Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1915-03-26
ANTHRAX OR CHARBON.
Points Of Popular Interest by Harry
Morris, Bacteriologist and ASSIST
ant Veterinarian, Agrico,tura' Exc
pertinent Station Of l.. :. u.

| This bulletin Is designed 10 answer Ut
brief form, free from technical expires
sions, all the important questions that
come up in the discussion OF TIE control
and eradication of Charlton or anthrax.
What is Charlton or dnhrnr' Char
bon j. an acute infectious disease Of man
and animal
, History. One of the Oldest diseases
known ~ medical science.
! Distribution. Almost world wide, much
more common in Europe and Asia than
in America. In the United States char
bon is found in several states, but most
commonly in the Lower Mississippi VAL
ley aud along the Gulf of Mexico.
Wat is the cause of chdrJonS A
J very small germ or organism known as
Pacterinm anthracis.
| What is q spore: The spore OF a germ
OF hacterium may be likened in certain
way to the seed OF higher plant. Keep
ne seed in cool, dry place and it may
DC kept for years, but supply heat ard
moisture and termination soon follows.
Spores will live for years in soil Vt water
without losing their power Of gernlina-
ton. The spore is much more difficult to
destroy than the rod in which it forms,
jus. 20 the seed Of higher plant.
HoU does the land become Occul0t-
/ ed NTH Charlton germs' From the car
cases of infected animals and also from
the excrement of infected animals.
HOW long ,ciU the germs lire in the
ground? For a number of years under
favorable conditions.
What are the forms of chdrbon9 Ex-
ternal and internal.
What are the symptoms of the err
Z aal form? This form is shown ~ a
localized watery swelling at the o.iat oi
incubation. 1t will soon spread unde.
the skin along the course Of the absorb
ent vessels. This form is usually sea IN
horses and mules and may occur in man
as malignant postule or carbuncn'ar an
thrax.
What are the symptoms Of The in
terndl form? Unless the animal is un-
der the very close observation no visible
symptoms are noticed, death is vefy sud-
den and without apparent cause. The an
imal is seized very suddenly and with
great depression and prostration; rapid
rize in temperature and fall OF same just
before death, heart action is rapid; mu-
membranus of eyes, nose and mouth
4 dark and red color; solid and liquid
irine) excrements may havea blood
stained appearance. As this form of char
bon is found most commonly in cattle,
mistakes are often made in identifying
the disease; the hides are removed and
the carcasses are not destroyed rs they
should be. Under no condition should the
hide of an animal be removed during an
outbreak of Charlton without first making
microscopic blood test for the Charlton
germs. SHINING a carcass not only spreads
infection but endangers the life OF the
person removing the hide. Many people
lold the false opinion that every case OF
Charlton must show an external swelling.
Sudden deaths of animals during the sum-
mer months should be considered suspic-
ious of Charlton unless the cause of death
is absolutely known.
HOW is the first animal infectcds
The first case of the season is usually one
of internal charbQn caused by eating or
drinking food or water infected with the
germs.
EoW do outbreaks of Charlton Oc-
cur Failure to observe the first cases
and neglect to properly (sanitarily) dis
pose Of their carcasses are important fac
tors in the history of outbreaks. The fol-
lowing examples have been selected as
typical illustrations of the above point.
Case No. l. Dairy herd; COW died sud-
denly, supposedly from the effects of a
fall, broken neck; skin was removed and
carcass buried carelessly. Subsequent de-
velopments indicated this to have been
Charlton. Result: Outbreak of charbon
with loss of thirty head.
CAGE No. 2. Stock farm; bull found
dead ;canse of death diagnosed as "bloat."
Skin was removed and the carcass dragged
to the swamp and left exposed. Result:
Loss of twenty-five head.
Case No. 3. Hides were removed from
several animals found dead in the fields
and cured with salt. Later they were sold,
delivered to the local station and thrown
upon the freight platform, where they
remained for some time. Teams licked
the hides for the salt and at the same
time infected themselves with the germs
OF Charlton. Result: Outbreak of Charlton.
Case No. 4. A swelling was noticed on
the breast of horse. The animal was
taken to a secluded spot OH the farm and
tho swelling covered with buriap sacks,
sceked in creolin. Death occurred during
the night and the carcass was cremated
at daybreak or before the flies had an
opportunity to feed. A blood smear was
examined by the writer and diagnosed
as charbon. Result: The only case.
Case No. 5. Stock farm; five hundred
head OF cattle. Cow found dead in TIE
pasture. Before burning a pound of gun
power was sprinkled around and over the
carcass and touched off with fuse Prac-
tically all of the flies were destroyed by
the axnlosion blood cnaoar fnl-nr frn,,,