478 THE PRACTICE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. 



combined. Almost every medicine mentioned in the phar- 

 macopoeia has been administered, singly and in combination, 

 with the hope of finding a remedy for the disease, but 

 without the slightest success, the disease, so far as is known 

 to the profession of to-day, being incurable, and sooner or 

 later terminating fatally in every case. The name ' glanders ' 

 has been applied to the disease from the fact that the malady 

 invariably shows itself in connection with the glandular 

 system. Although no one has ever been able to discover a 

 cure for this dangerous disorder, the profession has done 

 a great deal of good by pointing out and explaining its 

 dangerous character, and recommending measures by which 

 it may be kept from spreading, and its occurrence in many 

 cases prevented. Hence the disease is not nearly so common 

 as it was a century ago, and is growing less and less frequent, 

 and may in course of time become extinct — an end which 

 could be hastened b}- active legislation in regard to the 

 matter. Glanders was unknown in Mexico until the occur- 

 rence of the war with the United States in the year 1847, 

 it being carried there by the horses of the American army. It 

 is said that a case of glanders has never been discovered in 

 Australia ; it is of very rare occurrence in India, but has 

 been noticed in the latter country amongst horses brought 

 from Australia, the disease being in all probability con- 

 tracted by those horses whilst on board ship, and not while 

 in Australia. 



Causes. — It is claimed by many eminent authorities that 

 glanders may appear spontaneously. This, however, is a 

 point on which doubt exists. In all probability the disease 

 never occurs spontaneously, but is in every case due to 

 contagious influences. The weight of evidence is in favour 

 of this theory, and the most ardent supporters of the 

 theory of spontaneity have never been able to clearly 

 demonstrate a case in which glanders originated spon- 



