Inflammation of the Eyes.- ^5 



What I have to add on the subject of their Prevention, may be 

 comprised in a few words^ provided I have beeu fortunate enough 

 to convince my readers, that the far greater number of instances of 

 these disorders, are produced by the hot and foul air of stables. For, 

 if we compare the number of cases which occur amongst Horses 

 kept in hot stables, with those that are met with amongst such as are 

 kept in cool airy places, though the diet of both be equally nutri- 

 tious, we shall cease to be sceptical upon this point, — and though it 

 is commonly imagined, that high feeding is the chief cause of these 

 freq^uent disorders in the eyes,, it has, in fact, but little, or no concern 

 in the affair. Much less, has any slight change in the diet of the 

 animal any thing to do with the complaint ; though this is often 

 supposed to be the case, even by many people who appear to have 

 good sense and discernment in other particulars. Thus it is, that 

 one often hears disorders of the eyes attributed to new corn, or 

 beans, or a slight must in the hay, and sometimes, even to the effects 

 of bad water ; so prone are people to investigate the latent causes of 

 diseases in Horses, and so desirous to account for every deviation from 

 iTjealth. — Rut, though I say thus much, I do not mean to deny that 

 high feeding, by inducing a state of Plethora, may predispose the 

 organ to inflammation, especially in the cases of such Horses, as do 

 not get regular work or exercise. 



Still however, I repeat, that the grand exciting cause of complaints 

 in the eyes of Horses, is, most unquestionably, to be sought for, in 

 the state o? the air of stables. Nor is this indisputable fact to be re- 

 ferred, (as is commonly supposed) solely to the affair of heat in the 

 air, (which is indeed notorious to every one,) but chiefly to the pre- 

 sence of volatile Alkali, which abounds in the air of stables, aniL 



