OPHTHALMIC MALLEIN FOE THE DIAGNOSIS OF GLANDERS. O 



subject of glanders and on clinical diagnosis. This method of testing 

 is at present officially recognized in Austria, and the indications are 

 that ere long it will constitute the official test in other countries. 

 The results obtained in Austria, where the test has been employed 

 for several years, are very gratifying, and Prof. Schnurer, of that 

 country, one of our greatest authorities on glanders, claims that the 

 control of the disease can be very satisfactorily carried out by the 

 application of the eye test, supplemented in doubtful cases by the 

 agglutination test. Bavaria has recently adopted this method of 

 diagnosis for official testing. In Germany the method is also gaming 

 hi favor, and current veterinary literature contains expressions of 

 satisfaction with this test from many German authorities. In the 

 United States the Bureau of Animal Industry, in consideration of the 

 favorable results obtained, has recognized this method of diagnosis 

 for interstate shipments of equines. The test has also been officially 

 recognized by the Canadian authorities, and thus far no sanitary offi- 

 cial connected with any of the States hi this country has declined to 

 approve this test. 



The favorable results which have been obtained with this diagnostic 

 method can no longer be denied. Its practicability is apparent, and 

 its use in the control of glanders appears to be now an absolute 

 necessity. 



SIMPLICITY OF PROCEDURE. 



The ophthalmic test has a great advantage over others because of 

 its very simple application. It may be readily executed by any 

 veterinarian, and its other advantages are that the results are obtained 

 in a comparatively short time and are, as a rule, distinct and definite. 

 The simplicity of its application is plainly manifest when Gompared 

 to the subcutaneous test, as it is only necessary to drop two to three 

 drops of concentrated mallein into one of the eyes of the animal to 

 be tested, or, by a still simpler procedure, to dip a camel's-hair brush 

 into mallein and introduce this into the conjunctival sac of the animal. 

 The reaction usually commences in five to six hours after the intro- 

 duction of the mallein and lasts from 24 to 36 hours. A positive reac- 

 tion is manifested by a purulent secretion from the tested eye. This 

 may be very profuse or slight, sometimes associated with a severe 

 conjunctivitis and edema of the lids, and at other times without any 

 inflammatory symptoms being present. At times only a very small 

 quantity of pus may be present in the inner canthus of the eye. At 

 other times the reaction may manifest a true pyorrhea. 



The reaction manifests itself in varying degrees in the animals, but 

 the intensity of the reaction has no relation to the extent of the dis- 

 ease in the reactor. 



