The immunization of laboratory animals against anthrax

Abstract

Guinea-pigs and rabbits can be immunized against anthrax without difficulty; mice as a rule cannot. The very interesting work of Tomcsik and Bodon (1934) and Tomcsik and Ivánovic’s (1938) on the passive immunization of mice supports Ivánovic’s (1938) suggestion that mice have a unique and peculiar immunity mechanism against anthrax . The following experiments were done to see whether mice could be actively immunized with an uncapsulated avirulent anthrax variant, and to compare their reactions with those of guinea-pigs. Uncapsulated variants have been found to immunize guinea-pigs, rabbits, goats, sheep, cattle, and horses; Stamatin and Stamatin (1900), Stamatin (1937), Sterne (1937a, 1937b, 1940).