38 
Report on an Experimental Investigation on 
It is needful to insist upon these facts, seeing that in what 
follows the nature of the disease is a matter of considerable 
importance. But, without going further into the evidence on 
the subject, it may be stated as absolutely proved, that this 
wool or mohair is very largely infected with anthrax, and is 
capable of giving rise to the disease under suitable conditions 
both in man and animals. It must now be considered what 
were the special local conditions under which the proved 
transmission to animals occurred. In doing so, I desire to 
draw especial attention to three points — 1st. The possibility of 
conveyance of the disease from parts of animals long dead to 
other animals, and its mode of transmission in such instances. 
2nd. The evidence that the infected wool or hair is widely 
distributed in places where it is not being manufactured, and 
may be the unsuspected means of conveyance of the contagion. 
3rd. The special conditions under which a test was afforded of 
the value of preventive inoculation of anthrax. 
Outbreak of Splenic Fevek on a Sewage Farm at 
Harden, traced to the conveyance of Infected 
Sewage-water in which Wool containing Anthrax 
Virus had been washed. 
At a mill at Harden, near Bingley, where much mohair is 
used, often of the worst kinds, there had been several cases of 
wool-sorters' disease and of malignant pustule during the past 
year. The cases had occurred in batches in such a way as to show 
that there were some particular lots of wool specially infected. 
In November, 1879, two fatal cases and one non-fatal case had 
occurred ; and there was then an interval of four months in 
which there were no cases. In the middle of April one case 
occurred, coincidently with the resumption of work on a par- 
ticular lot of Van mohair. On April 23rd a case of malignant 
pustule occurred in a wool-sorter employed in the same mills, 
but this case recovered. On May 5th a fatal case of the " wool- 
sorters' disease" occurred in a wool-packer. All these men 
had been employed in sorting or packing the Van mohair of 
the same kind as that used in November. It appears, how- 
ever, that only small lots of this wool had been in use, but on 
May 5th a large quantity was prepared for sorting, and twenty 
men were detailed for the work. They struck work, and 
refused to sort it until disinfected, and the employer at last 
consented to spread it out in a field to air ; this was done from 
May 8th to May 10th, when the wool was sorted and washed in 
the usual manner. A few days later a cow died suddenly in 
the fields of a neighbouring proprietor, to whose fields the 
