The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-07-23
CHARLTON OR ANTHRAX.
A Dread Disease, Its History and Pos
sible Treatment


Contributed.
BY special request of several friends,
| have written the following article for
| the benefit of the public, which contains
Il brief description of the history, causes,
symptoms and treatment of the disease
known as Charlton, which is such a ter
rible scourge to stock. 1t was on ac-
count of the outbreak of this disease
| among stock in Louisiana that Governor
Culberson recently issued his quarantine
proclamation prohibiting the importa-
ton of stock from Louisiana into Texas.
Anthrax may be defined as Il malignant
and contagious disease of the blood, at
lacking particularly cattle, horses,
mules, sheep and goats, but communica-
bic to all domestic animals. 1t may be
| communicated to man and is then known
as malignant pustulc. On account of it
attacking such variety of the domes-
ticated animals, it is one of the most
dreaded scourges of animal life.
History-This disease dates back to
the siege of Troy in Asia Minor and was
n terrible plague to the cattle of Egypt
| in the time of Moses; and in response to
| the casting forth of ''ashcs from the fur
mace" by Moses the modern names of
Charlton, Anthrax and Carbuncle, all
signifying burning ashes. would seem
somewhat remarkable. The Greeks in
writing about it in regard to man. called
it anthrax, while the Latin writers term
ease is called mizbrand and in Australia,
cumberland disease. In the middle
ages it was frequently COMPOUNDED with
another plague (rinderpest). hut the out
break of it in 996 A. y. and 1000 A. ID.
in France clearly identified it as Il differ
cnt disease. and in 1917 at Naples, Italy,
where numbers of human beings died
from eating the flesh of animals which
were affected with the disease.
Serious outbreaks constantly occur in
the United States and it has II great ten
dcncy to spread. In recent years the
most noticeable outbreaks have occurred
| Illinois. Louisiana, and California
Between June II ana October 10,
| 1893. go animals succumbcd to the dis
ease in five counties in Illinois. In July,
| 1893, 222 died in one county in New Jer-
spy. And it is reported that thousands
of animals have died during the recent
outbreak in Louisiana. 1t is quite com
mon among mules in Mexico.
Speaking generally, the germs of an
| thraX seem to exist wherever the soil
is of marshy nature and outbreaks are
always likely TO take place where such
soil is found.
| CauScs-Thc causes of anthrax We're ut
one time attributed entirely to climatic
| influence the soil. etc. and no doubt they
are important prediSposing factors in the
development of the disease, for it is most
prevalent i'll low, damp, swampy districts
during the warm season especially when
outbreaks over any number of animals
occur. Dccaying vegetable matter seems
most favorable for nourismng and pre-
serving the virus. while it is more fire.
/ hon, lN-t tN.E
| swampy lands dry out during the heat OF
summer and are then covered with ligh!
rains.
The direct cause of anthrax is the an
thraX bacillus bacillus anthracis) which
is Il rod-lke vegetable organism. Thes,
baclli are very small and require pow
erful microscope to see them. The bac
terra multiply very rapidly in the blooc
by becoming elongated and then dividing