280 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



it daily with a mixture of olive oil and strong aqua ammonia in equal 

 proportions. Improvement is usually slow, and it may be months 

 before complete recovery ensues. 



In paralysis from blows above the eyes the same treatment may be 

 applied to that part. 



Thickening of the lid may be treated by painting with tincture of 

 iodin, and that failing, by cutting out an elliptical strip of the skin 

 from the middle of the upper lid and stitching the edges together. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE EYELIDS. 



The eyelids suffer more or less in all severe inflammations of the 

 eye, whether external or internal, but inasmuch as the disease some- 

 times starts in the lids and at other times is exclusively confined to 

 them, it deserves independent mention. 



Among the causes may be named: Exposure to/lrafts of cold air, 

 or to cold rain or snow storms ; the bites or stings of mosquitoes, flies, 

 or other insects; snake bites, pricks with thorns, blows of whip or 

 club ; accidental bruises against the stall or ground, especially during 

 the violent struggles of colic, enteritis, phrenitis (staggers), and 

 when thrown for operations. It is also a result of infecting inocula- 

 tions, as of erysipelas, anthrax, boil, etc., and is noted by Leblanc as 

 especially prevalent among horses kept on low, marshy pastures. 

 Finally, the introduction of sand, dust, chaff, beards of barley and 

 seeds of the finest grasses, and the contact with irritant, chemical 

 powders, liquids, and gases (ammonia from manure or factory, 

 chlorin, strong sulphur fumes, smoke, and other products of com- 

 bustion, etc.) may start the inflammation. The eyelids often imdergo 

 extreme inflammatory and dropsical swelling in urticaria (nettle- 

 rash, surfeit) and in the general inflammatory dropsj' known as 

 purpura hemorrhagica. 



The affection will, therefore, readily divide itself into (1) inflam- 

 mations due to constitutional causes; (2) those due to direct injury, 

 mechanical or chemical ; and (3) such as are due to inoculation with 

 infecting material. 



(1) Inflammations due to constitutional causes are distinguished 

 by the absence of any local wound, and the history of a low, damp 

 pasture, exposure, indigestion from unwholesome feed, or the pres- 

 ence elsewhere on the limbs or body of the general, doughy swellings 

 of purpura hemorrhagica. The lids are swollen and thickened; it 

 may be slightly or it may be so extremely that the eyeball can not be 

 seen. If the lid can be everted to show its mucous membrane, that 

 is seen to be of a deep-red color, especially along the branching lines 

 of the blood vessels. The part is hot and painful, and a profuse flow 

 of tears and mucus escapes on the side of the face, causing irritation 



