CAUSES OF GLANDERS IN CAVALRY HORSES. ’207 
monia, and pleuritis, this latter frequently terminating in hydro- 
thorax. 
All army veterinary surgeons will admit that it is these three 
diseases which carry off the greater proportion of cavalry horses. 
We repeat it again, because we are convinced of the fact, that 
everything which diminishes the cutaneous secretions increases the 
mucous glandular functions, indeed those of the whole lymphatic 
system. In consequence of the suppression of the cutaneous secre- 
tions, arise alterations of the blood, lesions of the tissues, phthisis, 
glanders, and farcy. We will also add, that cutaneous perspira- 
tion is a purifying secretion, and one that it is most important not 
to suppress. Besides, if we come to reflect how much the skin of 
troop horses is impeded in the exercise of its functions by the 
dressings in the open air, by the currents and draughts through the 
stables, &c., we shall easily conceive how much these diseases owe 
their origin to the suppression of this excretion. 
No one will deny that the garrison of La Fere has long been 
noted as being one of the worst of all our military stations as re- 
gards its bad stables, its damp atmosphere, and its sudden varia- 
tions of temperature. All the regiments which come here have 
lost a great number of horses from glanders, farcy, and diseases of 
the chest. The 4th regiment of artillery, which preceded us, lost 
a frightful number during the three years of its sojourn at la Fere. 
This regiment, attributing the cause of glanders to the want of 
sufficient pure respirable air, and to the development of ammoniacal 
gas and carbonic acid, caused numerous openings to be made in the 
stables, in order to create a constant change of air, and always had 
the horses cleaned out of doors. Believing themselves to be in the 
right way of prevention, they spared no pains to ensure the respi- 
ration of pure air, and at the same time did every thing likely to 
impede a proper exercise of the functions of the skin. And what 
was the result 1 a frightful mortality among the horses of the regi- 
ment during its sojourn at la Fere. 
Having been convinced for these ten years past that the causes 
of glanders lay in derangements of the functions of the skin, I was 
happy to leave Metz, where we had good stabling, but where the 
horses were always dressed out of doors, and where we lost a great 
number from glanders. I was glad, I say, to come to a garrison 
celebrated as being unhealthy, in order to convince the colonel and 
the officers that the causes of glanders lay in derangement of the 
functions of the skin. A new hygienic system proposed by me 
was adopted ; I guaranteed its beneficial effects beforehand, and 
the results of three years’ experience has confirmed my prediction. 
We proceeded on a totally opposite system to that of the regiment 
which had preceded us. From the period of our arrival at la 
