DISEASES OF HORSES 355 



that portion of the cornea is rendered permanently opaque. Again, 

 if the wound has been severe, though still short of cutting into the 

 anterior layers of the cornea, the injury may lead to ulceration that 

 may penetrate more or less deeply and leave a breach in the tissue 

 which, if filled up at all, is repaired by opaque fibrous tissue in place 

 of the transparent cellular structure. Pus may form, and the cornea 

 assumes a yellowish tinge and bursts, giving rise to a deep sore which 

 is liable to extend as an ulcer, and may be in its turn followed by 

 bulging of the cornea at that point. This inflammation of the con- 

 junctiva may be simply catarrhal, with profuse muco-purulent dis- 

 charge ; it may be granular, the surface being covered with minute 

 reddish elevations, or it may become the seat of a false membrane. 



Treatment. In treating external ophthalmia the first object is 

 the removal of the cause. Remove any dust, chaff, thorn, or other 

 foreign body from the conjunctiva, purify the stable from all sources 

 of ammoniacal or other irritant gas; keep the horse from dusty 

 roads, and, above all, from the proximity of a leading wagon and its 

 attendant cloud of dust; remove from pasture and feed from a rack 

 which is neither so high as to drop seeds, etc., into the eyes nor so 

 low as to favor the accumulation of blood in the head ; avoid equally 

 excess of light from a sunny window in front of the stall and excess 

 of darkness from the absence of windows; preserve from cold drafts 

 and rains and wet bedding, and apply curative measures for inflam- 

 mation of the adjacent mucous membranes or skin. If the irritant 

 has been of a caustic nature, remove any remnant of it by persistent 

 bathing with tepid water and a soft sponge, or with water mixed 

 with white of egg, or a glass filled with the liquid may be inverted 

 over the eye so that its contents may dilute and remove the irritant. 

 If the suffering is very severe, a lotion with a few grains of extract of 

 belladonna or of morphia in an ounce of water may be applied, or 

 if it is available, a few drops of 4 per cent solution of cocaine may 

 be instilled into the eye. 



In strong, vigorous patients benefit will usually be obtained 

 from a laxative, such as 2 tablespoon fuls of Glauber's salts daily, and 

 if the fever runs high from a daily dose of half an ounce of salt- 

 peter. As local applications astringent solutions are usually the 

 best, as 30 grains of borax or of sulphate of zinc in a quart of water, 

 to be applied constantly on a cloth, as advised under "Inflammation 

 of the eyelids." In the absence of anything better, cold water may 

 serve every purpose. Above all, adhesive and oily agents (molasses, 

 sugar, fats) are to be avoided, as only adding to the irritation. By 

 way of suggesting agents that may be used with good effect, salt and 

 sulphate of soda may be named, in solutions double the strength of 

 sulphate of zinc, or 7 grains of nitrate of silver may be added to a 

 quart of distilled water, and will be found especially applicable in 

 granular conjunctivitis, diphtheria, or commencing ulceration. A 

 cantharides blister (1 part of Spanish fly to 4 parts lard) may be 

 rubbed on the side of the face 3 inches below the eye, and washed 

 off next morning with soapsuds and oiled daily till the scabs are 

 dropped. 



