~ ANTHRACITE   gr ANTHRAKIES = A BURNING COAL
               sc> A FORM OF PROCESSED COAL
     DEVELOPED TO BURN AT GREATER TEMPERATURES
     PRODUCED BY HEATING COAL TO RELEASE ITS GAS
     eng COAL    = CHARCOAL
     sp  CARBON    with heating it becomes
         ATRACITA  ANTHRACITE
     fr  CHARBON   CARBON
     ply> | RED BOILING LIKE BOILS
            GLOWING LIKE HOT COAL
     CAPPED BY A CHARCOAL BLACK CRUST like
           ANTHRACITE are signs of ANTHRAX |
~ ANTHRAX  also known as MALIGNANT CARBUNCLE
           id+ | COAL CHARCOAL or ANTHRACITE LIKE |
      id+ | A BOILING BOIL ALIKE TO LIT CARBON |
      id+ | VERY RED HOT PAINFUL EDEMATOUS or SWOLEN
            FURUNCLE or SKIN BOIL
            WITH A VERY BLACK CORE ESCHAR |
     biol> ANTHRAX IS CAUSED BY THE BACILLUS ANTRACIS
           A RELATIVELY NEW BACTERIUM
     WHICH PROBABLY EMERGED WHEN HUMANS MASTERED
     THE ART OF KEEPING HERBIVORE CATTLE    sug> HERB
     THE INFECION KILLS SHEEP GOATS COWS and
     OTHER HERBIVORES as well as those who
     HANDLE CONTAMINATED ANIMAL PRODUCTS
     THE BACTERIUM MULTIPLIES MOSTLY
     AFTER THE DEATH OF ITS VICTIM
     HERBIVORES GRAZING IN PASTURES
     CONTAMINATED RELEASE ANTHRAX SPORES
     BY UPROOTING PLANTS AND INHALING OR
     SWALLOWING THE INFECTIOUS AGENT
     THERE ARE AT LEAST 90 RECOGNIZED STRAINS OF
     THE BACILLUS ANTHRACIS
     IN MOLECULAR TERMS THE BACILLUS ANTHRACIS
     PRODUCES A TOXIN THAT INDUCES IMMUNE CELLS
     TO OVER REACT AND ENGENDER AN ENORMOUS DEGREE
     OF INFLAMMATORY EDEMA WHICH CAUSES NECROSIS
     OR DEATH OF AFFECTED AREAS
     note ANTHRAX CARBUNCLES ARE NOT CHARACTERIZED BY
          PRODUCTION OF PUS AS IN THE CASE OF
     see> FORUNCLE due to STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS
     note MILITARY ESTABLISHMENTS HAVE
          REFINED METHODS TO "WEAPONIZE" ANTHRAX BY
     SELECTING STRAINS FOR HIGH VIRULENCE or
     CAPACITY TO INFECT AND TO CONCENTRATE AND
     SUSPEND SPORES AS FINE PARTICLES THAT
     DO NOT HAVE ELECTROSTATIC CHARGE AND
     OTHER PROPERTIES INCLUDING
     RESISTANCE TO MOISTURE
     TO MINIMIZE ANY PARTICLE
     CLUMPING or CLUSTERING AND INSTEAD TO
     REMAIN IN AIR SUSPENSION
     FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME AND TO ENHANCE
     THE CHANCES FOR HUMAN VICTIMS TO
     DEVELOP INHALED ANTHRAX WHICH IS
     VIRTUALLY FATAL
     hx> AFTER THE SEPTEMBER 11 2001
         TERRORIST ATTACK ON THE USA
     AN EPIDEMIC OF ANTHRAX FOLLOWED
     AND DETERMINED TO BE DUE TO
     INTENTIONAL EXPOSURE BY DISSEMINATION OF
     SPORES PER LETTERS AND PACKAGES DELIVERED
     BY THE MAIL SERVICE
