XIII] MICROBES OF MALIGNANT ANTHRAX 329 



generally through a cutaneous wound ; it generally runs 

 an acute course, characterised by the appearance of purulent 

 infiltration about the seat of infection of the skin, par- 

 ticularly the muscular tissue, further the lung and respiratory 

 mucous membrane ; metastatic purulent infiltration occurs 

 also in the joints, the liver, spleen, kidneys, and testis. 



Within recent times it has been shown by a series of 

 observations, carried out by a number of workers,^ that the 

 chemical products in the artificial cultures of the glanders 

 bacilli (Mallein) injected into horses produces a definite 

 reaction — viz., a decided rise of temperature, if the animals 

 are. affected with glanders ; but no reaction follows in 

 healthy horses. So that in doubtful cases the injection of 

 the Mallein determines the diagnosis. The Mallein is 

 prepared in the same way as Koch's tuberculin {see below), 

 and is a further instance of the vast importance of the study 

 of the chemical products of pathogenic bacteria. 



Mallein at present used is either an extract of old potato 

 cultures of bacillus malli with dilute glycerine, filtered and 

 sterilised by steam (potato culture extract, Preusse) ; or 

 Roux establishes cultures of virulent glanders bacilli in broth, 

 incubated at 37° C. for four weeks; by heating to 110° they 

 are sterilised, then inspissated at low temperatures to one- 

 tenth bulk, filtered, and finally before use diluted with ten 

 times its bulk of o'S per cent, carbolic (Bouillon mallein). 



Foth 2 obtains Mallein in the form of a powder (dry 

 Mallein) : virulent bacilli of glanders are grown in broth to 

 which 4'S per cent, glycerine is added and incubated for 



' Helraan, Veterinary Society, St. Petersburg, April, 1890 ; ICalning, 

 Archiv f. Veterindrwiss I. 1891, St. Petersburg; Preusse, Berliner 

 Thierdrztl. Wochenschr., No. 29, 1891 ; Heyne, Berl. Thierdrztl. 

 Wochenschr., 1891, Nos. 33 and 39; Pearson, Zeiischr.f. Veteriniirk., 

 No. 5, 1891 ; Sohne, Sachs. Vet. Jahresbericht, 1891, p. 56. 



2 Fortschritte der Medizin, No. 16, 1895, p. 639. 



