no relation to any particular phase of the moon as might be inferred 

 from the familiar name, but are determined rather by the weather, 

 the health, the food, or by some periodicity of the system. From 

 five to seven attacks usually result in blindness, and then the second 

 eye is liable to be attacked until it also is ruined. 



Prevention. The prevention of this disease is the great object 

 to be aimed at, and this demands the most careful breeding, feeding, 

 housing, and general management, as indicated under "Causes." 

 Much can also be done by migration to a high, dry location, but for 

 this and malarious affections the improvement of the land by drain- 

 age and good cultivation should be the final aim. 



Treatment is not satisfactory, but is largely the same as for com- 

 mon internal ophthalmia. Some cases, like rheumatism, are bene- 

 fited by scruple doses of powdered colchicum and 2-dram doses of 

 salicylate of soda twice a day. In other cases, with marked hardness 

 of the globe of the eye from introcular effusion, aseptic puncture of 

 the eye, or even the excision of a portion of the iris, has helped. Dur- 

 ing recovery a course of tonics (2 drams oxide of iron, 10 grains nux 

 vomica, and 1 ounce sulphate of soda daily) is desirable to invigorate 

 the system and help to ward off another attack. The vulgar resort to 

 knocking out the wolf teeth and cutting out the haw can only be con- 

 demned. The temporary recovery would take place in one or two 

 weeks, though no such thing had been done, and the breaking of a 

 small tooth, leaving its fang in the jaw, only increases the irritation. 



CATARACT. 



The common result of internal ophthalmia, as of the recurrent 

 type, may be recognized as described under the first of these diseases. 

 Its offensive appearance may be obviated by extraction or depression 

 of the lens, but as the rays of light would no longer be properly re- 

 fracted, perfect vision would not be restored, and the animal would 

 be liable to prove an inveterate shyer. If perfect blindness continued 

 by reason of pressure on the nerve of sight, no shying would result. 



PALSY OP THE NERVE OF SIGHT, OR AMAUROSIS. 



Causes. The causes of this affection are tumors or other disease 

 of the brain implicating the roots of the optic nerve, injury to the 

 nerve between the brain and eye, and inflammation of the optic nerve 

 within the eye (retina), or undue pressure on the same from dropsi- 

 cal or inflammatory effusion. It may also occur from overloaded 

 stomach, from a profuse bleeding, and even from the pressure of the 

 gravid womb in gestation. 



Symptoms. The symptoms are wide dilatation of the pupils, so 

 as to expose fully the interior of the globe, the expansion remaining 

 the same in light and darkness. Ordinary eyes when brought to the 

 light have the pupils suddenly contract, and then dilate and contract 

 alternately until they adapt themselves to the amount of light. The 

 horse does not swerve when a feint to strike is made unless the hand 

 causes a current of air. The ears are held erect and turn quickly to- 

 ward any noise, and the horse steps high to avoid stumbling over 

 objects which it can not see. 



