226 APPLIED BACTERIOLOGY 



days; and when suppuration takes place later, the pus 

 will be found to contain the glanders bacillus in pure 

 culture. 



The Diagnosis of Glanders. — In 1890 Helman and Kalning, 

 working independently of each other, with the view of 

 providing a curative and immunising material, discovered 

 certain effects of the toxins of the bacillus on animals 

 affected with glanders, which subsequent experimentation 

 has proved to be of the utmost service in diagnosis. In 

 this country a liquid glycerine extract, prepared after the 

 manner of Koch's ' tuberculin,' is sold under the name of 

 ' mallein.' 



Mallein is prepared as follows : The organism is grown in 

 broth for about six weeks ; the cultivation is then filtered 

 through porous porcelain, and the bacilli-free filtrate put 

 by in tubes and bottles, and then carefully sterilised. If 

 about 1 c.c. of mallein be injected into a healthy animal, 

 nothing, or only a slight febrile reaction occurs, in the 

 horse not exceeding about 102°, the normal being about 

 100' ; but if glandered ever so little the temperature runs 

 up to 105° or even 106°. At the seat of inoculation a large 

 swelling appears, and any local lesions, if present, become 

 much enlarged. This swelling is of more importance 

 diagnostically than the rise of temperature. 



The London County Council has recognised its va,lue, 

 and encouraged its use by their veterinary inspectors. It 

 is stated that in the case of one large horse - owning 

 company, in which glanders has been known to exist, the 

 Council has entered into an arrangement to pay full value 

 compensation for any horse which has reacted to mallein, 

 and which, on being killed, yields no evidence of glanders. 



Both in England and on the Continent the results 

 obtained with mallein have been most successful ; as a 

 diagnostic agent it is practically infallible ; it seems, how- 



