[Shermy]

Remember the drum maker in the New York area who caught anthrax? Here's another in Scotland, unfortunately dead-

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/5334696.stm

"...The anthrax testing on Mr Norris' house has been completed The results of anthrax tests at a home in the Scottish Borders are expected within four to six weeks...
Mr Norris died in July and diagnosis indicated the most likely cause was an infection caused by anthrax... Mr Norris was an artist who made musical instruments with materials which included untreated animal hides.

[Battle Axe]

The two drum makers, and a few weavers are the usual victims of anthrax. It is ever present in the soil, that is why the physicians will ask you if you have been gardening. The spores live in the soil for sure for 50 years and maybe a lot longer.'

If your garden spot used to be a sheep pasture, then you will contract it if you have an open wound, even a nick or scrape.

Cattlemen get it usually on their faces when handling dead of anthrax animal carcases. Men are clean shaven...at least around here and there are microscopic nicks and cuts.

Another non-weaponized avenue is digging a basement in an area where an anthrax infected animal has been buried. Anywhere along the Chisholm Trail or any other cattle trail, this is documented.

The outbreaks in the cattle in Canada and South Dakota are a reminder that most animals will contract the gastrointestinal type. The strongest and most aggressive grazers will contract it and die without the owner knowing. The animals will look in excellent flesh, not sickly or straggling. In India, these types of animals will be consumed and then the humans die as well.

By checking the strain, one can tell the origin of the infected hide.