286 
ANNUAL REPORT FOR 1908 OF 
THE PRINCIPAL OF 
THE ROYAL VETERINARY COLLEGE. 
Anthrax. 
The following Table shows the number of outbreaks of 
this disease, and the total number of animals attacked in each 
of the last six years : — 
Year 
Outbreaks 
Animals attacked 
1903 
767 
1,143 
1904 
1,049 
1,589 
1905 
970 
1,317 
1906 
940 
1,326 
1907 
1,089 
1,466 
1908 
1,108 
1,426 
It will be seen from these figures that during the past five 
years the number of reported outbreaks has varied but little. 
For reasons which have been explained in previous Annual 
Reports, no important decline in the frequency of the disease 
can be expected. A very large proportion, if not the great 
majority, of the outbreaks appear to be caused by anthrax 
spores in feeding-stuffs and manures of foreign origin ; and, 
as there are no practicable means of testing such materials so 
as to ensure their harmlessness, farmers must put up with the 
risk. Fortunately, as experience proves, the risk is not a great 
one, for a total of a little over 1,000 outbreaks per annum in 
the whole animal population of the country cannot be con- 
sidered excessive when one takes into account the enormous 
quantity of grains, feeding-stuffs, and manures annually im- 
ported from countries in which anthrax is known to be very 
prevalent. 
It will be noticed that in each year the average number of 
animals attacked in an outbreak is almost the same, viz., 
between one and two. The fact proves clearly enough that 
when proper precautions are taken in connection with the first 
case in any outbreak the disease is easily stamped out. When 
larger numbers of animals ai'e attacked in the same outbreak 
inquiry usually shows that the first case was not correctly 
diagnosed, and that an opportunity was therefore provided for 
the infection of other animals by means of the blood, organs, 
or excrement of the animal first attacked. 
For the farmer the all-important fact to remember is, that 
whenever one of his animals is suddenly and unexpectedly 
