CHAPTER XXXVIII 



Disease affecting the Eyes 



Pheasants, like other birds and animals, are, unfortunately, 

 occasionally troubled with eye affections, and the worst feature 

 about such is that the trouble is not, as a rule, confined to one 

 or two birds, but usually affects a considerable number, as 

 most game-rearers are aware. The most frequent eye trouble 

 in Pheasants is that known as 



Ophthalmia 



This is a most troublesome affection, but not one that is 

 confined to game ; therefore, the media of transference is 

 much greater than in the case of a disease specially prone to 

 attack some particular variety of animal or bird. Young 

 Pheasants are most liable to suffer, and hot weather is said to 

 be favourable to the production of the complaint. The eye- 

 lids become inflamed and adhere together through the sticky 

 secretion that is poured out. First one eye is attacked and 

 then the other ; the cornea becomes opaque ; the eyeball 

 shrinks ; the whole organ becoming more or less disorganised. 

 Doubtless this is a specific form of ophthalmia, the one that 

 is communicable to other Pheasants. The main principles in 

 the treatment of this affection are based upon the immediate 

 isolation of the diseased birds, each of which, if considered 

 worth the trouble, must be treated separately. The eyes 

 first of all ought to be washed with a weak solution of boracic 



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