54 Report of a Series of Outbreaks of Splenic Apoplexv 
in such a position <is to render it quite possible for con- 
tamination of the general water supply to have occurred, and 
especially so under circumstances of a large effluent pressure 
of soil-water. That no such general pollution did occur is 
clearly shown by the absence of any epizootic tendency in 
the several outbreaks. From Mr. Dosrarett's marshes the stream 
flows in a westerly direction towards Wells harbour, and 
furnishes drinking-water to large herds of cattle, and other 
descriptions of stock, owned by various persons. Had the 
virus of anthrax been conveyed into any branch of the general 
Avater-service, the clearly defined and localised character of 
the outbreaks would have been impossible. A wide-spread 
epizootic must inevitably have arisen. The idea, then, of a 
pollution of the general water supply cannot be sustained. 
The only special source of water to which Mr. Doggett's cattle 
had access was furnished by the rush-beds referred to above. 
After a heavy rainfall they afforded a plentiful supply of stag- 
nant water, and on them beasts would congregate during the 
warmer periods of the day, to shelter themselves from the heat 
of the sun and the irritating attacks of flies. The contamina- 
tion of this water since the outbreak of 1877 is rendered pro- 
bable in one instance by the proximity of a buried carcass ; 
but this circumstance affords no explanation of the etiology of 
the affection on previous occasions. 
Disposal of Diseased Flesh. — There is no etiological truth 
concerning which veterinarians are more agreed than that of the 
dissemination oi anthrax by food and water contaminated with the 
excrement, blood, or flesh of diseased animals. I have already 
pointed out how largely excremental contamination contributed 
to swell the mortality at Holkham, and this inquiry would be 
far from complete if it left unnoticed the essential question of 
the disposal of diseased flesh. In this direction, then, I gathered 
that in 1874 some of the carcass of the infected mare was buried 
in the pasture south-west of the decoy, slightly removed from 
an open drain, and to this source the splenic-fever infection of 
1877 and 1880 may possibly be referred ; notwithstanding that 
the ground has not since been disturbed by spade or peck ; for, 
according to the recent researches of Pasteur, the surface over- 
lying a buried carcass may for a long period be fouled by the 
virus-laden soil of worm-casts, and even by tainted worms 
themselves. Besides portions of the mare above referred to, 
four beasts were also buried in the decoy meadows. 
The probability of the disease having been contracted away 
from the marshes in 1877 and 1880 may, I think, be fairly 
dismissed on the following grounds : — 
1. On being turned out, the cattle were perfectly healthy. 
