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For many years glanders was supposed to be capable of spontaneous 
origin in the horse, and many able authorities have written in support of 
this view. 
Regarding its spontaneous origin, we ourselves are not persuaded. It is 
certain that the disease can spread from one animal to another by actual 
contact or through the medium of the air. There is no doubt that defective 
hygiene and violation of the ordinary laws of health render the system a fit 
receptacle for the development of glanders. 
In various parts of our work we shall often have occasion to 
speak of the so-called ‘‘contagium” or “virus” of different diseases, and we 
therefore propose here to give our readers a very short account of what is 
meant by these terms. 
For many years scientific men have been seeking to discover the nature 
-Of the poison or contagium of the specific fevers of man and animals. Each 
-one of these fevers runs a more or less definite course, and presents special 
-characteristics of its own by which it is recognised. The poison of each 
multiplies in a most marvellous and rapid manner, and one diseased 
individual may spread the fever among countless numbers in a very short 
space of time. Even so long ago as the great plague of London, the belief 
was expressed that the pestilence was probably due to some living organism 
which entered the blood and rapidly multiplied there, and that it was capable 
-of passing from one individual to another through the medium of the air or 
by actual contact. 
Now, at length, we know that this belief was fully justified, for many of 
these contagious fevers, both in man and animals, have been proved to be 
-due to the growth and development of poison, which consists in germs of a 
vegetable nature of very simple structure belonging to the order of the fungi. 
This theory, which was really, however, first started in 1840 by Henle, was 
taken up by Schwann and others and perfected by M. Pasteur. It is now 
accepted by most scientists of the present day, and is termed the “germ 
theory” of disease. This is one of the most important discoveries of 
the age in which we live. Although many years ago some eminent authors 
expressed their belief that there was a living germ, which by its growth 
-caused glanders, it was not until the year 1882 that Schutz and Léffler 
discovered a low form of vegetable life in glanders. It is called the glanders 
bacillus, and can only be seen by using a very high magnifying power 
indeed. It is said to be very like that little but most destructive germ which 
was found by Koch in persons suffering from consumption of the lungs. 
Indeed glanders has much resemblance to consumption or tuberculosis 
-of man and animals. 
Now it has been found that glanders is developed when the diseased 
matter is taken in the water or in the food, or even if the diseased material 
be given in the form of a ball. 
It may also be given by inoculating an animal, or by injecting the poison 
of glanders into the blood of a healthy individual. It should be remembered 
that the poison when it enters the system does not produce symptoms of disease 
at once, but remains inactive for a period of from three to seven days or more. 
