The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-12-31
Anthrax.

Anthrax.
The recent outbreak of anthrax or
Charlton near Palatine, H., has di-
rected wide attention to the disease,
seeing that it proved not only fatal to
cattle attacked, but to at least one man
in attendance upon the bovine vic
tins. Some particulars about the dis
ease will prove of interest to our read
ers, as there is quite misunderstand
ing of the difference between anthrax
and the more common disease of
young cattle known as "black leg" In
this department of the paper we have
taken pains to impress upon the minds
of stockmen the necessity of keeping
cattle away from stagnant water in
ponds or sloughs and even from run
ming rivers or creeks. The import
ance of this precaution will be the bet
ter understood when it is stated that
most cases of anthrax are found where
cattle have been so exposed to the rod
like, microscopic organism to which
the disease is due. The bacillus" as
1t is called, is found in such places. IL
either originates there or is brought
there by water coming from place
where dead anthrax animal has been
cast. For the latter reason 1t should
be made misdemeanor punishable by
fine or Imprisonment for anyone to
throw a dead animal into a running
stream or drinking place. In Iowa
bad outbreak of the disease was traced
at once to a pond into which a dead
anthrax animal had been cast and at
which a large herd of cattle took
drinking water daily. The disease
properly called anthrax occurs in diff
ferent forms. In some cases there are
oiffuse swellings seen about the head
and neck and when pressed these
swellings are found to be solid and do
not contain gas. On cutting into them
there is found a yellowish, jelly-l1ke
mass, more or less stained with blood
In other cases the animal dies almost
Immediately from a form of apoplexy
and discharges stained with blood
come away from the natural orifi ,es OF
the body. The body bloats and decom-
poses at once This form is not so
common as the other. In a third form
the disease is subacute and the victim
may live for five to seven days. In
the form characterized by external
swellings the animal dies in from one
to two days. In man the disease usu-
ally takes the form of malignant pus-
tt1In 10
through a wound or abrasure of the
skin when person skins an animal
dead of anthrax. The disease may also
Je carried in the same form to man by
insects and it is probable that flies are
the means of spreading the disease to
other animals when dead bodies are
left to decompose in the open air. In
this way anthax may be spread to
sheep and horses. Swine and dogs are
largely immune from the disease.
From what has been said it will be
seen that it is very important to de-
stroy the carcase of an anthrax victim
SO that the disease may not be spread
by this means The best way to get
rid of the carcase is to totally destroy
it should be buried deeply in quick
lime. 1t is not enough to bury it deep
ly. for Darwin has shown that earth
worms may bring the spores of the dis
ease to the surface, where they may be
taken into the systems of cattle pas
turing over the graves and again
cause the disease. When an anthrax
f, IO MI fe, lxyo We
found to be greatly enlarged and filled
with tar-like matter; the blood is dark
and does not coagulate; the mucous
membranes of the chest and abdominal
cavities are covered with dark red
spots and blood-stained discharges is
sue from the natural orif1ces of the
body. When an animal is attacked
with black leg the disease is character
lied by external swellings, which are
found to be filled with gas, which
makes the swellings give out a crack
ling sound when handled. After death
the spleen is found to be unchanged
and the blood coagu1ates and turns red
on exposure to the air. Blackleg does
not attack animals other than young
cattle. Cattle may be safely inocu-
lated against blackleg and with sor1e
degree of success against anthrax. In
case of an outbreak of anthrax cattle
should be changed to a fresh pasture
away from stagnant water. Disinfect-
ants (such as the tar product disin-
fectants advertised in this paper)
should be freely used around the
buildings and for washing the hands
Dead animals should be destroyed and
not skinned. Cases should not be
treated.