CHAPTER XIV. 

 DISEASES OF THE EYE. 



436. Conjunctivitis. — An Inflammation of the conjunctiva. 



Causes. — Foreign bodies in the eye such as dust, insects, chaff, 

 sand, hair, etc., and injuries from whips, branches, and stubbles. 

 Also irritating gases, glare of the sun, microbes, and infectious 

 diseases. 



Symptoms. — The discharge of tears, redness of the conjunctiva, 

 and the closure more or less complete of the eyelids are the first 

 and most marked symptoms. Later the lids become swollen and 

 completely closed, or the haw partially covers the cornea. The 

 discharge becomes thicker and mats the eyelashes together, or 

 holds the eyelids closed. Unless the cornea has been directly 

 injured it usually remains clear. Mild cases usually recover in a 

 week or 10 days. 



Treatment. — ^The first step is to remove the cause. Foreign 

 bodies may be removed by washing out the eye with clean, warm 

 water, or by the careful use of a tightly rolled swab of cotton or 

 gauze. This failing, the forceps may be used. Place the animal 

 in the shade or in a dark stall and cover the eye with a clean cloth 

 on the inside of which a piece of absorbent cotton covered with 

 gauze has been sewed. Keep the cotton wet with a saturated 

 solution of boric acid. Twice a day a few drops of the following 

 solution should be placed in the eye: 



Zinc sulphate grains. . 20 



Boric acid dram . . 1 



Water ounces. . 4 



Mix. Use as above directed. 



436. Acute keratitis. — An inflammation of the cornea. 



Causes. — Vv'ounds of the cornea by foreign bodies, particles of 

 glass, blows of whips, chaff, etc. 



Symptoms. — The eye is extremely sensitive, and usually kept 

 closed. There is a profuse flow of tears, and a disposition to resist 

 opening of the lids. When exposed the cornea is seen to be more 

 or less clouded and perhaps reddened by the formation of blood 



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