284 ACUTE GENERAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES 



Prognosis.— -The prognosis in anthrax is bad. The mortality 

 is 70 to 90 per cent. In subacute cases recovery takes place 

 occasionally, and usually quite unexpectedly, beginning on 

 the second or third day. Nearly all peracute and acute cases 

 die. In cutaneous anthrax an early surgical treatment of the 

 carbuncle is occasionally life-saving. 



Treatment. — A medicinal treatment is rarely of value. In- 

 ternally coal-tar products (creolin, lysol (§ j) five times daily) 

 are recommended. Turpentine, chlorin water, hydrochloric 

 acid, and calomel have been tried with small success. Sur- 

 gically the carbuncles may be slit open and injected with anti- 

 septics (bichlorid of mercury 1 to 2000 in alcohol for horses; 

 iodin tincture in cattle). In infected districts the use of the 

 Pasteur protective vaccination is recommended. As the 

 vaccination material contains living though attenuated germs 

 caution must be exercised in its application. It is possible to 

 spread anthrax by its use if carelessly handled. Protective 

 and curative inoculation with immune serum is employed in 

 Europe and South America. A passive immunity lasting 

 two or three weeks is obtainable by its use. When infection 

 continues to threaten an active immunity is produced by later 

 vaccinating with attenuated anthrax cultures. As in hog 

 cholera a combined active and passive immunity may be 

 acquired by the simultaneous injection of immunizing serum 

 and attenuated anthrax culture. The "serum alone" treat- 

 ment is employed when the animal is already diseased; the 

 "simultaneous" injections usually before the disease becomes 

 manifest. Reports concerning the value of anti-anthrax sera 

 are conflicting. Occasional fatal anaphylactic phenomena 

 have followed the inoculation. 



Prevention. — All anthrax cadavers should be either com- 

 pletely cremated or buried at least six feet deep. Indiscrimi- 

 nate transportation and opening of the carcasses should be 

 avoided. If feasible they should be buried where they die. 

 Infected fields should be tile-drained and cropped. Stagnant 

 pools should be eliminated, as they not only harbor spores 

 but form the breeding places of insects which may be carriers 

 of infection. Hair, wool, hides, harness, stable utensils, etc., 

 should be disinfected by using heat or a 2 per cent, formal- 

 dehyd solution. 



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