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HORSE— DISEASES AND REMEDIES. 



tional or organic, of the optic nerve, 

 which is generally beyond the reach of 

 our senses, in examining it after death. 

 The symptoms are a full dilatation of the 

 pupil, so that the iris is shrunk to a thin 

 band around it, and is so insensible to the 

 stimulus of light, in confirmed cases, that, 

 even when the eye is exposed to the di- 

 rect rays of the sun, it does not contract. 

 In the early stages, this insensibility is 

 only partial ; and though there is such 

 ccmplete blindness that the horse cannot 

 distinguish the nature of surrounding ob- 

 jects, yet the pupil contracts slightly, and 

 the inexperienced examiner might pass the 

 eye as a sound one. The unnaturally 

 large pupil, however, should alwas create 

 suspicion ; and when, on closing the lids 

 and re-opening them in a strong light, 

 there is little or no variation in its size, 

 the nature of the disease is at once made 

 apparent. The treatment of amaurosis 

 must depend upon the extent to which it 

 has gone, and its duration. If. recent, 

 bleeding and a seton in close proximity 

 to the diseased organ will be the most 

 likely to restore it. Sometimes the dis- 

 ease depends upon a disordered condition 

 of the stomach, and then a run at grass 

 will be the most likely means to restore 

 both the affected organs to a sound state. 

 Generally, however, an amaurotic eye in 

 the horse may be considered as a hopeless 

 case. 



HORSE, Buck Eye.— A buck eye is, 

 strictly, rather a congenital malformation 

 than a disease; but practically, in refer- 

 ence to the utility of the animal, it mat- 

 ters little. It depends upon an excess of 

 convexity of the conea, by which the 

 focus of the eye is shortened too much, 

 the image being thus rendered indistinct 

 as it falls on the retina. No treatment 

 xan be of the slightest use. 



HORSE, Surfeit. — An eruption of the 

 skin, which shows itself in the form of 

 numerous small scabs, matting the hair, 

 and chiefly met with on the loms and 

 quarters, is known by this name. Doubt- 

 less, it has been supposed to arise from an 

 excess of food, causing indigestion; but 

 it often comes on in horses which, appa- 

 rently, are quite free from that disorder. 

 The most common cause appears to be, 

 sweating the horse when he is in a gross 

 or plethoric condition, and then exposing 

 him to a chill. Colts are very subject to 



surfeit while being broken, as are horses 

 fresh from grass during the summer, 

 when they are usually over-fat, and re- 

 quire great care in reducing this plethoric 

 condition. The usual course of the 

 eruption is for the scabs to dry and grad- 

 ually loosen, when the hair of the part is 

 slightly thinned by being pulled out in 

 dressing, a fresh crop of pustules forming, 

 and, to the casual observer, keeping up 

 the appearance of a permanent state of 

 the original scabs. Surfeit is not con- 

 fined to gross horses, as it sometimes 

 makes its appearance in those which are 

 low in condition, exhibiting the same ap- 

 pearance to the eye; but, on examina- 

 tion, the secretion from the skin will be 

 found to be thinner, and of a more puru- 

 lent nature. The treatment must greatly 

 depend upon the state of the general 

 health. If the horse is very gross, it may 

 be desirable to take a little blood away; 

 but this will seldom be necessary, and 

 never is desirable. Physic seems to do 

 little immediate good ; and, indeed, it is 

 very doubtful whether any treatment is of 

 much service, excepting such as will 

 gradually bring the horse into working 

 condition. The disease, in most cases, 

 has its origin in obstruction of the seba- 

 ceous and perspiratory pores; and until 

 these are restored to their proper func- 

 tions, by gradually exercising them, little 

 good can be done. Unfortunately, the 

 very means which will accomplish this 

 object are apt to increase the disease for 

 a time; but still this must be put up with, 

 as a matter in which no choice can be 

 made. Regular exercise and grooming 

 must be fully attended to, using the whisp 

 only in dressing the skin, when the erup- 

 tion shows itself, and carefully avoiding 

 the brush and currycomb. By acting on 

 the kidneys, more good will be done than 

 by purging physic, which seems to be of 

 little or no service in any case but when 

 the stomach is greatly out of order. An 

 ounce of nitre may be given with a mash 

 twice a week, or the following balls may 

 be administered: 



Take of Nitre, - 3 drachms. 



Sulphur 3 drachms. 



Sulphuret of Antimony - £ drachms. 

 Linseed Meal and Water enough to form two 

 balls. 



HORSE, Hidebound.— This is essen- 

 tially a disorder of the skin produced by 



