SYNOPSIS OF CONTINENTAL VETERINARY JOURNALS. 81 
cage; one was kept in a different compartment from the 
other two, and fed only on bread for six months. Each 
was inoculated with anthrax blood ; only the one fed on 
bread died, the others remained in perfect health. From 
these experiments it may be concluded that the state of 
nutrition dependent on a certain diet exercises a considerable 
influence on the liability to become affected with anthrax. 
Feser concludes that the immunity of birds is not dependent 
upon their high internal temperature, as Pasteur supposes, 
but upon their alimentation. 
M. Pasteur, at the sitting of the Academy of Medicine 
of 17th September, 1879, presented the account of his re¬ 
searches on the etiology of anthrax. His previous researches, 
which we have already presented to our readers, reduced 
the matter to one question—whether it is possible to detect 
on the surface of the soil of the locality under examination 
the germs of Bacteria, particularly in those numerous spots 
where animals affected with charbon have scattered the 
germs either before death or after death, especially at the 
place of burial. The experiments undertaken to throw 
light on this question, with the aid of MM. Roux and 
Chamberland, consisted of two distinct series. In the first 
an inquiry was made as to whether, when charbon blood 
is added to earth, the Bacillus is preserved and undergoes 
multiplication in the mixture, especially when the earth is 
watered with urine and like fluids. These experiments all gave 
positive results. Under these influences the bacterium mul¬ 
tiplies in the earth ; it undergoes its developmental changes, 
so that its germs can be detected after months of alternate 
dryness and moisture. The second series of experiments 
is decisive in another matter. The carcase of a lamb which 
succumbed to charbon was buried. Ten months afterwards 
soil was collected from the surface of the ground where the 
animal was buried ; this was found to contain germs of 
Bacteria, which gave rise to charbon when introduced by 
inoculation into guinea-pigs. Soil collected from the deep 
layers gave rise to septicaemia of a special kind. M. Colin’s 
negative results of experiments of a similar character Pasteur 
attributes to the difficulties which impede detection of 
the germs in the soil, resulting from the multiplicity of 
germs of various microscopic species, which occur in all 
natural earths. Pasteur’s positive results overbalance 
Colin’s negative conclusions, urges M. Bouley in the Recueil 
de Medecine Veterinaire , 15th November, 18/9. Also they 
agree very markedly with clinical observations of these 
diseases. They show clearly that what is true within the 
