ANTHRAX.
Anthrax is a very contagious disease and is communicable to all warm blooded animals and man.
Cause.—Due to the presence of a germ called the Bacillus of Anthrax and is one of the oldest diseases attributed to germs. These Bacilli thrive in warm climates, although found in cold countries. The infection is carried to various parts of the world by box cars, ships, hides, hoofs, horns, wool and hair taken from sick or dead animals affected with Anthrax. This, perhaps, is the most common method of spreading the disease.
Symptoms.—Loss of appetite, grinding of teeth indicating great pain, trembling of the muscles, temperature elevated to 104° or 106° F., breathing very rapid, pulse fast and weak, hair rough. There are some cases where the animals are seized quickly with the disease and die very suddenly. This form resembles apoplexy. Carbuncles or Abscesses are seen on the surface of the body in nearly all cases, also a bloody discharge from the mouth and nose. The animal may stamp the ground, rear in the air, run and finally go into convulsions and die. This is termed “the furious form of Anthrax.”
Treatment.—Prevention is the most important. Fields or pastures that are infected with this disease should be burned every summer if possible, to destroy the germs. The animals that succumb to the disease should be buried deeply and quicklime thrown upon them, also any blood stains upon the ground should have a strong disinfectant thrown upon them. The hide of such an animal should not be used as the person removing it is likely to contract the same disease, especially if an abrasion is present on the hand, or such a hide or any portion thereof is likely to spread the infection after reaching the tannery, etc.
Medical Treatment or Serum Treatment.—This is the only thorough method of eradicating the disease, and when this disease once becomes prevalent in a locality all animals should be inoculated with vaccine.