186 
E. SEMMER. 
ecchymosis, gelatinous bloody infiltration, on different parts of the 
organism, and intestinal affections. The blood of anthrax contains, how¬ 
ever, the bacteria characteristics of that disease, baccillus anthacis 
(Koch), which fail by septic and putrid diseases of the blood. Brauell 
and Davaine have also noticed this point of difference. 
Some authors have unjustifiably identified anthrax and septicaemia 
(Ravitsch). A further difference between anthrax and septicaemia is, 
that we can always generate the latter artifically, which has never been 
successful by anthrax. We can produce a putrid decomposition of the 
blood from injection of foul material, or from foulness bacteria, in the 
circulation, or introducing such elements subcutaneously, which, if the 
animals do not die too quickly, will produce developed septicaemia 
I utrid blood, and especially septic blood, as also that from anthrax indi¬ 
viduals, is exceedingly contagious. The contagion of septicaemia can 
be generated from fouling elements, in living blood. The causes of 
anthrax are, without doubt, to be sought in the decomposing elements 
ol organic substances, or living organisms of the lowest order, the early 
stages of whose development take place outside of all animal organisms. 
1 utrid, and especially septic bloods, are especially contagious, and 
in such aie to be found intra vitam micrococcen, streptococcus, etc. 
I he intensity of septic poison increases from generation to genera¬ 
tion, by means of repeated inoculation, as was shown by a series of 
experiments at Dorpat in 1869, and by Davaine in 1872 ; also receiving 
confirmation from Magendie, Cone, Sanderson, Klein and others. Like 
increase of the intensity ol the contagion from generation to generation 
has not been confirmed by anthrax. 
As by anthrax, so by typhus of the horse (febris putrida, purpura 
hemorrhagica, foul fever), the blood is found to be miscolored, blackish 
brown, and microbacteria have been found in the same (Fig. 11). 
[Note— Roll, of Vienna, in his “ Lehrbuch der Pathologie und Therapie der 
Hausthiere, classes this disease with anthrax, and speaks of the presence of bac¬ 
teria in confirmation of this opinion. English authors do not seem to have ex¬ 
amined the blood carefully of such patients, and it would seem well worthy of 
attention to prove if it be so or not. I have personally examined the blood of 
some eight cases this spring, very carefully, from day to day, and found none, nor 
have other fellow students been more successful, and it seems to be very ques¬ 
tionable if this little understood disease should at present be looked upon as one 
of anthracic form. If the bacteria are present at all, it is only during the last 
stages of life, and all observers should be very careful about reporting bacteria 
found post-mortem, especially if organic foulness has set in.— Trans.] 
Rabies by the herbivora bears a strong resemblance to septic blood 
