splenic fever
    n 1: a highly infectious animal disease (especially cattle and
         sheep); it can be transmitted to people [syn: anthrax,
         splenic fever]

Splenic \Splen"ic\, a. [L. splenicus, Gr. splhniko`s; cf. F.
   spl['e]nique.] (Anat.)
   Of or pertaining to the spleen; lienal; as, the splenic vein.
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   Splenic apoplexy or Splenic fever. (Med.) See Anthrax,
      n., 3.
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Anthrax \An"thrax\ ([a^]n"thr[a^]ks), n. [L., fr. Gr. 'a`nqrax
   coal, carbuncle.]
   1. (Med.)
      (a) A carbuncle.
      (b) A malignant pustule.
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   2. (Biol.) A microscopic, bacterial organism (Bacillus
      anthracis), resembling transparent rods. [See Illust.
      under Bacillus.]
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   3. An infectious disease of cattle and sheep. It is ascribed
      to the presence of a rod-shaped gram-positive bacterium
      (Bacillus anthracis), the spores of which constitute the
      contagious matter. It may be transmitted to man by
      inoculation. The spleen becomes greatly enlarged and
      filled with bacteria. Called also splenic fever.
      [1913 Webster]