68 
Supplement to the "Tropical Agriculturist. [July 2, 1894. 
when the glands of the groins enlarge and 
bud-like formations appear along the course 
of the lymphatics, especially in the linibs and 
the groins. These suppurate, and the animal 
develops the usual signs of glanders and suc- 
cumbs. In some instances the disease runs a very 
chronic course. 
It has also to be borne in mind that certain other 
diseases simulate glanders, for example, chronic 
catarrh, nasal gleet and caries of the molars. 
These also show such symptoms as the discharges 
from the nose and eyes, and even enlargement of 
the glands between the lower jaws, but there 
is no discolouration of the nasal membrane nor 
do ulcers appear. Unless the last two symptoms 
are observed, a horse showing other symptoms 
simulating glanders could at the most be looked 
upon as only "suspicious" and nothing more. 
But one need not take long to ascertain 
whether such a suspicious case is real glanders. 
A brisk purge or hard exercise would often 
cause the disease to take a defluite course ; or, 
if still doubtful, two or three, lo-grain doses 
of Bichromate of Potassium would show the 
malady in its true character. There is yet 
another and an unfailing test resorted to of 
late: — The inoculation of the suspected animals 
with mullein, a preparation discovered by Mons. 
Pasteur of Paris. Mallein when injected, rapidly 
raises the temperature of a horse having 
glanders poison in its system, whereas if that 
poison be absent, no change in temperature is 
observed. 
Glanders at one time was supposed to ori- 
ginate spontaneously in crowded and ill-venti- 
lated stables, but like many other diseases it 
has been positively demonstrated that there is 
no such thing as spontaneity in this disease. 
It is either communicated by contagion or in- 
fection. 
This fact is of great importance to us here ; 
for since the disease is not so common in the 
Island, the only possible source of communica- 
tion may be attributed to animals brought 
from India, It is also evident that it is not 
essential that a diseased animal itself should 
import it, for any tainted fodder or gear, or 
animals that have stood with diseased subjects 
are quite capable of conveying the disease from 
place to place. 
Glanders being not only a disease which 
spreads among animals, but one which brings 
on a fatal disease in man, its control is of 
great importance, and in a limited area like 
Ceylon, it should not be difficult to stamp it 
out if only proper measures are taken at once. 
In India there is a special act of legislature 
enacted for the purpose of dealing with 
glandered animals, and the disease is now 
being controlled to a great extent in that 
country. In England, too, powers are vested 
in local authorities to devise measures to 
prevent its spread. A synopsis of these Acts 
and the byelaws connected with them will be 
given in another issue of the Magazine ; in 
the meantime the following account of glanders 
in man would, it is to be hoped, be of some 
interest. 
W. A. D. S. 
24th July, 1894. 
GLANDERS LN MAN. 
By Dn. W. II. De Silva, m b.c.m. 
Although this tiiee&fiC has been recognized in 
. the horse from the time of Hippocrates, yet it 
i is only of late years that it hu> been hutiatac- 
| torily proved to exist in man It was formerly 
entirely overlooked, and the disease considered 
to be one of a purely local character attendant 
' upon unhealthy and unclean wounds, terminating 
i fatally. Dr. Elliotson was the first who accu- 
rately described the disease in man, and he 
termed it Equinia, as proceeding from the horse. 
The susceptibility of man is less than 
that of the solipedes judging from the few real 
cnses of glanders compared wtli the frequent 
exposures, yet when once established in the 
system it can hardly be said to be less malig- 
nant or fatal. 
The one known cause of glanders is contagion, 
and the bacillus of the glanderous deposits is 
the one essential cause of the disease. M&> u 
rarely infected from any other source than the 
horse. The modes of infection, immediate and 
mediate, are the main points to notice in this 
connection. Those employed about horses are 
usually infected by direct contact of the poisonous 
discharges, blood or tissues with abraxions ou 
the skin or mucus membranes. The inocitlat 
received in giving medicine, examining the nose, 
performing operations with effusion of blood, 
dressing cutaneous ulcers, slaughtering, skinning, 
making a post-mortem, burying. SiC, is not un- 
common. Again, direct infection is sustained 
through snorting of the horse, so that particles 
of the virulent discharge are lodged in the 
mucous membrane of the eye or nose. Closelj 
allied to this, is infection by inhaling the ex- 
halations of glandeied horses, and the bite of the 
glandered horse is a rare means of infection. 
Prom infection by eating glandered animals 
(sheep, goats and rabbits) man is usually saved 
by the cooking of his food and by his inherent 
power of resistance. 
Among the mediate forms of contagion may be 
named drinking from the same pail, or trough 
after a glandered horse, using a knife that has 
been used to open a glanderous abscess, wiping 
a wound with an infected blanket or handker- 
chief, handling infected harness, waggon pole 
cr manger with wounded hands, sleeping over 
glandered horses or in a stall or on litter pre- 
viously used by such horses. 
Conveyance of glanders from man to man 
has taken place through using or handling the 
same dishes, towels, or handkerchiefs, and through 
dressing the wounds. 
Fortunately the susceptibility of man is slight, 
only few out of the multitudes handling glandered 
horses becoming infected. It is essentially an 
industrial disease. A condition of ill-health doubt- 
less predisposes to this as to other invasions 
of infectious disease, yet men apparently in the 
most vigorous health have succumbed to the 
poison. 
Glanders and Farcy in man usually occur 
together and run an acute course, although 
occasionally they may become chronic. The 
disease is communicated by inoculation which 
is followed by a stage of incubation, whi^Jj 
