Anthracite Carbuncle Carbon

PART A - Presents the ideas and roots of the words "anthrax" and its links with anthracite, carbon and "carbuncle". A brief history and general overview is also given.

PART B - Presents ideas and word roots concerned with the population aspects of Anthrax.

PART C - Highlights the clinical "syndrome", mainly the symptoms - signs complex of the disorder.

PART D - Explores terror and terrorism.

Part B

Anthrax is a highly contagious disorder because the "bacillus" antracis "sporulates" and its "spores" ("sperm" or "seeds") can survive for long periods of time. When "spores" penetrate the epithelium of the "skin" (epidermis) of humans or the "hide" of animals, a "cutaneous" ("skin") or "dermic" or dermatologic" form of anthrax follows.

When anthrax spores are ingested, "inhaled" or "aspired", intestinal and respiratory forms of the disease follow. In all its forms, the disease is due primarily to the effects of a potent "toxin" which induces massive "swelling" or "edema" (Edipian "Edipus" comes to mind).

Following the terrorist attack of September 11th 2001, the authorities recognized a postal service spread "epidemic" of human anthrax. Efforts are under way to prevent a "pandemic", which would cause a national pandemonium.

Many "herbivorous" herds have "hides" where anthrax is "endemic" or "enzootic". In others herds, the disease flares from time to time ("epizootic"). In most infected animals the disease is "fatal" and their "hides" are considered "hideous". Notably, the anthrax "bacteria" continues to feed and replicate on "cadavers" and when a "carcass" is depleted of nutrients, the "bacillus" "sporulates" and the "spores" "soil" the "soil", rendering many grazing fields unusable for ranching.

The deadly potency of the anthrax toxin and the resilience of its spores, induced various governments to develop biologic "weapons" using various strains of anthrax. See parts A, C, and D.

Blind (Amaurosis)	Labor (Laboratory)	Nicotine (Alkaloid)
(Other Gallery Installments: | A | | B | | C |)