GLANDERS IN MAN. 
205 
doubted, and, most of all, let us not do it where, from the 
nature of the case, no proof can possibly be given; where all the 
persuasions offered to us must be theoretical alone, and where 
an error would not only compromise our reputation, but do irre¬ 
parable injury to our employers. 
There is not a circumstance that has been productive of half 
so much loss to the agriculturist, and the proprietor of horses, 
as this too frequently and too positively repeated assertion of the 
comparative non-contagiousness of glanders. Many thousands 
of pounds would not cover the annual loss. A case occurred 
about two years ago, and not a very great way from this metro¬ 
polis. A gentleman had a team of farm-horses, almost unrivalled 
for activity and strength. One of them exhibited symptoms of 
incipient glanders. A newly arrived young veterinarian was con¬ 
sulted as to the propriety of preventing all farther mischief, and 
cutting short the affair, by destroying the diseased animal. 
“ Oh ! by no means,” said he; “there is not the danger about 
glanders which some foolish people imagine; you well ventilate 
your stables, and let there be no animal poison lurking there 
from air that has been breathed over and over again, and I will 
answer for it, your other horses are safe enough : there is not one 
horse in a thousand that catches glanders.” The gentleman was 
somewhat surprised, and expressed a little doubt about the 
matter ; but, the young theorist producing chapter and verse in 
elucidation of his point, he suffered himself to be over-persuaded; 
and in less than a twelvemonth he had not a sound horse upon 
his farm. 
Glanders in the Human Being .—The path of propriety and of 
duty evidently is, to put the farmer and horse-proprietor on their 
guard. The experience of every age, and I would say of every 
man who has seen country practice, teaches him that a glan- 
dered horse can rarely remain long among sound ones without 
serious mischief ensuing. It is affirmed that glanders is com¬ 
municable to the human being. That a loathsome and a fatal 
disease results from inoculation with the matter of glanders is 
undoubted; but that it bears the true character of glanders 
I do doubt; but of this my medical hearers, now that the 
symptoms and course of glanders have been described, will de¬ 
termine better than I can. I am aware, indeed, of one case 
which goes a great way towards establishing the identity of the 
diseases. One of the feeders in the Badsworth hunt cut himself 
while preparing a farcied leg for the hounds. lie died within a 
week. A day or two before his death, an ass was inoculated 
with the matter from some of the sores that broke out about him, 
and died evidently glandered. This is a strong case ; but then, 
VOL. V. F f 
