STATE HYGIENE 563 



without any delay, and are found quite satisfactory. In 

 such cases double doses are often employed, and in all 

 cases of primary testing of mules double doses are best. 



The question of double doses need not detain us long ; for 

 some time past we have used such in all doubtful cases, and 

 invariably in the case of testing mules, as it has been found 

 from experience that there is sometimes a difficulty in get- 

 ting a mule to react even when clinically glandered. We 

 have observed the same with a few horses, and have in one 

 or two cases had to employ a triple dose in order to obtain 

 a local reaction. 



It is always desirable to measure the size of the reaction 

 obtained in mallein testing, by means of a tape measure in 

 both its diameters, and the measurement should be taken 

 at the 16th, 20th, and 24th hours. This is particularly 

 valuable where local reactions alone are being observed. 

 A useful aid is to clip a mark on the neck where the needle 

 is inserted, and clip the hair around the region of the swell- 

 ing at each period of observation. It is a marking soon 

 made, and is very helpful where a large number of animals 

 are being tested. 



By reped,ted injections of mallein a tolerance is estab- 

 lished, and finally no reaction obtained in an animal which 

 has previously given an undoubted glanders reaction. This 

 failure to react may either mean that the case is cured, or 

 that a tolerance is obtained though the disease is still active 

 in the lungs. The question is a purely pathological one, 

 but is mentioned here, as a tolerance to mallein is not 

 without its hygienic aspect. 



The suppression of glanders is an expensive but certain 

 process, far too expensive perhaps for the private indi- 

 vidual, or especially small owner, to attempt without out- 

 side aid, but absolutely certain in its results. 



With mallein and a free hand one can undertake with a 

 light heart the extinction of glanders in an army, let alone 

 in a large stud ; but the difficulty is to get people to make 

 the needful sacrifices in order to effect the desired end, and 

 a policy of compromise has often to be adopted. 



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