ANTHRAX IN WUERTTEMBERG. A STATISTICAL AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY
Abstract
Today Anthrax is limited to foci in Goeppingen and Ludwigsburg Countries, and to isolated cases throughout the state. As seen especially well in the Murr valley, the communities situated on rivers below tanneries were menaced by spore-containing sludge from tannery sewage, which was carried to valley meadows and pastures during floods. This danger has been largely eliminated. The construction of purification plants at Backnang, Ebingen and Reutlingen, as well as river bed regulation, have had a favorable effect. No method has been found to date that would disinfect hides before or during tanning and would decontaminate the resultant waste water cheaply and without harmful effects. At present, the main danger threatens from the textile industry which processes foreign animal hair. The entire import of foreign animal hairs should be disinfected centrally after unloading, as is being done in England, because experience teaches that decontamination during processing is not carried out with sufficient vigilance. In addition, there is the danger of introducing anthrax in foreign feeds, as shown by isolated outbreaks. This menace is usually exaggerated; still, the bacterial count should be determined at least in spot tests, particularly when animal meal and bone meal from South America, South Africa and the Near East are involved. Legislation governing epizootics has effectively dealt with the danger of dissemination following such outbreaks, aided by cadaver processing plants which have been operating successfully for 40 years.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1966
- Accession Number
- AD0480140
Entities
People
- Albrecht Braun
Organizations
- United States Army Biological Warfare Laboratories