GLANDERS 323 



In the latter site it is known as "wooden tongue/' owing to the 

 hardness resulting. The skin and subcutaneous tissues are also a 

 favourite seat of the disease, producing the so-called wens or clyers 

 so commonly seen in the fen-country (Crookshank). Actinomycosis 

 in cattle is especially prevalent in river valleys, marshes, and on 

 land reclaimed from the sea. The disease occurs at all seasons, but 

 perhaps more commonly in autumn and winter. It is more frequently 

 met with in young animals. The disease is probably not hereditary 

 nor readily communicated from animal to animal. 



The Streptothrix Actinomyces may be cultivated, like other 

 parasites, outside the body. Gelatine, blood serum, agar, glycerine 

 agar, and potato have been used for this purpose. After a few days on 

 glycerine agar at the temperature of the blood, small, white, shining 

 colonies appear, which increase and coalesce. In about ten days' 

 time the culture often turns a bright yellow, though it may remain 

 white or even take on a brown or olive tint. The entire mass of 

 growth is raised, dry, corrugated, and crinkled, and composed almost 

 exclusively of threads. In its early stage small bacillary forms 

 occur, and in its later stage coccal forms. True clubs never occur 

 in pure cultures, although the threads may occasionally show bulbous 

 endings. 



Glanders 



Glanders in the horse and ass, and sometimes by communication 

 in man also, is caused by a short, non-motile, aerobic bacillus, named, 

 after the old Roman nomenclature (malleus), Bacillus mallei. It was 

 discovered in 1882 by Loffler and Schlitz. It is found in the nasal 

 discharge of glandered animals. In appearance, the bacillus is not 

 unlike B. tuberculosis, except that it is shorter and thicker. The 

 beading of the bacillus of glanders, like that in tubercle, does not 

 denote spores. B. mallei can be cultivated on the usual media, 

 especially on glycerine agar and potato. On the last-named medium 

 at blood-heat it forms a very characteristic honey-like growth, which 

 later becomes reddish-brown. High temperature is usually necessary. 



In the horse glanders may affect the nasal mucous membrane, 

 forming nodules which degenerate and emit an offensive discharge. 

 From the nose, or nasal septum, as a centre, the disease may spread 

 to surrounding parts. It may also occur as nodules in and under 

 the skin, and involving the superficial lymph vessels and glands, 

 when it is known as " farcy." Persons attending a glandered animal 

 may contract the disease, often by direct inoculation. Horned cattle 

 are immune. 



In man glanders occurs in two forms, an acute and a chronic. 

 The site is, of course, usually on the hand or arm. The acute form 

 has the appearance of a "poisoned wound," locally, and there are 



