270 
FRANK 8. BILLINGS. 
) 
the possibility of error in diagnosis, that the probability of 
such a procedure being practicable seems at first impossible. 
While I personally know of three cases in which all external 
symptoms, with the exception of the cicatrices in the septum 
nasi, disappeared, and in which the three horses all did good 
work and apparently thrived as well as any horse could be 
expected to, still, though looked upon as “ cured ” cases, the 
fact that in each case the horse in question was the cause of 
the extension of glanders to those stabled with, or worked 
with it, and the tact that chronic pulmonary and other organ¬ 
ic lesions were present on necroscopical examination, suffi¬ 
ciently demonstrates that they were anything but “ cured ” 
cases of glanders. In fact, I think it can be safely asserted 
that recovery from what we know as constitutional glanders 
does not warrant any such conclusion. 
The next question is, does local glanders, “farcy,” offer 
any better evidence in the desired direction? That “ farcy ” 
is at times curable, or perhaps, better, healable, seems to be a 
matter beyond question as well as that in such cases constitu¬ 
tional glanders does not follow. I am perfectly aware that 
here too, we are treading upon a much disputed territory, 
but, on the other hand, the very evidence that we desire is 
not to be had, for, so far as known to me, there have been no 
exact experiments made of exposure of such “ cured ” farcy 
cases to infection that would necessarily result in constitution¬ 
al glanders of an acute and destructive character. 
The unknown, but really immense loss, which this country 
annually suffers from glanders, as well as the considerable 
number of cases in human beings, some of which do not ter¬ 
minate fatally by the way, surely indicate that this question 
of preventive inoculation is worthy of the most extensive 
and rigid experimentation. If acute, constitutional glanders is 
preventable by inoculation it must be by the production of a 
mild and healable cutaneous form. Can such be induced ? 
Practical experience makes it probable. Experiment must 
conclusively demonstrate the fact pro or con. 
With regard to the prevention of endogenous or conta¬ 
gious diseases by inoculation I am strongly of the opinion, 
