Ophtlialiiiic Mallein Test. 



715 



eriy on aecoimt of the comparatively small numlier of horses 

 tested and the lack of sufficient post-mortem control work. 



After the administration of a small quantity of dihite 

 mallein into the conjunctival sac the ophthalmic reaction ap- 

 pears in the form of a conjunctivitis, swelling- of the eyeliils, 

 intense redness of the conjunctiva tarsi et bulbi and a y)urulent 

 secretion (see Plate VI). Accordin.2;- to observations thus far 

 recorded a pronounced reaction with purulent exudate seerns 

 to point to the existence of the disease, while a negative or 

 doubtful reaction has only a circumstantial value since it is 

 knoAvn that actually infected horses may sometimes react only 

 slightly or not at all. (It seems that these tests not infre- 

 quently give negative results in the first stages of the disease.) 



The ophthalmic test was first applied succepsfully by Choroniansky ; 15 glan- 

 dered horses that were treated with U.l gin. ot Kussian mallein reacting liy the 

 apijearance of a severe conjunctivitis, while 37 healthy horses gave a negative reac- 

 tion to this, as well 

 as to the subcuta- 

 neous test which was 

 subsequently applied. 

 Wladimiroflf reports a 

 similar result ob- 

 tained in 12 affected 

 and 20 apparently 

 healthy horses ; this 

 author, however, ob- 

 tained positive oph- 

 thalmo-reactions also 

 in horses that had 

 ceased to react typi- 

 call.y to the usual 

 subcutaneous test, 

 consequently he did 

 not consider a posi- 

 tive reaction to the 

 ophthalmic test as 

 necessarily indicating 

 the presence of dis- 

 ease. (An observation 

 made by M a r t e 1 

 agrees with this view ; 

 this author obtained 

 a typical cutaneoup 

 reaction on his arm 

 14 years after he had 

 been infected with 

 'glanders). Schniirer 

 expresses himself 

 very favorably in re- 

 gard to the value of 

 the ophthalmic test, 

 having obtained only 

 one negative result in 

 47 glanderous horses; 

 while the test on 353 suspected hordes and on 16 horses affected with some other 

 disease agreed with the results of the cutaneous an<l subcutaneous tests in the 

 negative character of all of them. 



The observations of Vallee in three cases, of Dietrich m lo, of Put2ey ic 

 Stiennon in 7, of Martel in 7, and of Klimmer & Kiessig in 9 glandered horses 

 were less satisfactory. These authors obtained distinct reactions m only about 

 one-ha'.f of their tests, which were made with 10 to 20% mallein solution. 



Technic of the Ophthalmic Test. Since the most satisfactory results have 

 thus far been obtained from the use of concentrated mallein, it is recommended that 



i''ig.l24. Vulaneous Reaction in Glanders. Lymph ^'essels 

 Enlarged as Result of Inttammation Radiating from 

 Scarified Area. 



