La Junta tribune., 1901-09-07
FARM AND GARDEN.
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO AGRI-
CuLTURiSTS.
Some UP-to-Date Hints About Culti-
vntion of the Soil and Yields
Observation-Disclosures. viticuiturs and
Horticulture.
Anthrax.

Anthrax.
Tho recent outbreak Of anthrax or
charbOn near Palatine. H.. has d.
rected wide attention to the disease.
seeing that u 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 1t 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 4 misdemeanor punishable py
| fine or Imprisonment for anyone 10
throw a. dead animal into running
stream or drinking place. In Iowa
bad outbreak of the disease was traced
at once to a pond into which n dead
anthrax animal had been cast and at
which large herd Of cattle took
| drinking water daily. The disease
! properly called anthrax occurs in dit-
ferent forms, In some cases there are
diffuse 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, 3eily-hke
mass. more or less stained with blood.
| In other cases the animal dies almost
Immediately from form of apoplexy
and discharges stained with blood
| come away from the natural orifices OF
the body. The body bloats and decom-
| poses at once. This form Is not SO
| common as the other. In third form
the disease is subacute and the victim
| may i've lNG " otN'h teS's
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-
| tule" or carbuncie and Is contracted
| through wound or abrasure of the
| skin when a person skins an animal
dead OF anthrax The disease may also
be carried In the same form to man by
insects and it Is probable that flies are
the means of spreading the disease TO
| other Anfmals 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 1t will be
seen that 1t 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
| 1t by fire, but If this cannot be done
1t should be buried deeply In quick
lime. 1t Is not enough to bury 1t 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
| victim is opened the spleen Is always
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 oriflces of the
| body. When an animal Is attacked
with black leg the disease is character
lied by external swellings. which are
found to be filed with gas. which
makes the swellings give out crack
ling sound when handled. After death
the spleen is found to be unchanged
and the blood coagulates 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 some
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.