QLANDEES AND FABOY. 535 



disease, we find a large number of predisposing causes assigned as 

 factors in the development of the malady. 



While a virus from a case of glanders if inoculated into an animal 

 of the genus Equus will inevitably produce the disease, we find a vast 

 difference in the contagious activity of different cases of glanders. 

 We find a great variation in the manner and rapidity of the develop- 

 ment of the disease in different individuals and that the contagion is 

 much more apt to be carried to sound animals under certain circum- 

 stances than it is under others. Only certain species of animals are 

 susceptible of contracting the disease, and while some of these con- 

 tract it as a general constitutional malady, in others it only develops 

 as a local sore. 



In acute glanders the contagion is found in its most virulent form, 

 as is shown by the inevitable infection of susceptible animals inocu- 

 lated with the disease, while the discharge from chronic semilatent 

 glanders and farcy may at times be inoculated with a negative result ; 

 again, in acute glanders, as we have a free discharge, a much greater 

 quantity of virus-containing matter is scattered in the neighborhood 

 of an infected horse to serve as a contagion to others than is found in 

 the small amount of discharge of the chronic cases. 



The chances of contagion are much greater when sound horses, 

 asses, or mules are placed in the immediate neighborhood of glan- 

 dered horses, drink from the same bucket, stand in the next stall or 

 work in the same wagon, or are fed from feed boxes or mangers 

 which have been impregnated by the saliva and soiled by the dis- 

 charge of sick animals. Transmission occurs by direct contact of 

 the discharges of a glandered animal with the tissues of a sound one, 

 either on the exterior, when swallowed mixed with food into the 

 digestive tract, or when dried and inhaled as dust. 



The stable attendants serve as one of the most common carriers of 

 the virus. Dried or fresh discharges are collected from the infected 

 animal in cleaning, harnessing, feeding, and by means of the hands, 

 clothing, the teeth of the currycomb, the sponge, the bridle, and the 

 halter, and are thus carried to other animals. 



An animal affected with chronic glanders in a latent form is moved 

 from one part of the stable to another, or works hitched with one 

 horse and then with another, and may be an active agent in the 

 spreading of the disease without the cause being recognized. 



Glanders is found frequently in the most insidious forms, and we 

 recognize that it can exist without being apparent; that is, it may 

 affect a horse for a long period without showing any symptoms that 

 will allow even the most experienced veterinarian to make a diagnosis. 

 An old gray mare belonging to a tavern keeper was reserved for 

 family use with good care and light work for a period of eight years, 

 during which time other horses in the tavern stable were from time 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



