712 Glanders. 



pointed to suspicion. According to Schindelka a positive reaction 

 consisted of an elevation of temperature of 2.0° while an elevation of 

 1.5° to 1.9° simply indicated suspicion, an elevation of less than 1.5° 

 being regarded as of negative importance. Thomassen and MacFadyean 

 also considered an elevation of 2° as a positive reaction, but regarded 

 an elevation of 1.0 to 1.4° as pointing to probable or possible infection. 

 Babes and Furtuna defined the term "specific reaction" as a rapid 

 increase of temperature of at least 2° C. occurring within the sixth 

 to eighth hour after injection and exceeding 40° C. followed on the 

 next day by a second rise above the preinjection temperature, with 

 simultaneous local and general organic reaction (great typical reaction) ; 

 such a reaction only justified the diagnosis of glanders while a similar 

 elevation of temperature not exceeding 40°, but also with simultaneous 

 organic reaction (small typical reaction), as well as pronounced eleva- 

 tions of temperature of short duration (great atypical reaction) indi- 

 cated suspicion only; a similar but slight elevation of temperature 

 (small atypical reaction) had no significance. According to Peter, 

 Preusse and Foth an elevation of temperature of 1.5° is to be regarded 

 as positive. These authors, with the exception of Foth, lay special 

 stress upon the importance of the organic reaction in the interpretation 

 of the results of the mallein test. 



In poorly nourished overworked as well as in old glandered animals 

 a reaction may fail to take place or it may occur at an unusually late 

 period; thus in a case observed by the authors the elevation of tem- 

 perature did not begin until the twenty-first hour after injection, being 

 typical however in other respects (Fig. 123). 



Horses affected with other diseases do not give typical reactions 

 to mallein. Thus Hutj^ra & Preisz failed to observe reactions in dis- 

 temper, sarcomatosis, phlegmonous conditions, pectoral influenza, 

 morbus maculosus and botryomycosis, while Schindelka failed to ob- 

 serve reactions in distemper, nasal catarrh, as well as in emphyemia of 

 the antrum of Highmore. 



The diagnostic value of a mallein reaction has been con- 

 firmed by the practical experience of the last two decades. 

 The varjdng results obtained during the first few^ years after 

 the introduction of mallein into general use ^vere due to the 

 fact that the interpretation of the temperature reactions Avere 

 based on different principles (an elevation of 1.0° C. ^vas looked 

 upon as a positive reaction while the animal's state of nutrition 

 as w^ell as advanced age did not receive due consideration, etc.) 

 and the fact that the primary lesions of glanders ^vere at that 

 time not as thoroughly understood. The lack of uniformity 

 in the mallein preparations w^as also at fault. At the present 

 time, how^ever, it has been firmly established that mallein is 

 an extremely delicate and reliable agent for the diagnosis of 

 latent glanders. But in order to apply this agent properly and 

 successfully in the extermination of glanders it is necessary 

 that the test be made intelligently and systematically, further 

 that the results of observations during the period of reaction 

 be carefully interpreted and that all clinical s}^nptoms receive 

 proper consideration. In this respect as well as in the general 

 technic of the test the instructions given under the head of 



