246 CAUSES OF GLANDERS. 



periodic ophthalmia and grease. Supposing the existence of a 

 virus in eacli one of these diseases, nobody would contend they 

 were all four of the same nature, or that the diseases themselves 



are of a different opinion, — that the disease is often produced without conta- 

 gion." 



" Spontaneously ?" — '* Yes ; but when I say spontaneously, I believe that to 

 arise in consequence of the fact of their being exposed to their dung and 

 urine, and to confinement, too much feed and too little exercise. I do not 

 believe that carrion flesh is capable of producing it, but I think it arises more 

 from being confined, tied up, and exposed to their own dung, and their own 

 urine, and their own breath, and also from the want of proper exercise. I be- 

 lieve that, with hounds in kennels that are properly attended to, it is rather 

 an uncommon disease ; but when the kennel has not been attended to, canine 

 madness sometimes takes place, of which I know one instance in particular : 

 the subscription pack of fox -hounds in Surrey had the disease to a consider- 

 able extent, and there was one remarkable fact, that the dogs did not bite the 

 bitches, nor the bitches bite the dogs. The kennel had been very much 

 neglected ; there was no water flowing through the kennel : I suggested im- 

 provements in that respect, and the disease for a length of time disappeared." 



" In the cases you are now speaking to, have you examined the dog after 

 its death in any ease where the dog has not been bitten ?" — "It is impossible 

 to prove the negative : we cannot say the dog has not been bitten ; but if it did 

 always arise from the dog being bitten, how came the first dog to be mad ? 

 But, independently of that fact, it will be found, that in different parts of the 

 country you hear nothing of hydrophobia, and then you hear of it in different 

 parts of the country pretty nearly at the same time. Now there are many 

 diseases highly contagious in themselves, but which are capable of being pro- 

 duced without contagion. The glanders can be thus produced — it is a con- 

 tagious disease ; and so is farcy ; and yet it is a fact that these diseases are 

 more frequently generated than propagated by contagion. The itch also is 

 notoriously produced by filth, and, when produced, becomes contagious; so 

 with ship fever and gaol fever, which, when they break out, become conta- 

 gious ; but they can be generated." 



" Would the glanders be produced by inoculation in the case you refer to ?" 

 — " I can mention one extraordinary instance, which was in the Quiberon ex- 

 pedition : there were a great many horses examined prior to their going out, 

 and not ©ne of them had any apparent disease : they were put on board dif- 

 ferent transports ; they encountered a hurricane ; they were obliged to put 

 down the hatches ; several horses were suffocated, and great numbers of 

 them became glandered in consequence. At Dover, in the 3'ear 1796, where 

 there was a great encampment, the government could not get stables to 

 receive them late in the autumn : they built close and confined stables ; 



