REPORT ON THE DISEASES OF FARM HORSES. 321 



breathed by the animal to his great benefit, during the affection. 

 It is impossible to speak sufficiently in terms of praise of these 

 excellent preparations. 



Glanders. — This formidable and loathsome disease, like 

 farcy, is communicable to man. Both are, therefore, highly con- 

 tagious, and as introduced by inoculation, run their course very 

 rapidly, the victim usually dying ravingmad within 48 hours or so. 



Glanders is not only unmitigated, but rather highly aggra- 

 vated farcy. The physical signs are ulceration of the lining 

 membrane of the nostrils in most instances. It first becomes 

 thickened and the glands in the vicinity take on the action also, 

 they become hot and tender, and the submaxillary glands appear 

 as if fast to the jawbone. Pustules appear on the membrane of 

 the nose, which shortly burst and leave a raw aggravated wound 

 with ragged edges and raised centre. A thick — sometimes 

 greenish — fluid is secreted and flows from them down the 

 nostrils. Perhaps the left only is affected. It is very strange, 

 but it commonly happens that the left is the only side thus 

 affected. Other swellings of glands in various parts of the body 

 take place, the pulse becomes quick and irritable, appetite 

 capricious. Ulceration goes on and destroys the septum nasi, 

 diabetes sets in, farcy buds appear if they have not already done 

 so ; emaciation proceeds rapidly, and a peculiar choking cough 

 announces the ulcerated state of the lungs and throat. The exuvice, 

 have an offensive odour, and such cases succumb quickly. These 

 are the acute stages. Those termed chronic often occupy weeks 

 or months, and some cases years, and if wellfed work well to the last. 



The disease is incurable. — A horse labouring uuder the affec- 

 tiou should be at once shot on the score of humanity, as well as 

 for the avoidance of contagion. 



Although farcy and glanders are now not so frequently seen — 

 thanks to the interest which agriculturists have taken in their 

 horses — they, however, exist in too many places, and I have 

 reasons to state, not as a result of spontaneous origin, from the 

 causes usually laid down as inducing either, but from direct 

 contagion occasioned by the unlimited movements of horses 

 neglected, who are said only to have " a slight cold." Our town 

 public-house stables favour this disorder ; and because horses 

 enter them, and do not contract the affection, is no disproof of the 

 mode of conveyance. To understand the modus operandi of 

 these diseases, and for the farmer to understand his own interest, 

 is to study philosophically himself, and cause his sons, especially 

 who are to succeed him, to do so, the theory and practice of 

 Agriculture collaterally with Veterinary medicine. He will thus 

 understand that in all cases " prevention is better than cure," 

 and how to value the aid of him whom he employs as his Veter- 

 inary Surgeon. 



