420 DISEASES OF CATTLE, SHEEP, GOATS, ETC. 



folded into several thicknesses should be fastened to the horns in 

 such a manner as to reach below the eyes. This should be kept wet 

 with cold water during the day and removed at night. If there is 

 much fever and constitutional disturbance it becomes advisable to 

 administer 1 pound of Epsom salts dissolved in 1 quart of water. 

 CONTAGIOUS SORE EYES (INFECTIOUS CATARRHAL CONJUNCTIVITIS, 

 SPECIFIC OPHTHALMIA). 



This generally appears in an enzootic or epizootic form, and af- 

 fects quite a number in the herd. It is distinctly a contagious dis- 

 ease and may be brought into a previously healthy herd by one ani- 

 mal with sore eyes. It may continue in a herd for a season or for 

 several years, affecting all newly purchased animals. It is seldom 

 seen in the winter months. It affects old and young animals alike. 



Causes. The cause of the disease has not been discovered, al- 

 though it is believed to be due to a germ. The manner in which the 

 disease is spread from one animal to another is little understood, al- 

 though flies are believed to play an important part. The disease, 

 however, also spreads during the winter, when there are no flies 

 about. Direct contact seems to be a means of spreading the disease. 

 There is a popular idea that pollen and dust cause the disease. They 

 undoubtedly aggravate it, but the disease must be introduced into a 

 locality by an affected animal. 



Symptoms. The first symptom usually noticed is a profuse 

 discharge of tears from one eye, that run down over the face. Dust 

 and dirt often adhere to the moist hair and a dirty streak is ob- 

 served, especially in white-faced cattle, extending from the inner 

 corner of the eye downward across the face. The disease usually 

 begins in one eye, and later attacks the other eye. In some cases both 

 eyes may be attacked at the same time. Associated with a discharge 

 of tears is a swelling of the eyelids, which are nearly closed, partly 

 from the swelling, but principally to keep the light from the eye, as 

 bright light seems to increase the pain. The front part of the eye- 

 ball becomes milky white in appearance and one spot, usually near 

 the center, red or copper-colored. At this point an abscess or small 

 gathering usually forms, and looks to be a reddish, fleshy mass. It 

 breaks, and discharges a small amount of pus or matter that escapes 

 with the tears. As the animal recovers and the eye returns to its 

 normal condition a white speck remains on the eyeball for a time as 

 a scar, showing where the abscess existed. In a few cases this abscess 

 weakens the front of the eye to such an extent that it bursts, and al- 

 lows the contents of the anterior chamber of the eye to escape. A 

 few of the cases where the eye bursts will heal and the animal will 

 recover the sight, but in a majority of the cases the animal will be 

 permanently blind in that eye. A few cases are reported where both 

 eyes have burst and the animal was permanently blind in both eyes. 

 During the acute stages of the disease, if both eyes are affected at the 

 same time, the inflammation may be so severe as to cause a tem- 

 porary blindness, the animals being unable to see at all, and it is 

 necessary to feed and water them to prevent them falling away rap- 

 idly in flesh. If the animal has the disease in an acute form there is 



