Anthrax infection in cattle, sheep, goats and horses has long been recognized as a potential source of human infection, and appropriate measures have been taken to protect the public against this danger. As a result of such measures, the incidence in human beings has been greatly lowered, perhaps to an irreducible minimum in many parts of the world. The anthrax bacillus is also known to be pathogenic for rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and mice, while dogs, swine, cats, birds and cold-blooded animals are relatively insusceptible. The susceptibility of the mink, as far as can be learned, has not previously been reported.
In recent years the artificial breeding of minks has become an industry of considerable importance, and ranches of from 100 to 2,000 minks are widely scattered through the country, especially in the Northern states. Standard diets for these animals include fish and meat, usually horse meat because of its