520 



CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK AND COMPLETE STOCK DOCTOB. 



n. Simple Ophthalmia, or Conjunctivitis. 

 The lining of the eyelids is a sensitive, vascular, mucous membrane 

 called the conjunctiva. Inflammation of this membrane and the other 

 external parts is known as simple ophthalmia, or conjunctivitis. 



Cause. — The most common cause is the introduction of foreign bodies 

 into the eye, such as hay-seed, hair, cinders, lime or other caustic sub- 

 stances, etc. It often accomi)anies other diseases, as a symptom of fever, 

 the conjunctiva at such times sharing with all other mucous membranes 

 in the tendency to congestion. 



How to know it. — The eye is kept partly or nearly closed, the eyelids 

 are swollen, the tears flow copiously down the cheek, and when the lids 

 arc opened the lining is very red and inflamed, with 

 the haw drawn well up on the eye. After a day or 

 two, the surface of the cornea (the transparent por- 

 tion of the eyeball) becomes clouded with a whitish 

 film-like substance, caused by the interrupted nutri- 

 tion which attends the inflammation and tumefaction. 

 If neglected, the opacity increases and soon becomes 

 chronic, resisting treatment, and causing blindness. 

 Sometimes, when the irritant is very severe, the in- 

 flammation extends to the interior of the eye, break- 

 ing down the structure of the parts, when blindness 

 results, as a matter of course. 



What to do- — Make a careful examination, and remove the offending 

 object. Foreign bodies can be removed with forceps, or l)y a silk hand- 

 kerchief passed over the head of a pin. The forceps should be curved, 

 and the curved surface applied to the eye, so as to avoid the possibility 

 of puncturing the points into it. If so much 

 swollen that the foreign body cannot be dis- 

 covered, the point where it is will be apt to be 

 more swollen than the rest, thereby giving a 

 due as to its location. If it is down under the 

 haw, the latter may be caught by a hook or 

 tenaculum, and drawn up so as to allow com- 

 plete examination of the surfaces beneath. It 

 is often necessary to fasten the haw, to prevent 

 its movements from interfering with the examination of the eye. 



After the irritant is removed, bathe the eye with warm water having a 

 small quantity of salt in it, — a teaspoonful of salt to a pint of water ; 

 have the water and sponge clean, and foment the eye half an hour at a 

 time, three or four times a day. Insert a flaxseed under the lid several 

 times a day, or smear across and into the eye the white of an egg. 



SIMPLE OPHTHAL- 

 MIA. 



Ihe pupil natural, but 

 the line showing^ the 

 position of the haw, it 

 being^ drawn well up 

 on the eye, in its en- 

 deavor to brush off the 

 foreign body. 



MANNER OF OPENING THE 

 EYE WHEN SEARCHING 

 FOR FOREIGN BODIES. 



