1 Mar., 1899.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 205 
whenever an outbreak of splenic fever or anthrax takes place, and that the dis- 
posal by cremation of the carcasses of the affected animals should be most vigor- 
ously enforced. Unfortunately those most closely connected with this disease are 
only too often quite ignorant of its dangers. Thus during an outbreak of this dis- 
ease a few years ago in England, [ recollect quite well the case of a butcher who was 
called in by the farmer to skin and dress some animals that had died from anthrax. 
Very naturally, like most butchers, he became bespattered with blood, and when 
the work was complete he went down to the other end of the paddock and wasned 
his face and hands with water from a running stream, afterwards wiping them 
with some coarse sedgy grass, which produced several slighteuts through the skin. 
No notice whatever was taken of the cuts for several days, when suddenly on a. 
considerable arcaaround each eutthere appeared an intense inflammation; on the: 
following morning they became so painful that he decided to seek the advice of 
a medical man, who, after making full inquiries into the history of the case,. 
came to the conclusion that the sores were true malignant pustules, undoubtedly 
caused by the anthrax bacilli gaining access to the sub-cutaneous tissues through 
the cuts produced by the coarse grass. Although several of the pustules were: 
excised and others treated with strong antiseptics, it was too late to save the 
patient’s life, for the anthrax bacilli had got into his general circulation, and: 
his death resulted in a few hours from splenic fever. In England and on the: 
Continent, when bacteriology was in its infancy, and microscopical science was. 
scarcely considered necessary in veterinary schools, it was by no means an: 
uncommon occurrence to hear of a veterinary surgeon being attacked with. 
anthrax, which in some instances proved fatal. Happily these days are past, 
for now in every veterinary teaching institution in England, Continental: 
countries, and America, the science of bacteriology is recognised in the highest 
possible degree; consequently students of the present day are in a position to. 
acquire an all-round knowledge of practical bacteriology, even probably more so- 
than medical students, which is accounted for by the fact that so many of the- 
diseases peculiar to the lower animals have been proved to be entirely due to 
microbic origin. 
We all know that early recognition and prompt action are essential to: 
prevent the spread of any communicable diseases, By means of Koch’s. 
discovery we are able to give a definite opinion in less than three minutes 
whether an animal has died of anthrax or not. Unfortunately, in the case of 
anthrax, only too often the first indication of the existence of the disease is. 
the sudden death of an apparently healthy animal. Nevertheless, the import- 
tance of being able to recognise the bacillus in the first animal that dies 
cannot be over-estimated, and this is where the microscope scores, for it proves: 
at once that it is quite unnecessary to perform the dangerous task of making 
an elaborate post-mortem examination in order to satisfy oneself that the: 
disease is really anthrax. All bacteriologists are deeply indebted to Robert 
Koch as the first to point out in the year 1876 that the anthrax bacillus, as. 
seen in the blood of infected animals, was morphologically different from any 
other known bacillus ; and although twenty years have elapsed, during which. 
period a considerable number of new (pathogenic and non-pathogenic) 
organisms have been brought to light, it is aremarkable fact that this discovery 
of Koch still holds the same unique position, for not a single new bacillus has. 
been found with the characteristic square-cut ends of the anthrax bacillus. 
IMMUNITY AND PROTECTIVE INOCULATION. 
During his investigations Pasteur discovered that cattle and sheep, after: 
recovering from one attack of authrax, were protected from a second attack, 
and in 1882 he elaborated a method by which a mild form of the disease could. 
be given to animals, which rendered them perfectly harmless against a. 
subsequent inoculation with virulent bacilli. He found that the continued: 
growth of anthrax bacilli at an abnormally high temperature (42 to 43 degrees. 
Centigrade) caused them to lose their power of developing endospores, ard also 
to gradually lose their virulence. In fact, this virulence can be gradually 
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