16 Anthrax. 



symptoms are only rarely characteristic of the specific 

 affection. 



In the peracute cases the course of the disease simulates 

 cerebral apoplexy (anthrax acutissimus s. apoplecticus). Well 

 nourished and apparently healthy animals, which, however, were 

 probably feverish, suddenly go down in the stable or in the 

 pasture and remain lying on the ground in convulsions; the 

 j-espiration is rattling; bloody foam oozes from the mouth and 

 nose, the mucous membrane of which shows a dark bluish-red 

 discoloration, and from the anus pure blood even may escape, 

 until finally in a few minutes, or at most within an hour, the 

 animal dies. This form of anthrax is observed most frequently 

 at the beginning of an outbreak, and particularly among sheep. 



In the acute and subacute cases which represent by far 

 the largest percentage of cases the disease commences with -a 

 quick rise in the temperature to 40-42° C, at which height it 

 remains for a time, dropping quickly just before death. 

 (Fig. 7.) Some animals, especially cattle, manifest quite a 

 lively disposition at the onset of the disease and take their 

 food in the usual manner. 



In some cases the disease commences with restlessness and 

 excitement which soon pass into depression. In most cases, 

 however, the malady is preceded by symptoms of general de- 

 pression, the animal refusing to eat and standing in one place 

 with head hanging, staring look and dilated pupils. In the 

 pasture the affected animals trail behind the others, remain 

 for a long time in one place or lie down; when urged to move 

 they stagger and sway. At the same time they have chills and 

 their temperature is unevenly distributed over the surface of 

 the body. The pulse is accelerated and small while the heart 

 beats are metallic in sound. 



The respiration is very labored and accelerated, and the 

 dark bluish-red cyanotic mucous* membranes, which are fre- 

 quently studded with petechial hemorrhages, are indicative of 

 insufScient oxidation of the blood. A mechanical cause for the 

 difficult respiration cannot be established except in those cases 

 in which edema of the glottis is suspected, because of pharyn- 

 gitis, swelling of the neck and whistling inspiration. Examina- 

 tion of the lungs reveals nothing abnormal except a harsh 

 vesicular breathing. 



Very frequently disturbances in the digestion are observed. 

 Apart from affected appetite horses manifest severe colicky 

 pains but without any indication of meteorism or bloating. 

 Euminants are less restless and frequently show moderate 

 bloating (in one case, a cow observed by Schmidt, the course 

 of the disease manifested the symptoms of an acute paralysis 

 of the rumen with left-sided pleurisy). At first there is con- 

 stipation, but diarrhea soon sets in, during which the feces, 

 particularly in cattle, are fluid and frequently intermixed with 



