ber
from 70 to 90 per cent, and are usually more numerous at the first outbreak
of the disease.
_Differential diagnosis._--The diagnosis from blackleg may be made by
noting the subcutaneous swellings which appear upon the patient. Those of
blackleg are found to crackle under pressure with the finger, owing to the
presence of gas within the tissues, while the tumors of anthrax, being
caused by the pressure of serum, are entirely free from this quality and
have a somewhat doughy consistence. The tumors of blackleg are usually on
the shoulder or thigh and are not found so frequently about the neck and
side of the body as are the swellings of anthrax. The blood of animals dead
of blackleg is normal, and the spleen does not appear swollen or darkened,
as in those affected with anthrax. The chief differences between anthrax
and Texas fever are that the course of the former is more acute and the
blood of the animal is dark and of a tarlike consistence, while in the
latter it is thinner than normal. The presence of Texas-fever ticks on the
cattle would also lead one to suspect that disease in regions where cattle
are not immune from it.
_Treatment._--In cases which originate from external wounds, the swellings
should be opened freely by long incisions with a sharp knife and washed
several times daily with carbolic-acid solution (1 ounce to a quart of
water). Care should be taken to disinfect thoroughly any fluid discharge
that may follow the incision. When suppuration has set in the treatment
recommended in the chapter on wounds should be carried out.
In the treatment of animals showing symptoms of anthrax, the serum
recommended under the next heading of "Prevention" should be administered
in large doses. Animals showing only a high temperature with no other
symptoms of the disease should be given from 30 to 50 cubic centimeters of
the serum, but if the gravity of the disease is pronounced 100 cubic
centimeters should be administered. In most instances a drop in temperature
may be observed and a diminishing of the severity of the symptoms. At
times, however, a relapse occurs about the second or third day following
the serum injection, when it becomes necessary to administer another dose
of serum. It has been proved that animals affected with anthrax may recover
after injections of potent serum.
_Prevention._--In this disease prevention is the most important subject
demanding consideration. The various means to be suggest
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