124 GLANDERS 



movements. The most active and fractious horses become 

 listless and indifferent to their surroundings. These general 

 phenomena constitute what the French call the organic reac- 

 tion, but they are not alwa3-s so clearly marked. Differences 

 in their intensity are observed but the}' are never completely 

 absent. 



The temperature reaction never fails to show itself. In 

 about eight hours after the injection the temperature of a glan- 

 dered horse gradually rises 1.5", 2° or 2.5° F., and even more 

 above the normal. The rise in temperature usuallj- attains its 

 maximum between the tenth and twelfth hour, occasionally 

 not till the fifteenth, and more rarely not until about the 

 eighteenth hour. An important fact to note is that the reac- 

 tion called forth in glandered horses by the injection of mallein 

 persists for from 24 to 48 hours and in some cases the temper- 

 ature remains above the normal for even a longer time. In 

 practice it is advisable to take the temperature of the suspected 

 animals two or three times before the injection of the mallein, 

 and every two hours beginning at the eighth and going to the 

 twentieth hour after the injection. It is often sufficient for 

 diagnostic purposes to take the temperature but four times, 

 viz., at 9, 12, 15, and 18 hours after the injection. 



In healthy horses the injection of mallein, even in a much 

 larger dose, produces no effect on the temperature or the gen- 

 eral condition of the animal. There is produced, however, at 

 the point of injection, a small oedematous swelling, somewhat 

 hot and painful to the touch, but the oedema instead of in- 

 creasing, diminishes rapidly and disappears in less than 24 

 hours. 



The reaction called forth by the injection of mallein, in a 

 glandered animal is quite specific. When it occurs one is en- 

 abled to state at once and with certainty that glanders exist, 

 although the lesions may be quite minute or obscure. When 

 the reaction does not take place it is generally considered that 

 the animal tested is not glandered, although the physical 

 examination may suggest it. Notwithstanding the specific 

 action of mallein, its administration can give really useful indi- 

 cations according to Xocard " onlv when, and as far as, we 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



