8 Anthrax. 



spores; from previously opened carcasses spore-containing 

 material may be disseminated at once. When carcasses are 

 not buried sufficiently deep or are left unburied the soil be- 

 comes heavily infected; even burying opened carcasses rather 

 deeply does not offer a sufficient protection in this respect. 

 The spores retain their germinating power for a very long 

 time even in the deeper layers of the soil, and from here they 

 may be conveyed to the superficial layers by the rising ground- 

 water. They may also be brought to the surface by earth- 

 worms and deposited in their excrement (Pasteur, Bollinger). 

 According to Karlinski the contagium may also be spread 

 through certain snails (Arion subfuscus). Investigations of 

 local outbreaks have frequently proved shallow burying of an 

 anthrax carcass on a pasture or meadow to be the cause; be- 

 - sides this, the disease frequently occurs in pastures in the im- 

 mediate vicinity of a decomposing anthrax carcass. 



Wholesome food grown on uninfected soil is sometimes 

 subsequently infected by the excrements or the blood of af- 

 fected animals which have been bled. The bacilli which con- 

 taminate the food may continue to multiply and form spores 

 if the conditions of moisture and temperature are favorable, 

 and in this way they may cause stable infections. 



The intestinal contents of affected animals is particularly danger- 

 ous as it may not only contain bacilli but also spores. Horse or cattle 

 manure or its mixture with dirt represents an excellent medium for 

 the propagation of the virus, and particularly for sporulation (accord- 

 ing to Oppermann, spores which are formed on such soil are particu- 

 larly resistant). 



In anthrax districts the intestinal contents of healthy animals may 

 not infrequently also contain spores which have been ingested along 

 with the food or drinking water and passed out through the intestinal 

 canal without molesting the host. It is therefore possible for such 

 spore-carriers to spread the contagion into uninfected territories with- 

 out becoming affected themselves. 



According to Marchoux & Salimbeni the disease is spread in Brazil by the 

 TJrubus, a species of vulture, as they consume the anthrax carcass and then pass 

 masses of spores from the intestinal tract with their feces. 



The food may also occasionally become infected by the 

 hides of animals dead of anthrax. Hides are frequently dried 

 in the hay-loft where the blood drops on the hay or other food 

 stored there, or with the accumulated dust, into the mangers 

 below. Sheep stables are particularly liable to become infected 

 in this manner, as it is a frequent practice secretly to skin 

 carcasses which died of anthrax and to dry the pelts in the 

 stable. It has also been demonstrated that hides which have 

 been thoroughly dried or even salted or -treated with milk of 

 lime (Griglio) may contain virulent spores. They may also be 

 present in bone meal made from anthrax carcasses due to 

 incomplete decalcification and the consequent retention of more 



