BULLETIN OF THE 



u 



No. 70 



Contribution from the Bureau of Animal Industry, A. D. Melvin, Chief. 5 

 April 15, 1914. 



(PROFESSIONAL PAPER.) 



IMMUNIZATION TESTS WITH GLANDERS VACCINE. 



By John R. Mohler and Adolph Eichhoen, 

 Pathological Division, Bureau of Animal Industry 



INTRODUCTORY. 



Among tlie diseases of horses with which the veterinary authori- 

 ties are concerned glanders is probably the most important, and 

 unless strict measures for its control are enforced the tendency of 

 the disease is to spread more or less rapidly. This fact is due to the 

 character of the disease, to the prevailing methods of caring for 

 horses, and, probably more important than all, to the frequent 

 latent existence of the disease in apparently healthy animals. The 

 destruction of all infected animals has been accepted as a matter of 

 course in all civilized countries, and owing to the dangerous character 

 of the disease and the possibility of transmission to man, this action 

 appears to be the sanest and most reasonable procedure in its control. 

 On the other hand, the possibility of a method of immunization of 

 healthy animals is worthy of consideration and would be of great 

 advantage. 



Ever since the discovery of mallein as a diagnostic agent for glan- 

 ders, experiments have been conducted by various investigators 

 relative to its immunizing and curative value. Many favorable 

 reports have been made by veterinarians of the results obtained. 

 On the contrary, others appear to have had no satisfaction from its use. 

 Since it has been proved that cases of glanders may recover it is 

 rather difficult to establish the value of the immunizing agents as to 

 their action on the disease. Fortunately, we now possess a means 

 by which the presence of immune bodies can be demonstrated in the 

 animal upon which attempts at immunization are made. With the 

 serological tests at our command we may control to some extent the 

 action of an immunizing substance and observe how long the immune 

 bodies are present in an animal receiving immunization treatment, 



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