ANTHRAX 281 



Necropsy. 1 — As man is quite susceptible to anthrax, every 

 • precaution should be taken in holding necropsies to guard 

 against infection. The blood, flesh and digestive contents 

 should not be permitted to pollute the forage or soil, and 

 carrion birds, dogs, etc., kept aloof until the carcass and offal 

 are made innocuous. 



The cadaver is usually greatly bloated, rapidly decompos- 

 ing and rigor mortis little developed. The mucous mem- 

 branes are cyanotic, the rectum protruding and dark blood 

 flows from the natural openings. If swellings in the skin and 

 subcutis are present they appear on cut surface hemorrhagic- 

 gelatinous or, if older, lardaceous, the overlying skin dis- 

 colored and in part necrotic. Throughout the body the 

 organs show petechise, ecchymoses and blood extravasations. 

 Collections of blood-stained fluid are noted in the abdominal 

 and thoracic cavities, and in the pericardium. The spleen is 

 three to six times its normal size, the parenchyma black 

 and soft, even fluid. Spontaneous rupture of the capsule 

 sometimes occurs. The blood is dark, varnish-like, staining 

 the fingers' and little coagulated. The lining of the aorta is 

 diffusely reddened. The intestinal mucosa, especially in the 

 small bowel, is edematously swollen, jelly-like and sometimes 

 several centimeters thick. Necrosis of the superficial layers 

 is sometimes noted. Peyer's plaques and the solitary follicles 

 are swollen, projecting into the lumen of the intestine as dark 

 red elevations. The lungs are edematous, congested. The 

 mucous membrane of the larynx is swollen, congested, and 

 ecchymosed. The lymph glands are swollen and blood-shot. 



In the spleen pulp and blood, lymph glands and parenchy- 

 matous organs anthrax bacilli are found. 



In swine the necropsy lesions are confined mostly to the 

 throat. The spleen is quite often normal in this animal. 



Symptoms. — In general, anthrax is characterized clinically 

 by its sudden appearance, stormy course leading to death in 

 one or two days, high fever, severe general disturbance, 



1 The postmortem lesions vary greatly in anthrax. In peracute cases 

 the changes are very little marked, and the bacilli not numerous. The 

 description given above applies to the usual acute or subacute case and 

 may be considered typical. 



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