ON THE UAUSES OF DISEASE, 2d 
ders is, also, sometimes caused by inoculation; is frequently pro. 
duced in healthy subjects by mismanagement, as by insufficient 
food, want of shelter, and overwork; and often supervenes on 
bad attacks of influenza, strangles, diabetes, and other diseasea 
which debilitate the systera, or impair the integrity of any of its 
more iniportant parts. These causes appear to possess the power 
of engendering in the constitution of a horse a peculiar poison, 
which, as it reproduces itself, and spreads to all parts of the body, 
gives rise to the characteristic symptoms of glanders, caustng, 
sooner or later, a breaking up of the system, and a fatal prostra- 
tion of the vital powers. This poison produces in the blood ab- 
normal changes, which vitiate that fluid, and unfit it for healthy 
nutrition.* From the irritant action of the morbid fluids passing 
through them, the lymphatic glands and vessels become inflamed, 
and lymph is deposited. This, however, being of an unhealthy 
nature, soon runs on to softening, which extends to the skin over- 
lying the part, and ulcerating farcy-buds are formed. On the 
surface of the more vascular mucous membranes effusions of tu- 
bercular matter are also poured out; these take on an unhealthy 
inflammation, and degenerate into chancrous ulcers, which may 
generally be seen on the mucous membrane of the nostrils in most 
bad cases of glanders. 
“ These are the most common scrofulous diseases of horses; but 
an animal of the scrofulous diathesis, besides being specially sub- 
ject to these, is little able to withstand ordinary morbific causes, 
and hence is also unusually liable to many ordinary diseases; in 
such a subject, too, disease is very apt to be severe and complicated, 
and to be acted on tardily and imperfectly by all remedies.” 
Having now furnished the reader with a few valuable facts 
bearing on hereditary predisposition, we shall briefly discourse 
*“ A comparison of the two subjoined analyses will chow the great differenos 
im composition between the blood of healthy and of glanderous horses—a differ. 
ence consisting chiefly in a diminution of the red corpuscules, and a propor 
tional increase of the fibrine and albumen. ; 
Blood of Healthy Horse. Y-lood of @apderous Hores. 
a. a. 
804.75 842. B50 
2. Ce. 8.7 
117.13 68.90 .. oo. $4.28 
Fat ...ccceone woneee vee 113 
seonieeaeys sy 67.85 TOM besteld 
6.82 6. 6.88 
Simon's Animal Ohe ow, ov Dr. Day, vou =. 84-9. 
