MALLEIN 695 



ACTIONS AND USES. Wax, although allied to the fats, is 

 much more difficult of digestion, less nutritive, and less 

 demulcent and emollient. In medicine, its chief use is to 

 increase the consistence and prevent rancidity of ointments, 

 cerates, and plasters. Yellow wax, mixed with hogs' lard, 

 or any of the bland fixed oils, is much used for investing 

 abraded or irritable surfaces, protecting the sound skin 

 from acrid discharges, and preventing corrosives or blisters 

 extending their effects beyond the parts to which their 

 action is to be limited. Unguentum simplex is usually 

 made with one part of yellow wax to four of prepared lard, 

 or one part of wax to one and a half each of almond oil 

 and benzoated lard. 



MALLEIN 



Mallein employed for the diagnosis of glanders in animals, 

 is the sterilised and filtered liquid-culture of glanders 

 bacilli. Mallein therefore does not contain even dead 

 bacilli, but it has in solution certain substances which are 

 added to the liquid by the bacilli during their growth 

 (Sir John M'Fadyean). 



Directions for using Mallein, as prepared and supplied by 

 the Royal Veterinary College, London : 



1. While under the uiallein test horses ought to be left at rest in the 

 stable and protected from draughts. The rectal temperature ought to be 

 taken once or twice on the day before the test is applied. 



2. The dose of mallein for a horse is one cubic centimetre, or 18 minims. 

 It ought to be injected about the middle of the side of the neck, with a 

 clean hypodermic syringe. The best form of syringe is one with an asbestos 

 piston, as the whole instrument may then be sterilised by boiling it in 

 water for five minutes before use. 



3. The mallein must be injected into the subcutaneous connective tissue, 

 and care must be taken that the whole dose is actually introduced. 



4. The temperature must be taken at the time of injection, and at the 

 9th, 12th, and 15th hours afterwards. 



5. Provided the temperature was normal (under 101 F.) before the in- 

 jection, it will rise 2 or more (103-105) during the next fifteen hours if 

 the horse is glandered, but it will remain practically unaffected (under 102) 

 if the horse is not glandered. 



6. Attention must also be paid to the swelling that forms at the seat of 

 injection. When the horse is glandered this goes on increasing in size 

 during the second twenty-four hours after the injection, and it seldom 

 declines before the third or fourth day. The maximum diameter of this 

 swelling in glandered horses varies from 5 to 10 inches. 



