The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1917-06-30

will be of muddy or tarry appear
ance and incoagulable. The cavitie
of the body contain more or les
, bloody effusion, and the lymphati
glands are swollen and contain small
| hemorrhages. The red blood cell
have become broken down in larg
numbers and the serum of the bloc,
has been markedly Redeemed. TIL
walls of the intestines may appear
perfectly normal, but hemorrhage'
ara frequently seen, especially in ths
walls of the duodenum.
The subacute form is the one mos
commonly met and it is the only form
which responds favorably to treat
ment. Death ensues so quickly in the
other two forms that attempts al
treatment are of but little use.
Isolated or sporadic cases are usu.
ally of the subacute form, and are
frequently limited to the formation on
a tumor or carbuncle at the point OF
the body at which the infective germs
first gained their entrance.
THE ANTHRAX BACILLUS.
The anthrax bacillus is straight
rod with ends slightly concave. II
can not grow without the presence OF
air, but will grow in temperatures
ranging from So degrees to LOG de-
grees F. 1t is not capable of motion
| it measures 4 to 6 in length
and about 1 in breadth. The
bacilli multiply by fssion, or dividing
into two, or they may multiply much
as corn does by the formation of seed
or spores, which sprout and produce
new anthrax plant when placed un-
der suitable conditions. This simile
may be carried further, for, like a
tender blade of corn, the anthrax
plant or bacillus may be destroyed
very easily by the application of heat
or cold, but the seed or spore will re-
sist considerable heat and is unaffect-
ed by freezing, still retaining its vir-
ulence in spite Of being subjected to
either temperature.
When cultivated artifcially and
grown in the laboratory, luxuriant
growth may be obtained by planting
upon any of the culture media COM
monty used for bacterial growth. The
organisms grow rapidly and produce
dense, thick clumps on potato, gelatin,
agar, or other solid material. They
grow with equal readiness in fluid
media such as beef broth, milk, ETC.,
but will not produce spores while
growing in media of this character, as
spores can not develop except in the
presence of free air or oxygen.
METHODS OF COMBATING
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Whenever attempts are made to
control or suppress an infectious dl-
saase thorough study of it's charac-
ser must be made, as the measures to
be applied will very largely depend
upon the results of such investigation.
Take foot-and-mouth disease, for in
stance This has become so firmly
established in the fiocks and herds OF
certain European countries, especially
in the southeastern portion, that 1t IS
considered almost an endemic, and
while the stock owners are constantly
trying to suppress the disease, they
never go at it with the fixed purpose
Of obtaining it's complete eradication.
But in this country the circumstances
are very different. Here the out
breaks have only occurred after long
intervals, and in every instance, save
one, have been traceable to some
definite source. The number of ami
mails attacked in each outbreak has
been comparatively small. Hence, in
view of the rapid transmission of the
infection, not alone by sick animals,
but by men, dogs, or chickens that
NAV chance to come in contact with
infected cattle or stables, any daily
ing, experimental measures must not
be considered for moment; and, TAX
ing this view of the matter, the i'm
mediate slaughter of all infected and
exposed susceptible animals has been
insisted upon each time that the di-
sease has appeared within the borders
of this country.
How very different is the method Of
dealing with Texas fever. But these
differences of treatment are only such
as are demanded by the differences in
the characters of the two infections.
Texas fever is known to be dependent
for it's origin upon the bite of an IN
fected cattle tick, by means of which
the minute parasite which destroys
The blood cells of its victims gains
entrance to the circulatory system,
and multiplying rapidly breaks down
so many blood corpuscles that fatal
fever quickly results. To obviate this
disease, all that is necessary Is to
keep the cattle free from contact with
infectious ticks or to immunize them
by the careful application of blood or
ticks under proper precautions. Pres
ent endeavors of the Bureau of Ami
NAL Industry toward the suppression
of Texas fever are being extended
along these very lines. By establish
ing and maintaining the Texas fever
quarantine line, it is preventing south
ern cattle from bringing dangerous
ticks into northern pastures where
their presence would quickly act as a
scourge. The Bureau is also doing
an immense amount of work in re-
moving all infectious ticks from Ger
tain regions of the South, not with
view to saving the cattle of these
regions from death from Texas fever,
because they have become immune to
that disease, but for the purpose OF
making these cattle more valuable
than they are at present, as they may
be given free bills Of health for ship
ment to northern points and northern
markets just as soon as it can be
shown that they originate in the tick
| free districts.
There are a number of serious con-
tagious diseases which terminate fat
ally in almost every case of attack.
| For these no treatment is attempted,
but preventive measures may be ap-