GLANDERS AND FARCY. 287 



early in tlie sprinjOf, I have uot learned Low many of his horses have be- 

 come aiiected, hut several had contracted the disease before I left. 

 Besides that, his horses had been together quite often Avith those of his 

 neighbors, on the prairie, before he knew them to be atl'ectcd with gland- 

 ers. It is possible that he has lost, or will lose, nearly every animal lie 

 has. Mr. Ch. . . does not own anything; all his ])roperty is in his 



wife's name; consequently Mr. T , if he sues for dauiages, will 



have to pay law;s-ers' fees and costs, but cannot recover anything. If 

 there were a United States law which made it a criminal oftenso to sell 

 animals afi'ected with contagions diseases, or to own and to keep ani- 

 mals which exhibit symptoms of contagious diseases, and to neglect to 

 advise the proper authorities of the fact, such cases as the one relate<l 



would not occm\ If Mr. T were not an honest mau, ho would 



undoubtedly have kept still, and would have sold his glandered horses 

 to other innocent i^arties, and contributed in that Avay in spreading the 

 disease. I could relate numerous similar cases, but think this oue will 

 suffice, especially as this article is already too long. 



A successful prevention of glanders is possible only if the contagion — 

 which, even if it should not constitute the sole and only cause of the 

 disease, causes at least nine hundred and ninety-nine cases of oue thou- 

 sand — is thoroughly destroyed wherever it may exist oi' wherever it may 

 be found. Consequently every animal affected with glanders should be 

 killed as soon as the nature of the disease becomes known, and be buried 

 sufliciently deep or be cremated. But as the contagion adheres fre- 

 quently also to the stables — manger, floor, partition, &c. — that have 

 been occupied, the stable utensils — brush, curry-comb, «S:c., and the 

 harness, blankets, halters, bridles, saddles, &c. — that have been used or 

 been in contact with glandered horses, it is of great importance to know 

 what will best and most effectually destroy the contagion. Professor 

 Gerlach has made very interesting and valuable experiments, to relate 

 which, however, would lead too far. I will therefore only state the results 

 arrived at. The discharges from the nose, glanders-matter, &c., lose their 

 infectiousness if perfectly dried by being exposed to currents of air or to 

 the rays of the sun ; but kept moist, for instance in a damp cellar, wrapped 

 up in a moist rag, or adhering to the corners of the manger, to a damp 

 wall or floor, or to the bedtling or the manure, &c., the contagion seems to 

 I>ossess great vitality, and may remain eflective for half a year or longer. 

 Putrefaction does not destroy the contagious principle. Chlorine de- 

 stroys the contagion, and is therefore a very efficient disinfectant, pro- 

 vided the chlorides used come in actual contact with the contagion. A 

 brief exposure of the infectious substances, nasal discharges, glanders- 

 matter, &c., to the influence of chlorine in a gaseous state, mixed with 

 the atmosphere, is inellective. As a remedy to be given internally, 

 chlorine, in shape of chlorine-Avater, for obvious reasons caunot be 

 used; chemical combinations will be effected before an absorption can 

 take ])lace. The best and surest destroyer of the glanders-contagion is 

 carbohc acid. It mi\j be used not only as a disinlectant or for tlie pur- 

 pose of destroying the contagion clinging to the wood-work of the 

 stable Sec, but also in incipient cases of farcy, and in cases in which an 

 infection with glanders-matter has Just taken ])lace in a wound, for 

 instance, as a local remedy. If applied to the glanders-ulcers on the 

 septum, or to farcy-ulcers, a tendency to lieal will make its a])pearance. 

 As a disinfectant, a solution of carbolic acid in giyct'riiio or alcohol and 

 water (1:1 or 2:20) is perfectly strong enough to be ell'ective. Old straw, 

 hay^ and bedding must be burned, and blankets, &c., are best disinfected 



