32 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan., 



(No. 4.) 



Cornell University, 



Ithaca, N. Y., Oct. 20, 1881. 

 Hon. E. H. Hyde,— • 



Bear Sir : On October 15th, by your request, I visited Durham, Conn., 

 in company with yourself and Dr. Liautard of New York, for tlie pur- 

 pose of examining Mr. Merwin's two mares, which have been kept in 

 quarantine by the State since July, 1880. 



I found both mares at pasture, living in the open air, and therefore in 

 those conditions which, above all, favor the subsidence of glanderous 

 symptoms, and the occurrence of a delusive appearance of convalescence. 

 I was further given to understand that they had been kept thus for the 

 entire summer. Both mares were identified by yourself, Dr. Liautard, 

 Mr. Merwin, and his hired man as those which had been in dispute, so 

 that I need not specify marks of identification. The worst subject was 

 discharging freely from both nostrils a yellowish-white matter, which 

 dried up on the skin and hairs, agglutinating them firmly together after 

 the manner of a glanderous discharge. The mucous membrane on both 

 sides of the cartilaginous septum between the two nasal chambers was 

 the seat of characteristic glanderous ulcers, nodosities, and cicatrices, and 

 the sub-maxillary lymphatic glands presented the hard nodular and 

 comparatively painless swelling which distinguishes glanders. This 

 mare was unquestionably the subject of advanced chronic glanders at the 

 time of my visit and examination. 



The second mare suffered from a slight nasal discharge and a nodular 

 enlargement of the sub-maxillary glands, similar to that of the first, 

 only smaller; but I did not detect the same lesions of the nasal mucous 

 membrane as in the first. This membrane, so far as could be reached by 

 the eye, presented only a bluish discoloration, and some roughness of 

 the surface. No distinct ulcers were observed. 



I do not hesitate to pronounce both mares glandered at the present 

 time and to advise their destruction. This conclusion I would found 

 on the present condition of the mares, arrived at in spite of the mo^t 

 favorable conditions for recovery, liad that been possible; but when it 

 is added that three horses inoculated by Drs. Liautard and Kose with 

 the nasal discharge of these mares died of glanders, and that a fourth 

 inoculated by Dr. Cressy with the same matter, according to Mr. Mer- 

 win's testimony furnished us when at Durham, contracted a severe 

 swelling and discharge from tlie nose, and extensive enlargements of 

 the sub-maxillary glands, and was then conveyed away to some place to 

 wiiich even Mr. Merwin cannot now direct us, the cumulative evidence 

 of glanders becomes so strong that no candid observer, even if an 

 unprofesfeioual man, can for a moment doubt its presence. 



Yours very respectfully, 



James Law, F.R.C, V.S. 



