Anthrax Pustule of the Neck

K a Kashmiri nor, 17 years of age, was admitted (o Ivishtwar Hospital with an itching and burning lesion of the skin in the lower part of the right posterior triangle of the neck. He had been lately engaged in handling wool which is found in every home in this part of the world. It first appeared as a small, raised pimple three days prior to admission, and the patient ascribed it to some insect bite. He had himself applied tincture of iodine to it without any relief. The lesion kept on increasing. There was a central black slough, surrounded by two or three rows of shining white vesicles, which in their turn were encircled by a deep-red, and somewhat raised margin which was sharply defined from the adjacent healthy skin. There was no oedema. The glands in that part of the neck were slightly swollen. On the fifth day of the disease the patient had a rise of temperature to 102?F., with slight headache and malaise. On the seventh day the lesion had increased to a diameter of 4 cm., and was exuding a clear fluid. No blood examination was done. The microscopic examination of the fluid revealed the presence of anthrax bacilli alone.