Rocky Ford enterprise., 1894-11-08
Anthrax IN Illinois.

break of n alis nant anthrax occurred
in several counties in the southern
part Of this state. The disease has
again made its appearance. It's fatal
in majority Of cases. Horses. cattle,
sheep, hogs, and all warm blooded an
imals are readily affected by it, and it
is peculiarly dangerous from the fact
that it attacks mankind by inocula-
tion. Animals that die of this disease
I should not be skinned or handled.
All dead carcasses should be burn ed
at once. While small per cent of
the affected animals recover. there is
no known cure. This disease is, in
France, known as Charbon; in Ger
many, as Milzbrand 1t is caused by
a certain form of bacterial life known
as the Bacillus Anthracis. The bacil-
lus is rod sha I'd, and can only be
seen with microscope Within the
living animal these rods take up oxy-
gen and yield up carbonic acid gas,
which accounts for the condition OF
the blood of acutely affected animals
-blackness, imperfect coagulation
and speedy decomposition. There are
three forms of the disease: The
apopletic, acute and sub-acute. In
the apopletic, death is sudden. A
horse may drop dead in the harness,
or a COW may die while she is being
milked. In the other types the pro.
gress of the disease is slower. In the
sub-acute the animal may recover
The pathological appearances are
veins engorged with black, tarry-like
blood, bloody colored water in the
chest and abdomen, red spotted ap-
pearance of the intestines, the spleen
irregularly engorged with black blood.
giving it a peculiarly mottled appear
ance. In many cases the lungs are
completely ciogged with blood The
larger lymph glands are much en-
larged. The liver in many cases is
congested and greatly increased in
size and weight. Medication is very
unsatisfactory. Local tumorS may be
treated with strong liniments or car
bolic acid lotions. and ten or twenty
drops of this acid may be given to
large animals in drinking water daily.
In the sub acute cases, iron prepara-
tions, sulphite of sodium, carbolic acid
and stimulants may be give with ben
efcial results. External tumors should
have free incision and application of
disinfectant lotions. The following
rules prepared by DIR. NJ. r. Trum-
bower, state We erinary surgeon,
should be carefully observed:
/. All animals that die with this
| disease should be Immediately burned,
not buried, for the reason that burial
of such carcasses preserves the germ
of disease, as it has its primary
residence in the soil.
9. No dead animal should be
skinned, or in any way handled by
persons with sore, wounded or
scratched hands.
3. Dogs and hogs should not be al
lowed near dead animal, as they
readily contract the disease by eating
the blood or flesh.
4. AL animals-horses, mules, cattle
and hogs-should be removed from
the infected region to upland pastures,
clear OF any timber or stagnant pools
of water. If this is not available.
they should be closely housed in
darkencd stables to exclude the flies
Work horses and mules, when out of
the stable. should be covered by q
sheet from head to tail to protect
them from the flies. Flies frequent
ly are the carriers of the contagion
from the diseased or dead animals 20
healthy ones.
BY a strict observation of these
rules, the disease may be controlled
to very great extent, possibly COM
pletely eradicated.
AS this disease is menace to public
health, In all counties affected by
anthrax, local boards Of health should
be organized under the state laws, and
prompt and efficient measures for the
enforcement of the above rules should
be adopted. Such action was taken
last summer by the authorities of
Wayne, Clay and Edwards counties,
where the following rules were in
forced:
known as malignant anthrax, exists
in Wayne. Clay and Edwards counties
among domestic animals which
disease is also communicable to per-
sons; and,
Whereas, The only known ways to
prevent the spread of said infectious
disease is by cremating the bodies of
all animals dying from such disease,
/! isolating those animals affected with
the disease, and isolating the grounds
and premises where the disease has
existed:
Therefore, The following rules
have been drafted, and will be placed
in the hands of the local boards Of
health of these counties for their
guidance in discharging their duties
in their respective townships:
/. All dead domestic animals shall
be cremated at once by the owner.
2. Dead domestic animals shall not
be removed farther on the premises of
the owner than is necessary for the
purposes Of cremation. without the
written permission and consent of the
local board of health.
3. All animals suffering from dis.
ease shall be separated from all other
animals, and should be SO placed that
in case of death they NAV be cre-
mated without further removal.
A. No diseased animals shall be per-
mitted to run at large or be driven on
the highway, or removed from the
premises of the owner, without the
written consent of the local health
i IA .lnn ho l,,&,