SPECIFIC OPHTHALMIA. \ |g 



"uraes of volatile alkali or hartshorn. Often, very soon after they are ro tied, thej 

 oegin to yield an immense quantity of this pungent gas. If we are sea: ceiy able tc 

 near this when we stand in the stable for only a few minutes, we need not wonder ai 

 die prevalence of inflammation in the eye of the stabled horse, nor at the difficulty oi 

 abating inflammation while this organ continues to be exposed to such painful excite- 

 ment. Stables are now much better ventilated than they used to be, and ophthalmia 

 is far from being so prevalent as it was fifty years ago. 



The farmer may not be aware of another cause of blindness, to tvhich his horse 

 is more particularly exposed, viz., confinement in a dark stable. Many stables in the 

 country have no glazed windows, but there is a flap which is open for a few hours in 

 "he day, or while the carter is employed in the stable, and when that is shut down 

 almost total darkness prevails. Let our reader consider what are his sensations 

 when he suddenly emerges from a dark room into the full glare of light. He is 

 dazzled and bewildered, and some time passes before his vision is distinct. Let this 

 be repeated several times daily, and what will be the consequence 1 The sight will 

 be disordered, or the eye irreparably injured. Then let him think of his poor horse, 

 who often stumbles and starts through no fault of his own, although he is corrected 

 for his blundering, but because his eyes are necessarily weakened by these sudden 

 transitions, and disposed to take on sudden inflammation with all its fatal results. 



The propagation of various diseases, and this more than any other, from the sire eo 

 his progeny, has not been sufficiently considered by breeders. Let a stallion that is 

 blind, or whose sight is defective, possess every other point and quality that can be 

 wished, yet he is worse than useless ; for a very considerable proportion of his off- 

 spring will most assuredly inherit weak eyes or become totally blind. There is no 

 tact better established than this. 



Mr. Baker of Reigate puts this in a very strong point of view. He was called 

 upon to examine a foal only a few days old, which seemed to have some affection of 

 the head, as from its birth it was totally unconscious of any object, although it ap- 

 peared to the owner to have good eyes. It ran its head against the waif and the 

 standers by, in such a way as to convince the surgeon that it was quite blind, and on 

 examining the pupil of each eye, he found them greatly dilated and motionless, but 

 beyond this there was no unhealthy appearance. 



He inquired about the sire, and found that his vision was very defective, and that 

 of all the stock which he got in that part of the country not one colt escaped the dire 

 ful effects of his imperfect sight. He persuaded the owner to have the youngster 

 destroyed, and tracing the optic nerve in its passage from the base of the brain, he 

 found it in a complete state of atrophy. There was scarcely any nervous substance 

 within the tube that led from the brain to the eye. 



The most frequent consequences of this disease are cloudiness of the eye, and 

 cataract. The cloudiness is singular in its nature. It will change in twenty-four 

 hours from the thinnest film to the thickest opacity, and, as suddenly, the eye will 

 nearly regain its perfect transparency, but only to lose it, and as rapidly, a second 

 time. 



The most barbarous methods have been resorted to for the purpose of removing this 

 cloudiness. Chalk, and salt, and sugar, and even pounded glass have been introduced 

 into the eye mechanically to rub off the film. It was forgotten that the cloudiness 

 was the effect of inflammation that means so harsh and cruel were very likely to 

 recall that inflammation that these rough and sharp substances must of necessity 

 inflict excruciating pain ; and that, after all, it generally was not a film on the surface 

 of the cornea, but a dimness pervading its substance, and even sinking deep within 

 it, and therefore not capable of being removed. Where the cloudiness can be remov 

 sd, it will be best effected by first abating inflammation, and then exciting the absorb 

 ents to take up the grey deposit, by washing the eye with a very weak solution of 

 corrosive sublimate. 



Opacity of the lens is another consequence of inflammation. A white speck up' 

 pears on the centre of the lens, which gradually spreads over it, and completely cov- 

 ers if.' It is generally so white and pearly as not to be mistaken at other times it is 

 more hazy, deceiving the inexperienced, and occasioning doubt in the rnind of profes 

 knal men. We have seen many instances in which the sight > as been considerable 



