Anthrax

(1) Contagious and very fatal disease of the domesticated animals, one form or another of which is probably the murrain mentioned in Exodus. In certain parts of the world it prevails to such an extent that the bodies of the animals dead of it constitute a serious menace to public health. Its most prominent symptoms are a high fever and the formation of carbuncular swellings which in a short time, often not more than two hours, cause mortification of the ti ues in their vicinity, and speedy death if enough of them exist. In some cases death occurs before the carbuncles have time to develop. It is an inoculable disease, communicable to man, and caused by the bacillus anthracis. Inoculations of cultures of this bacillus are an absolute protection against the disease, and since its discovery by Pasteur its ravages have been greatly le ened. (2) The same disease in man, contracted by contact with diseased animals, or by handling the wool, hides, tallow, etc., from them. What is known as carbuncle is sometimes termed anthrax.