The first reports of anthrax in the U.S. were documented in 1868 when Dr. Silas Stone described eight patients with symptoms of anthrax. As the cause of symptoms was unknown, Stone referred to the condition as “malignant pustules.” All eight were linked to a factory processing animal hair in Massachusetts. Six of the eight had severe symptoms, and two died as a result, likely from meningitis.
Multiple experiments on anthrax took place during the 19th Century. While anthrax was never confirmed by culture, it was believed to be an organism capable of multiplying in the body, invading the bloodstream, and causing death by sepsis. In 1876, Robert Koch proved that Bacillus anthracis (B. anthracis) was responsible for anthrax and conducted animal experiments. He also discovered what environmental conditions were favorable to the anthrax spore’s survival and determined that certain pastures could be deadly to animals as spores could survive for decades in the soil.
Louis Pasteur discovered that the remains of animals who had died from anthrax and were buried could still cause anthrax infections, and earthworms could carry anthrax spores to the surface. Pasteur also determined that B anthracis itself could cause anthrax and not a toxic substance produced by the bacterium, as some believed was the case.
Inhalation anthrax was also recognized in the 19th Century and was initially labeled as “woolsorters” disease, but also came to be known as Bradford disease after many cases occurred in the Bradford, England area. This disease was first seen in 1847 among British woolsorters working with alpaca hides from Peru and goat hairs from Asia Minor.
In 1880, Bradford physician John H. Bell published a paper on this disease and described where affected woolsorters would rapidly die from their symptoms. He also discovered B anthracis in the victims’ blood and concluded that this was the cause of the disease.
Rules regarding the care and treatment of the raw materials were put forth, and in 1897, these rules, known as the Bradford rules, became law. Between 1899 and 1907, there were 447 cases of anthrax and 120 deaths from all forms of anthrax.
