564 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



as a curative agent, with negative results. Tests are now being 

 made with aseptobn (Edson), protonuclein, both hypodermically 

 aduiinislered ; and guiacol carbonate, given internally ; but as yet 

 it is too early to give the results. 



Glanders. — As an aid to diagnosis in doubtful cases, the inocu- 

 lation of guinea pigs has been made. The discharge from a 

 suspicious ulceration was collected on a swab of absorbent cotton, 

 and this was then carefully washed out in a little distilled water 

 and injected into the peritoneal cavity with a subcutaneous 

 syringe. If the bacilli of the disease were present, an inflamma- 

 tion of the peritoneum was set up, characterized by the presence 

 of small granulations on the surface, with fibrinous exudation. 

 This readily extended to the tunica vaginalis in the males, causing 

 a marked swelling in the region of the testicle that could be 

 readily recognized externally. The process required from three 

 to six days for its development. 



As can be readily understood, the bacilli may be absent in the 

 discharge, and therefore a negative result cannot be absolutely 

 relied upon to exclude the disease. But it is a distinct aid in 

 doubtful cases, and should always be employed. Six cases were 

 examined ; in two it gave a positive result, in three a negative 

 one, confirming the diagnosis, and in one it was at fault, as the 

 case was a clear one from the clinical side. 



Rabies. — The existence of an epizootic of this disease was con- 

 firmed by the results of inoculations. As is well known, there are 

 no changes in the body by which the existence of this disease can 

 be absolutely shown, and, although the presence of foreign material 

 (straw, hair, bits of wood, etc.) in the otherwise empty intestine 

 of a dog that has acted strangely, or furiously, is strongly pre- 

 sumptive evidence, still it can only be surely established by the 

 transmission of the disease to some other animal. This was done 

 upon rabbits, after Pasteur's method. 



Twenty-five suspected animals have been received during the 

 past year for examination : of these, thirteen gave a positive 

 result ; of the remaining twelve, one was too much decomposed to 

 be used, two showed evidence of other disease (broncho-pneumonia, 

 menigitis) , from two the rabbits died from sepsis, four gave clearly 

 a negative result and three are still under observation. The time 

 of incubation in the positive cases varied from six to ninety-one 

 days. The larger number showed symptoms between the four- 

 teenth and eighteenth day. The details are given in Table II. 



From these observations, which are in accord with those the 

 the world over, a given case cannot be declared negative until at 

 least after three months have elapsed from the time of inoculation. 

 If any means can be devised by which a certain diagnosis can be 