     DETAILS ARE GIVEN IN THE
     MMWR or MORTALITY MORBIDITY WEEKLY REPORT
     OCTOBER 19 2001 ISSUE
     A FREE PUBLICATION BY THE CDC or
     CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
     biol> ANTHRAX IS AN
           EPIZZOTIC or         sug> ZOO
           ENZOOTIC DISEASE     sug> ZEUS
     implying EPIDEMIC or OUTBURSTS or
              ENDEMIC  or ONGOING FLARES
     DISEASE AMONG HERBIVORE ANIMAL HERDS
     SPORES OF ANTHRAX RELEASED BY THE
     CARCASS OF INFECTED ANIMALS
     CONTAMINATE THE SOIL AND SURVIVE FOR
     MANY DECADES CAUSING SUCH FIELDS TO BE
     CALLED "CURSED" BECAUSE ANY CATTLE
     GRAZING ON SUCH PASTURES DIE AS
     ONCE WITHIN THE BODY OF A NEW VICTIM
     SPORES GERMINATE INTO BACTERIA WHICH START
     DIVIDING EVERY 20 MINUTES WHILE RELEASING
     A POTENT TOXIN INDUCING
     EXCESSIVE INFLAMMATORY RESPONSES
     PARTICULARLY MASSIVE EDEMA
     INFECTED ANIMALS PERISH QUICKLY BUT
     THE BACTERIUM CONTINUES TO THRIVE ON THE CARCASS
     ONCE THE CARCASS IS EXHAUSTED FROM NUTRIENTS
     THE BACTERIA SPORULATE AND EVENTUALLY
     INFEST THE SOIL
     med> SKIN ANTHRAX IS THE MOST COMMON
          CLINICAL FORM OF THE DISEASE
     NINETY FIVE PERCENT OF HUMAN INFECTIONS
     ARE CUTANEOUS or SKIN ANTHRAX
     or MALIGNANT CARBUNCULOSIS SEEN MOSTLY ON
     THE NECK CHEEK or BACK OF WORKERS
     AN OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE OF THOSE WHO
     HANDLE HIDES or PELTS AND BECOME INFESTED BY
     TRAUMA TO THE SKIN BY INFECTED HAIR
     sug> HIDE
     sug> PELT
     CARBUNCLES REMIND OF A
     " GLOWING COAL COVERED BY A
     COAGULUM or CRUST AS BLACK AS CHARCOAL"
     AND THERE IS NO PUS as in see> FORUNCLES
     note EDEMA MAY BE VERY SEVERE AND THE
          CARBUNCLE SPREAD TO LARGE AREAS
     INCLUDED THE CEREBRAL MENINGES LEADING
     TO ANTHRAX MENINGITIS WHICH IS OFTEN FATAL
     FATALITY OR LETHALITY OF SKIN ANTHRAX
     IS NEAR 20%
     WHEN SPORES ARE INHALED THE
     "INHALATIONAL" FORM OF ANTHRAX MAY FOLLOW
     THE EARLY SYMPTOMS OF INHALED FORMS ARE
     AKIN TO THE SYMPTOMS OF "FLU" AND INCLUDE
     FEVER AND CHEST PAIN
     THE SPORES ARE CARRIED TO THE LYMPH NODES
     OF THE MEDIASTINUM WHERE THEY BECOME BACTERIA
     AND RELEASE THE ANTHRAX TOXIN WHICH CAUSES
     MASSIVE EDEMA
     FATALITY IS UNKNOWN BUT MAY BE NEAR 100%
     INFECTION BY INGESTION OF CONTAMINATED
     ANIMAL PRODUCTS OFTEN UNDERCOOKED INFECTED MEAT
     CAUSES MASSIVE INFECTIOUS EDEMA OF THE BOWEL
     WHICH MAY BECAME OBSTRUCTED AND NECROTIC
     FATALITY APPROACHES 70%
     INFECTION OF THE MENINGES ALSO CAUSES
     MASSIVE EDEMA AND HEMORRHAGE AND IS
     VIRTUALLY FATAL