CASE OF ACUTE GLANDERS. 
49 
of, sets out with the mention of the fact, now “ established ” 
and “ admitted,” of glanders “ being communicable from the 
horse to the human species,” and we might add vice versa. 
Yet, in the face of this “established” and “admitted” fact, 
stands one not less notorious to the veterinarians of Coleman’s 
time, denying, at that day, the possibility of such a transfer. 
Many a time and oft, on the faith of Coleman’s assurances, 
while attending his lectures, have we imbued our hands, nay, 
sprinkled our faces, with the matter issuing from the glandered 
subjects, Lving as well as dead, we were at the time engaged in 
examining. And on many an occasion, after quitting “College,” 
have we repeated the same thing; and yet have at no time 
imbibed—never once, indeed, dreamt of imbibing—the poison 
of glanders. It really quite makes us shudder at the present 
moment to reflect on what we have done ! How came it that 
we escaped] how comes it that inoculation has failed in 
hundreds of others—slaughtermen, grooms, and farriers, vete¬ 
rinary surgeons and pupils] Has the disease changed its 
nature ] or have our natures changed ] 
The present case shews—what we have always ourselves felt 
inclined to suppose—that, for the human being to take glanders, 
the general health must first suffer either depression or derange¬ 
ment. We do not believe that a man in health, the same as a 
horse in health, is in danger of contracting the disease. Else, 
how could the numbers of men employed about glandered 
horses and glandered carcasses escape the disease as they do ] 
There is, certainly, not the same aptitude for transmission from 
horse to man as from horse to horse; neither do we believe that 
men would take the disease in many situations in which horses 
are thought to do so. 
The case before us has symptoms which we do not recognise 
among the symptoms of glanders in horses; at the same time 
it lacks signs which we regard as especially diagnostic of the 
disease. Inoculation of an ass or sound horse with matter 
issuing from the man’s nose might have resulted in the settle¬ 
ment of this question of identity. 
The fact of the disease in the case in question admitting 
of a recovery is, pro tanto, an argument against its being 
glanders: glanders, it being well known, hardly ever, in its 
acute or genuine form, recovering; and when it does, so far as 
we can judge, it is not on account of any means or medicine 
employed. Out of a hundred cases or more we have witnessed, 
and treated, we can recall to memory but some three or four 
that have recovered, and they were “ spontaneous cures.” We 
thank Dr. Mackenzie for his recommendation of ammonia. We 
have cases in our eye, leaving glanders out of the question— 
such as influenza in some of its forms, scarlatina, purpura, 
VOL, XXV. H 
