358 Veterinary Medicine. 



FOREIGN BODIES IN THE CONJUNCTIVAL SAC. 



Frequency ; seeds, glumes, awns, dust, sand, wood, metal ; exudate ; in 

 conjunctival pouch, under nictitans, in puncta. Filaria lachrymalis^ 

 Symptoms : closure of lids, epiphora, congestion, inflammation, infection. 

 Treatment : local anaesthesia, forceps, lead pencil, pin's head, collyria. 



So common are foreign bodie.s in the conjunctival sac of the 

 domestic herbivora, that in any case of epiphora, hyperaemia or 

 inflammaiion of the mucosa, the first care should be given to see 

 that' the condition is not caused by the presence of such an irri- 

 tant. In animals fed from high racks, seeds and glumes of the 

 graminese, awns of barle^^ and dust of various kinds often get 

 into the eye and stick fast. Under other conditions, insects, 

 particles of sand, dust, wood, metal, etc., prove equally injurious 

 by their presence. Awns and chaff are particularly liable to ad- 

 here to the mucosa and even to become covered by an exudate, 

 which renders them more firmly adherent. Other objects lodge 

 under the eyelids, or membrana nictitans, or in folds of the mu- 

 cosa. Their entrance into the lachrymal puncta has already been 

 referred to. The larger and more rounded bodies are likely to 

 be washed off by the excessive flow of tears, assisted by the move- 

 ments of the nictitating cartilage, but flat glumes, or awns stick 

 too closely to the surface, while the smaller objects become en- 

 tangled beneath the lids, or hair, or in the folds of the mucous 

 membrane. The filaria lachrymalis may be the catise of trouble. 



Symptoms. There is closure or semi-closure of the lids, the 

 escape of a profusion of tears over the cheek, and active con- 

 gestion or hyperaemia. A careful examination with everted lids, 

 or even with raised nictitans will usually reveal the foreign body. 

 If overlooked or neglected the hyperaemia rapidly advances to 

 active inflammation, \y\W\ or without an infective complication. 

 Foreign bodies blown into the eye, as a rule carry with them 

 more or less bacteria, and, if these have any tendency to patho- 

 genesis, the irritation of the mucosa easily paves the way for 

 their colonization. Thus, any grade or form of conjunctivitis 

 may stipervene upon the introduction of a foreign irritant. 



Treatment. Nearly all such bodies are most easily and cer- 

 tainly removed by a pair of fine forceps. It may be necessary to 

 first anaesthetize the eye with a 5 per cent, solution of cocaine. 



