GLANDERS. 
17 
have taken the disease from its dam ; the question for consider¬ 
ation is, whether this was the result of contagion or hereditary 
influence. If it be ascribed to the latter, what proofs have 
we of it besides that of the inadmissibility of contagion ? if to 
the former, how comes it that her own offspring before birth, 
and her foster-foal after birth, escaped the malady ? 
Professor Dupuy says, on the subject of hereditariness, I 
knew a mare whose body on dissection presented every ap¬ 
pearance characteristic of glanders: her filly died at the age 
of 4J years of the same tuberculous affection. The other off¬ 
spring of this mare inherited her particular conformation, and her 
propensities to bite and kick. Another mare and her foal dis¬ 
covered on being opened the same organic lesions as the preced¬ 
ing animals. I have made similar observations on the exa 
mination of a third mare and her foal.'' The same author 
proceeds to observe, That the tuberculous disease in oxen, 
sheep, and swine, known by the appellations of rot, husk, 8cc. 
is likewise transmitted from one generation to another." That, 
in all probability there are such things as hereditary diseases, 
among horses at least, we shall on some future occasion show 
strong reasons for believing : in the present instance, we do not 
wish to refuse assent to its influence, neither do we wish to be 
led into any premature concessions ; we are merely desirous to 
set the question free from some absurd notions and unwarrant¬ 
able prejudices too prevalent among the profession in this 
country, not only on the subject of hereditariness, but more 
particularly on that of contagion. According to the doctrines 
of Dupuy, we should say, that the foal nurtured the seeds of 
the disease at birth, but that time and various incidental agents 
were wanting to mature and manifest them in the external 
form of glanders ; whereas, advocating contagion, it would en¬ 
able us to offer a more intelligible solution of the problem. The 
experiment afterwards made with the foster-foal neither in our 
mind confirms the opinion of hereditariness nor disproves the 
contagiousness of the malady. It does not follow, because the 
foal took from three to four pints, or upwards, of the mare's 
VoL. I.—No. 1. ^ c 
