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objects with each eye, which pecuHarity accounts for the shying 

 and starting, when one eye is imperfect or diseased. If one eye 

 onh^ be aUogether destroyed, the horse will not sliy or start, hut 

 will be a useful animal. This is the reasuii why cataract on the 

 eye of a horse had better be let alone, as any im})erfect sight will 

 make the horse dangerous to drive, objects being seen in a dis- 

 torted form. Better the eye to be completely destroyed than par- 

 tially so. 



(1.) Amaurosis. — This is the same disease that Milton was 

 affected with, and was called by him " drop serene." It is a com- 

 plete or partial blindness from loss of sensation, or feeling of the 

 02:)tic nerve. 



Symptoms. This is the most serious disease affecting the eye of 

 either man or horse, and is ushered in by weeping and partial 

 closure of the eyelids. A thin film or scum will soon be observed 

 to spread over the whole of the front of the eye. This condition 

 will pass off for a week or two, and then return with increased 

 violence until the sight will be entirel}^ destroyed. Spots will be 

 seen between each attack, deep in the eye, gradually increasing in 

 size, till the nerve of siglit is totalh^ destroyed. 



Causes. Inflammation affecting the brain, tumors, or bone press- 

 ing upon the optic nerve. 



Treatment. Doubtful of cure. Small doses oi strychnine may be 

 tried to restore the sensibilit}^ of the optic nerve, or colchicum may 

 be used. (See Medicine.) 



Observe. There are many horses with extremely flat foreheads, 

 the bones seemingh^ pressing upon the lower portion of the brain, 

 just where the optic nerve is given out to the e^^es. These flat- 

 headed (that is in front of the head) horses, I have observed to go 

 blind about the seventh year of their age. Blindness arising from 

 such a cause, may justly be laid at the door of hereditar}^ causes. 

 Breeding from blind mares should, therefore, be, as a rule, avoided. 

 If a mare from accident becomes blind, there are no scientific 

 reasons why she should not be used for breeding purposes. What 

 is to be observed is, not to breed from a mare that has a very flat 

 forehead and has not gone blind from accident or injury to the e3'e. 



(2.) Floating Spots in the Eye. — Sometimes dark cloudy spots 

 or specks will be seen floating in the eye, more or less movable, 



