6 



Having made this digression in order to clear the way for what follows, I 

 will, with your permission, revert to the time, when, in 1902, I was called upon 

 to formulate a definite policy for the control of Glanders in the Dommion. At 

 that time there existed no provision whatever for the payment of compensa- 

 tion, and this, of course, rendered quite impossible the slaughter of ^ non- 

 clinical reactors, even if I had -tlien been anxious to adopt this radical policy.' 1 



As a matter of fact, however, I was, like many other veterinarians, under • 

 the impression obtained from a number of relia'ble professional sources, that 

 it was quite unnecessary to kill 'horses of this class, and that satisfactory- 

 results would follow the adoption of a policy of testing all contacts with 

 Malle.ih, 'and retesting from time to time such as reacted until they either ceased 

 to react, or through repeated reactions, furnished conclusive evidence that they ' . 

 were incurable. Fqr a period of slig'htly over two years this plan was care- 

 fully and conscientiously followed, but as time progressed it became evident, 

 that the results obtained were altogether disproportionate to the risk and 

 labour involved. Not only did the number of horses on' our hands keep con- 

 stantly increasing, but in many cases individual reactors held among others - 

 for future tests developed clinical symptoms, and thus established fre^h' centres, 

 of infection. Such hOrses iidt only endangered the other reactors with which 

 they were being kept, and some of which might have a possible chance of ' 

 recoyery, but indirectly threatened, through the various ,every-day channels 

 which horsemen well understand, the health of other animals not ' actually' 

 hpused witli them. 



As our opportunities. for observation increased and further experience was. 

 obtained, serious doubts a,s to the conclusions previously reached by eminent 

 veterinarians, both in Europe and America, as to the impossibility of Glanders- 

 being transmitted by reactors not showing clincal symptoms, or by ceas.ed 

 reactors began to assert themselves. As the work went on evidence gradually 

 accumulated that many of the so-called ceased reactors were not only not 

 permanently cured, but were properly to be looked on with, grave suspicion as 

 being likely to introduce Glanders among healthy horses with which they 

 might be brought in contact. Several outbreaks of more or less severity and 

 extent can be traced directly tothese ceased reactoi-s, and before I conclude, I 

 ' shall endeavour to demonstrate the advisability of dealing with animals of 

 this class as possible future cerrtres of infection. As the owners of ceased 

 reactors are generally more than wiliing to dispose of them as soon as possible 

 after their release from official control, the, risk of bringing infection to the 

 stables of their unsuspecting purchasers constitutes an added danger which 

 cannot reasonably be ignored. 



The conclusion that neither non-clinical reactors nor ceased reactors could 

 with safety, be considered non-infective, having been thus forced upon me 

 there remained only two alternatives, eithei- to follow the futile and already 

 discredited policy of killing clinical cases and ignoring contact animals, or to 

 face the situation and adopt the only intellgent course, namely, the destruction 

 of all ihorses showing the typical reaction to Mallein whether presenting a,nT 

 external maniicsfcatio.us of Gla-j-df.r.?; -z-:: "■-':_ 



