in the Human Subject. 405 



ing the disease, provided a certain species of communication be 

 prevented ; these are circumstances which are analogous to those 

 with the other species of contagion, and do not militate against 

 the supposition of their infectious powers. With regard to in- 

 fection, glanders and button farcy preserve an identity in the 

 dyskrasy to which they owe their origin in this point also, — that 

 the latter is produced not alone by inoculation with the puru- 

 lent matter generated in the ulcers, but by inserting the matter 

 which flows from the nostrils of a glandered horse into the 

 skin of a sound one ; and vice versa, glanders is produced by 

 inoculating the mucous membrane of the nostrils with matter 

 taken from an ulcerated spot of button farcy. 



The injurious and highly pernicious effects of glanders on the 

 human subject is much less generally admitted. Up to a very 

 recent period, only a few veterinary surgeons recognised the 

 fact of its destructive properties in their published treatises, and 

 even then, for the most part, with certain reservations. Thus, 

 for instance, Professor Waldinger* says, " In dissecting horses 

 who have died of glanders or button farcy, should the operator 

 cut himself, great care must be taken not to let any pus get into 

 the wound, as the most deplorable consequences, and even death 

 itself, are to be apprehended." From this it appears that the 

 only dangers he dreads, are connected with the opening of bo- 

 dies, and from pus getting into a wound. Director Veith"f* ob- 

 serves, " The specific effects of the contagion of glanders act 

 solely on animals of the horse species, and operate on other do- 

 mestic animals, chiefly as an acrimonious animal fluid. In man, 

 inoculation with the matter of the glanders (which generally oc- 

 curs from a cut finger coming in contact with the matter, or 

 from the matter getting into the eye when the animal suddenly 

 and forcibly expels it from the nostrils), brings on violent in- 

 flammation of the parts, which is extremely painful and obsti- 

 nate, involves by sympathy the neighbouring lymphatic glands; 

 and bears a resemblance to the arthritic inflammations."" From 

 this it would seem that Professor Veith was merely acquainted 

 with the injurious effect of the poison on man. Thtf late direc- 



• Wamehtnungen an Pferden. 2tc. Aufl. Wien, 1810. p. 95. 

 t Han<1budi der Veterinairkunde. 2te. Aufl. 1822, S. 685. 



