356 GLANDERS. 



months without Injury : on the other hand, we would not 

 venture to deny, that a sound horse, shut up in an unven- 

 tilated stable, where the air became contaminated, might not 

 himself generate the disorder. In its general character, how- 

 ever, it is contagious ; and its contagious nature is exerted 

 by the actual application of the morbid virus to some part 

 of the body, and that generally an abraded surface. 



The Symptoms of Glanders are, an increased secretion 

 from the membranes of one or both nostrils, which con- 

 tinually flows in small or large quantities. This discharge 

 is seldom at first perfectly purulent, but is more glairy, 

 thick, and not unlike the white of an egg ; it sometimes 

 continues thus for a long time ; at others it hastens to 

 become muco-purulent, and then purulent ; but there 

 always remains a peculiar degree of viscidity and glueyness 

 in it that sticks the nostrils together, as it were, from its 

 tenacity, differing from all other mucous or purulent secre- 

 tions, the very nature of which strongly characterizes the 

 complaint. The general colour of the Schneiderian mem- 

 brane becomes changed ; first to a violet colour, often a 

 dingy yellow, and afterwards to a leaden hue. As ulcera- 

 tion ensues, the discharge becomes tinged with shades 

 of green and yellow, intermixed with blood, and is often 

 sanious and offensive, which is alv,'ays the case when the 

 bones become diseased. From absorption of the morbid 

 matter by the lymphatics, near to the part, the maxillary 

 glands under the jaws become swollen and tender ; when 

 one side of the head only is affected, the absorbent glands 

 of that side, and that side only, grow tumefied. The 

 enlargement of these bodies is too much relied on as 

 an absolute criterion of the existence of glanders ; for 

 though, when the disease has existed some time, they are 

 very generally tumefied, yet, in mild cases of some standing, 

 they are not invariably so : and again, there are other com- 

 plaints besides this that will tumefy them ; whatever in- 

 flames the Schneiderian membrane, as catarrh, strangles, 

 &c. may cause the glands to enlarge. Neither can a certain 

 criterion be drawn from their attachment to, or detachment 

 from, the bone: occasionally they will remain unaffected, 

 or the whole will form a tumid mass, tender, but not ad- 

 herent to the maxillar on either side. They are, how^ever, 



