim). 



In already infected herds the spread of the outbreak may be checked by treat- 

 ing only those animals with serum in which a rise in temperature is observed; the 

 temperature of all animals being taken twice daily (Keleti). Of course, if fever 

 is present the serum should be used in correspondingly higher doses, and the injec- 

 tions should be repeated until a drop in the teinperature is noticed. 



In some cases after the administration of the serum, anaphylactic symptoms 

 appear. These occur in from 5 to 20 minutes, and are manifested by edematous 



