TREATMENT OF ANIMALS.
In the majority of the states the treatment of a glandered horse is prohibited by statute. Yet without providing definite machinery for the administration of the law, and without indemnities for horses disposed of, such laws are largely inoperative. On the other hand treatment is quite successful on the pastures of our dry table lands and mountains. It can, however, be sanctioned only when careful segregation and disinfection are provided for. Acute cases of glanders are hopeless in any region, but chronic cases and especially such as have the lesions confined to the skin are much more hopeful.
The unbroken nodules may be injected with carbolic acid solution (1:200), or permanganate of potash (1:60). The open sores on the skin may be treated with the same solutions, with mercuric chloride (1:2000 to 1:5000), with iodized phenol, with cupric sulphate (saturated solution), or with chloride of zinc. A primary nodule may be excised and the sore treated with antiseptics. When the lesions are very extensive the less poisonous agents should be made use of, or tincture of iodine may be substituted. The nose lesions may be treated by the weaker solutions of iodine or of iodized phenol.
Benefit also comes from a course of tonics the most successful of which have been arseniate of strychnia, binodide of copper, sulphate of copper, nitrate of baryta and sulphate of iron. The sulphites, bisulphites and hyposulphites and phenic acid are desirable adjuncts. An open air life at pasture is the ideal condition. Otherwise thorough ventilation, sunshine, moderate exercise and nourishing easily digestible food including grain are very important.
When conditions are favorable and an absolutely secluded pasture can be secured, with shelter from storms, and where civic or state authorities do not take effective measures to stamp out glanders, nor compensate owners for animals killed, mild, chronic and cutaneous cases and occult ones that have reacted to mallein without showing any other symptom, may be subjected to treatment. They should have an open air life, a generous diet, including grain, perfect cleanliness and pure air in the shelter-shed, an antiseptic and tonic medication (sulphites, tonics) may be given, and every three months a new mallein test may be applied. If the individual horse passes two successive tests without reaction, and shows no other indication of glanders, if his general health appears perfect and his condition good, he may be returned to work as a sound animal. With effective measures of extinction in force on the other hand, and indemnity for the slaughtered animal, any such measure would be entirely unwarrantable.
Treatment by injecting the serum of immune animal subcutem has given encouraging results. Helman, Semmer and Itzkovitch, Pilavios, Bonome and Vivaldi, Johne, Schindelka, Prieur and others record recoveries in recent cases and there need be no doubt of its value in subjects that are naturally somewhat refractory to the germ. Babes introduced the blood serum of the ox, which is naturally immune, and Prieur speaks with confidence of the treatment of cutaneous glanders in man and certain cases of pulmonary glanders in the horse.