The record-union., 1898-12-25

contact with the refuse or tannerles
and wool factories. Wool sorters' dis
ease is anthrax of the lungs.
| Bales of foreign and home wool con-
tain not only wool from living sheep,
but wool which has been clipped from
skins of dead sheep. If any Of the
sheep died from anthrax the wool is
sure to be contaminated with the blood
containing the bacillus, and then wool
sorters engaged in picking the wool
readily inoculate themselves through a
| scratch or pimple, or by inhaling the
spores.
A ranch may become infected by the
| living animal. Blood containing thhe
bacillus may be discharged from the
mouth and nostrils, or be passed with
| the contents of the intestinal canal or
bladder. The droppings contaminate
the pasture, stable or corrals, and
spore formation, especially in warm
weather, quickly takes place. From this
cause the disease may not only be con-
veyed to healthy cattle grazing with in
fected animals, but fresh cases may oc-
cur, year after year, on the same farm,
| and if hay is cut and sold off the farm,
other cattle at a distance are similarly
infected
For example last June some cattle
were shipped from the coast to alfalfa
lands in the vicinity of Newman, Mer-
ced County, and shortly after their ar
rival a number of them died from an
thrax, which was proved by a micro
scopical examination. Owing to the
lack Of quarantine regulations, etc., the
disease spread over a considera BILE area.
About week ago 1 was notified by
DR.. H. A. Spencer and son, veterinar-
ians of San Jose, that a cow had died
in San Jose from anthrax, which dag
nosis was corroborated by me by a
microscopical examination of specimens
sent to my office. Upon investigation
of the source of infection the doctors
informed me that this particular cow
had been fed on alfalfa hay grown on
the ranch at Newman where the above
mentioned outbreak of anthrax had oc-
Cured in June and July.
If the floors of stables. corralls, ETC..
are once soiled by infectious animals,
it is easy to account for those other
wise mysterious outbreaks which oc-
cur when cattle are taken in, in the
winter time.
Another source of danger, and the
most important one in my estimation
arises when blood or excrement from a
diseased animal is washed into the
streams and rivers, for thus the dis
ease may be carried to farms in which
it was previously unknown.
With regard to the prevalence of
anthrax in this State, my investiga-
tions lead me to the conclusion that
most of the low-lying lands adjacent
to our main rivers are more or less in
fected with the bacillus anthracis. Un-
fortunately most of my information on
this head is not very reliable. as with
the exception of few outbreaks per-
sonally investigated the most of my
| information has been procured from
health authorities and stockmen, who
are, generally speaking. unable to dis
criminate between Texas fever and
anthrax, owing to the similarity ex-
listing between the two diseases.
Much confusion has been the result
and as consequence information OBJ
tanned from a number of individuals
in the same locality has been so differ
| ent that it was simply impossible for
any one to reach a definite conclusion
Whenever I have been called upon to
| investigate an outbreak of either OF
the two diseases I have invariably
made a microscopical examination
| even after was sure of my diagnosis
with a. view of removing all possible
doubt in the minds of those interested
WITH REGARD TO LEGISLATION
Toward controlling and eradicatins
! these and other contagious and in