Volume 1

Special pathology and therapeutics of the diseases of domestic animals / by Franz Hutyra and Josef Marek.

  • Hutyra, Ferenc, 1860-1934.
Date:
1912-1913
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Special pathology and therapeutics of the diseases of domestic animals / by Franz Hutyra and Josef Marek. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    spores; from previously opened carcasses spore-containing material may be disseminated at once. When carcasses are not buried sufficiently deep or are left nnburied the soil be- comes heavily infected; even burying opened carcasses rather deeply does not offer a sufficient protection in this respect. The spores retain tbeir germinating power for a very long time even in the deeper layers of the soil, and from here they may be conveyed to the superficial layers by the rising ground- water. They may also be brought to the surface by earth- worms and deposited in their excrement (Pasteur, Bollinger). According to Karlinski the contagium may also be spread through certain snails (A.rion subfuscus). Investigations of local outbreaks have frequently proved shallow burying of an anthrax carcass on a pasture or meadow to be the cause; be- sides this, the disease frequently occurs in pastures in the im- mediate vicinity of a decomposing anthrax carcass. Wholesome food grown on uninfected soil is sometimes subsequently infected by the excrements or the blood of af- fected animals which have been bled. The bacilli which con- taminate the food may continue to multiply and form spores if the conditions of moisture and temperature are favorable, and in this way they may cause stable infections. The intestinal contents of affected animals is particularly danger- ous as it may not only contain bacilli but also spores. Horse or cattle manure or its mixture with dirt represents an excellent medium for the propagation of the virus, and particularly for sporulation (accord- ing to Oppermann, spores which are formed on such soil are particu- larly resistant). In anthrax districts the intestinal contents of healthy animals may not infreciuently also contain spores which have been ingested along with the food or drinking water and passed out through the intestinal canal without molesting the host. It is therefore possible for such spore-carriers to spread the contagion into uninfected territories with- out becoming affected themselves. According to Marchonx & Salimbeni the disease is spread in Brazil by the Urnbus, a species of vulture, as they consume the anthrax carcass and then pass masses of spores from the intestinal tract with their feces. The food may also occasionally become infected by the hides of animals dead of anthrax. Hides are frequently dried in the hay-loft where the blood drops on the hay or other food stored there, or with the accumulated dust, into the mangers below. Sheep stables are particnlarly liable to become infected in this manner, as it is a frequent practice secretly to skin carcasses which died of anthrax and to dry the pelts in the stalile. It has also been demonstrated that hides which have been thoroughly dried or even salted or treated with milk of lime (Griglio) may contain virulent spores. They may also be present in bone meal made from anthrax carcasses due to incomplete decalcification and the consequent retention of more