FROM THE HORSE TO THE HUMAN BEING. 
579 
These are the considerations that have induced me to enter on 
the subject of this contagion. On the 18th of February 1837, a 
patient entered La Charite, under the department of M. Rayer, and 
was carefully examined by that talented medical man. He found 
it impossible at once to arrive at any perfect diagnostic, and at first 
sight was inclined to believe that the man was attacked by typhoid 
fever*. — “ Although the rarity of typhoid fever at the age of 58 
years, the rapidity of the adynamic symptoms, and, above all, the 
existence of an eruption, ought to have prevented only thinking 
for one moment that this was a case of typhoid fever, I must con- 
fess that at first I did entertain that opinion, and thought that this 
case might be one in which it assumed an unusual form. ( Diagnos- 
tic provisoire”) Subsequently, M. Rayer, calling to mind the 
cases of glanders related by Dr. Elliotson, found such a similarity 
between the symptoms described and those now before him, that 
he no longer hesitated : he recognised the presence of that glanders 
in the human being that had been observed in England!. The 
appearances of these lesions suddenly recalled to my mind the 
cases narrated by Dr. Elliotson, and published by him in his 
excellent work on * Acute Glanders in the Human Being.’ This 
case immediately appeared to me to be glanders. I communicated 
my opinion to my colleagues in the hospital, Messrs. Andral and 
Velpeau, and they, after having examined the patient, perfectly 
coincided with me. Subsequent observation confirmed the fact.” 
This diagnostic, entertained by eminent men and verified by the 
post-mortem examination, incontestably demonstrated the existence 
of this newly-observed disease. 
We will now turn to the discussions at the Academy, and in- 
quire what was the effect produced on that honourable assembly 
by the communication of this case of glanders in a groom of the 
name of Prost, when it was laid before them by M. Rayer at their 
meeting on the 21st of February 1837. M. Dupuy said a few 
words, but they bore very remotely on the subject under discus- 
sion ; but at the meeting on the 28th of February, M. Barthelemy, 
after having succinctly described the forms under which glanders 
is manifested in the solipede, differed wholly in opinion to M. 
Rayer, basing his conclusions on this point : — “ If glanders is so 
easily communicated from the horse to the human being, the fact 
could not have so long remained unknown, for numerous cases 
must have constantly been occurring, especially in large horse 
depots, where there would, of course, be many glandered horsesf.” 
This argument is certainly specious, but it is radically unsound. 
* Rayer de la Morve et du Farcin chez l’Homme, p. 21 et sec. 
t Rayer loco citato, p. 24. 
j Bulletins de l’Academie de M£decine, tome i, p. 447. 
