In the Stable, Field, and on the Road. 185 



foreign substance has got into it, and the true case dis- 

 covered. This seldom affects the health of the horse, or 

 prevents its feeding. After examining the eye, it should 

 be bathed with warm water for half an hour, then bathed 

 with the following : — Tincture of opium half an ounce 

 water one pint ; or the following is equally as good : — 

 Powdered leaves of foxglove one ounce, boiling water 

 one quart. It is always advisable to give mashes for 

 food, and mild doses of physic. Three or four days 

 should be enough to remove this complaint. If it does 

 not, you may infer that instead of common inflammation 

 you have a case of opthalmia, and should call in the 

 aid of the veterinary surgeon, as it will, if not properly 

 treated in its first stages, end in total blindness. 

 Opthalmia is manifested by great inflammation in 

 the eyelids as well as in the cornea, and a watery 

 humour and iris, all of which assume a dim appearance, 

 and lose their transparency. The animal can hardly 

 open its eyelids from the pain produced by exposure 

 to the light. This disease is extremely difficult to 

 combat, and after a month's constant treatment the 

 eye will exhibit an alternation of remission and 

 increase of inflammation day after day. One day 

 it will have all the appearance of being nearly well, 

 and on the next exhibit more unfavourable symptoms 

 than it has before assumed. The gorged appearance 

 of the inner membrane of the eyelid will be much 

 abated, and the inflammation on the white of the 

 eyeball will have nearly quitted it, the hazy aspect 

 of the cornea will have assumed a certain degree 

 of clearness, and to all appearance the malady will 



