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9 
ANNUAL REPORT FOR 1906 OF 
THE PRINCIPAL OF 
THE ROYAL VETERINARY COLLEGE. 
Research Laboratory. 
DURING the year 1906, 855 morbid specimens were forwarded 
for examination to the Laboratory at the Royal Veterinary 
College for Research in Comparative Pathology and Bacteriology. 
This represents a considerable increase over the number in the 
two previous years, viz., 692 in 1905, and 654 in 1904. 
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 
1901 
651 
971 
1902 
678 
1,032 
1903 
767 
1,143 
1904 
1,049 
1,589 
1905 
970 
1,317 
1906 
940 
1,326 
As will be seen from these figures, there has been little 
variation in the prevalence of anthrax during recent years, 
and, for reasons which have been fully discussed in previous 
Annual Reports, there is not likely to be any notable decline 
in the number of outbreaks in the future. The proper burial 
or destruction of anthrax carcasses appears to be generally 
quite adequate so far as prevention of recurrent outbreaks 
on the same farm is concerned, but every year the disease 
makes its appearance on other farms on which there is no 
history of its previous occurrence. It is probable that in 
many of these cases the disease is introduced by feeding-stuffs 
or other materials imported from foreign countries in which 
anthrax is very common, and it appears at present to be 
impossible to devise any practicable measures to guard against 
this risk. 
Cases which have come under observation during the past 
year give fresh emphasis to the importance of suspecting 
anthrax whenever a farm animal dies suddenly and unex- 
pectedly, and to the danger of using the carcasses of such 
animals for the feeding of pigs. 
