124 Twenty-Second Annual Repoet of the 



many of the cases of glanders occurring in rural districts were 

 traceable to horses shipped from Greater New York or other city 

 points. 



It has come to be generally accepted that the immediate 

 slaughter of every animal showing positive indications of glanders 

 by a recognized test is the only positive means of complete eradica- 

 tion of this infection. The effects of the custom prevailing some 

 years ago of quarantining reactors, retesting, and eventually re- 

 leasing them, are now evident, and to this system may be attributed 

 in part the failure to control the disease in many places. While 

 the radical method means a considerable loss to the owner and 

 is frequently looked upon as a drastic measure it is neverthe- 

 less the only effective way of controlling glanders and from 

 an economic standpoint is the cheapest. The execution of a 

 general plan of eradication by the slaughter method is difficult, 

 and its successful termination is dependent upon united action 

 on the part of horse owners, veterinarians, and municipal and 

 State and health authorities. Of these factors doubtless the horse- 

 owning public is the most important one. 



The question of indemnity allowance to owners of glandered 

 horses is worthy of serious consideration. It has been suggested 

 that, in case of animals showing physical evidence of the disease, 

 owners should receive no indemnity from the State, but that the 

 allowance for apparently healthy but reacting horses should be 

 increased. It is probable that eventually no funds will be pro- 

 vided by the Legislature for paying owners of animals affected 

 with this disease, as well as other animal diseases; although, the 

 present practice having been followed for some years, there is 

 grave doubt as to the advisability of entirely doing away with 

 the custom at this time. There are many arguments advanced in 

 favor of limiting the indemnity allowance or doing away with it 

 entirely. Tf owners of animals showing physical evidence of 

 glanders were debarred from compensation, it might result in the 

 concealment and possible disposition of some diseased animals, 

 thereby distributing the virus. On the other hand, such a regu- 

 lation might encourage the reporting of cases known to be affected 

 before the advanced stage of the disease developed. In the recom- 

 mendations hereafter given, it is suggested that a reduction in in- 



