320 CAUSES OF GLANDERS. 



trine of non-contagiousness, or rather that of comparatively little 

 contagiousness, gained so much ascendancy, that there were those 

 who hardly scrupled to affirm, the disease could not be caught in 

 any such manner : Dupuy "knew of no well-conducted experiments 

 in favour of contagion :" Coleman did not believe that " one horse 

 in a thousand, or even ten thousand ! received the disease through 

 contagion ;" and Smith " has never seen one case of glanders that 

 could be traced to infection." Most recent veterinary writers have 

 been content to assert the contagiousness of glanders without quali- 

 fying their assertions with any such remarks as, the disease is 

 never, or hardly ever, taken in that way, or never, or hardly ever, 

 taken in any other way. I do not think that any veterinary surgeon 

 of the present day absolutely denies the contagiousness of gland- 

 ers ; nevertheless, since, for my own part, I feel no hesitation in 

 pronouncing it to be a contagious disease, I think it my duty in 

 this place to give my reasons for holding such an opinion. 



The admitted most direct proofs of a disease being contagious 

 are. 



First, its propagation by inoculation. 



Secondly, its spreading from the diseased to the healthy, imme- 

 diately. 



Thirdly, its transmission through the medium of habitation, 

 clothing, &c., or through the breath or air. 



The Propagation of Glanders by Inoculation is a fact 

 so well established that it appears supererogatory to offer any ex- 

 amples of it. It was one of the first questions regarding glanders 

 and farcy which the late Professor of the Veterinary College sought 

 to set at rest ; and it was, in numberless instances, proved in the 

 affirmative, both by himself and those studying under him, in the 

 most complete and satisfactory manner. 



in later times inoculation has been practised more by way of a 

 test of the presence or genuineness of glanders in doubtful cases than 

 with any view of proving its communicableness ; and asses, on 

 account of their comparatively little cost, have commonly been 

 chosen as the subjects of inoculation: the circumstance also of their 

 being, as I before observed, more predisposed than horses to take 

 glanders and farcy, has rendered them additionally inviting. It is 



