The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1917-06-02
REDUCE ANTHRAX LOSS.
Responsible for Death of Large
Numbers of Live Stock.
Disease Affects Chiefly Cattle and
Sheep, But None of Domestic Ami
mails Are Exempt-Vaccina-
ton Is Favored.

prepared by the United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture)
Losses from anthrax, or Charlton,
which at the present time is response
BILE for the death of large numbers of
live stock in low, moist lands of more
or less mucky character, may be mini
mixed by the proper use of protective
vaccine and the proper disposal of the
carcasses of infected animals. This
disease affects chiefly cattle and sheep,
but none of the domestic animals Is
exempt, and even man is sometimes
victim. Some centuries ago 1t is known
to have caused the death of more than
10000 persons In southern Europe.
Since that time the disease has appar-
emily become less virulent, but 1t is
still the cause of considerable loss to
stock owners.
In Farmers Bulletin No. 7S4, detailed
directions for the administration of
the vaccine are given. Stock owners
are warned to obtain the serum and
vaccine from reliable manufacturers
only, and not to administer the treat
ment unless the disease has already APP
peared In the vicinity, or the pastures
on which the animals are to be turned
out are known to be infected. Care
less handling of the vaccine may result
in spreading instead of controlling the
disease.
The cause of anthrax is q minute
germ which multiplies rapidly in the
body, especially in the blood, and pro-
duces poisonous substances which or
dinarily cause death. The symptoms
of the disease resemble, in certain re-
spects, those of tick fever and black
leg. The differences which will en-
able stock owners to distinguish 1t
from them are described in detail in
the bulletin already mentioned. In
acute cases, however, medicinal treat
ment is seldom effective. For this rea-
son the best methods of combating the
disease are to vaccfnate all animals
likely to be exposed to the infection
and by deep burying or cremating of
infected carcasses, to make certain that
the infection is not allowed to establish
itself in pastures.
Under certain conditions and in GER
tain forms the germs of the disease are
remarkably resistant to heat, cold and
drought. They will remain for a long
time in q pasture and be capable of in
fecting any animals turned out on it.
Ordinarily the disease IS taken into the
body through the mouth with food. 1t
may, however, be absorbed through
wound or even an Insignificant scratch.
1t is in this way that human beings
usually become infected, and the name
"woOlsorter's disease" is derived from
the fact that men engaged in sorting
wool are particularly liable to contract
the disease through infection of
scratches or other small wounds or
abrasions on their hands.
In burying carcasses a useful precau-
ton is to cover them with Quicklime.
Where the bodies are burned instead
of buried, great care should be taken to
see that the operation is thoroughly
done. Even the earth upon which the
carcass has lain should be thoroughly
and deeply burned over so that the
heat will penetrate to depth sufficient
to kill the germs that may have passed
info the soil with fluids from the body.