62 REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 







In the course of our inoculation experiments on guinea pigs, three 

 sub maxillary glands were examined and cultivations made: 



In the first case the gland was as large as two hen's eggs. The gland substance 

 was pale red. Cultures were made on agar, -blood serum, and potato by cutting out 

 small bits of the interior of the various lob.es and rubbing these upon the culture 

 medium, the surface of the gland being disinfected by scorching it. After the 

 cultures had been made the gland was more thoroughly examined and a considera- 

 ble number of yellowish- white spots as large as a pin s head were found, representing 

 plugs of pus lodged in cavities. It is highly probable that some of these were trans- 

 ferred to the culture tubes in the pieces cut out. The tubes remained sterile, how- 

 ever, excepting one containing niicrococci. 



A second gland taken from a horse killed and found glandered was considerably 

 swollen, the individual lobes as large as walnuts. The gland was placed in 5 per 

 cent, carbolic acid for five minutes, then in -^ per cent, mercuric chloride for one- 

 half minute ; finally sterile water was poured over it to remove the chloride. 



The lobes were cut open with flamed knives and several cavities one-twelfth to 

 one-eighth inch (2 to 3 millimeters) in diameter were, found containing white, con- 

 sistent cheesy masses. Potato and agar tubes inoculated with these masses re- 

 mained sterile. 



A third gland, which had been removed from a glandered colt at the autopsy, 

 was examined and cultures made in the same way. The gland contained no caseous 

 masses, and hence bits of tissue were cut out and placed on agar and potato tubes. 

 Of five cultures all remained sterile but one. This contained a single colony not 

 resembling the colonies of glanders bacilli and made up of actively motile bacilli. 



So far as these experiments go, they can not be said to favor the 

 method of diagnosis by extirpation of the submaxillary glands un- 

 less the result is only considered decisive when the bacilli of glanders 

 have been actually found. They certainly, can have little value when 

 the result is negative. 



