E DITORI A.L. 
55 
sible danger of contagion still existing, and without the advantage 
which might accrue from the chances of failure of a glanderous 
development. 
The inoculation of other animals and the auto-inoculation 
of those which are under suspicion have often largely aided in 
the discovery of the true nature of the discharge which has been 
found to issue from a diseased gland, when in the absence or over¬ 
sight of these artificial tests, a total failure might have attended 
the search for the truth of the case. These favorable results 
have also been obtained in a variety of cases when other than 
equine patients have been the subjects. The donkey, the dog, 
the guinea pig and the rabbit have all furnished their contingents, 
though the success with the different animals has sometimes 
varied in its degree. 
But aside from this mode of reaching the truth, there is 
another simple method of obtaining evidence, which is available 
toward the formation of a positive diagnosis. This consists in 
noting the results obtained by the culture of the microbe of the 
real glanderous affection. Glanders being a virulent disease, it is 
therefore the “ function of a living being,” as has already been 
made known by the interesting researches of Bouchard, Loffier 
and Schutz. Several varieties of cultures of this microbe are 
already known, but of all these, that which has proved more 
rapid, simple and powerful than the rest in the hands of Director 
Nocard is that made with potatoes. In a recent communication 
made by him before the Central Society of Veterinary Medicine, 
Dr. Nocard declared, That of all the media used for thg culture 
of the bacillus of glanders, the potato is, beyond doubt, the most 
precious.” And proceeding, he gives the following as the proper 
method of manipulation: u The potato is first well washed and 
cleansed without removing the skin, and then placed into a solu¬ 
tion of corrosive sublimate, one part to the thousand, where it is 
kept for one or two hours, in order to destroy all germs on its 
surface. It is then cut in two and placed in a culture jar and 
well covered. Steaming these in the boiling water bath for one 
or two hours, they are thus well cooked and all the germs which 
may soil them are thus destroyed. Then carefully removing the 
