SYMPTOMS OF GLANDERS. 
127 
months passed on, when Mr. Turner, examining the post-horses 
in a neighbouring inn, discovered that two of them were glandered, 
and two more farcied; while, standing next to the first that was 
attacked, and his partner in work, was his old acquaintance the 
farmer’s mare, with the same discharge from her nostril , and who 
had, beyond question, been the cause of all the mischief. 
This, gentlemen, will be an instructive lesson to you. In 
every examination for soundness, in every medical examination 
of the horse, pass not over the slightest increased nasal defluxion, 
even although it is nearly or entirely of an aqueous character. 
Endeavour to get at the history of this discharge, the length of 
time it has existed, and its quantity and constancy. Do not be 
misled by its want of viscidity, whatever your favourite authors 
may tell you. When you read that “ there always remains a 
peculiar degree of viscidity and glueyness in it (the discharge of 
glanders) which distinguishes it from all other mucous and puru¬ 
lent secretions,” refer this to the second stage of the disease, and 
remember that, for many months before this, the disease may 
have existed in an “ insidious” and highly contagious form. In 
the majority of cases, however, some degree of stickiness does 
characterize the discharge of glanders from a very early period. 
The Left Nostril oftenest affected. —It is a singular circum¬ 
stance that this discharge is much more frequent from the left 
nostril than from the right. M. Dupuy says that, out of eight 
cases of glanders, he met with one only with discharge from the 
right nostril alone. This difference in the affected nostrils does 
not exist to so great an extent in our practice, and I am inclined 
to suspect that there must have been some error in the observa¬ 
tions made by the learned professor; but in two cases out of three 
among us the discharge is from the left nostril alone. I know not 
of any anatomical or physiological fact that will account for this. 
I could account for the left leg- failing; oftener than the rio-ht:— 
we mount and dismount on the left side—the horse generally 
leads with it; there is more wear and tear of that limb; but I 
cannot satisfactorily account for this usual affection of the left 
nostril. It is true the reins are held in the left hand, and there 
may be a little more bearing and pressure on the left side of the 
mouth; but I confess that that does not sufficiently explain the 
result. 
You observe that I have used the terms left and right instead 
of near and off. I do so advisedly, because the latter, originally 
the mere slang of the stable, however much in use among horse¬ 
men, and to a certain extent, perhaps, necessary to be adopted in 
our communications with them, are terms that have never been 
adopted in any foreign veterinary school. They are perfectlv un- 
