106 CATARACT. 



the eye. To which may be added another circumstance by way of 

 distinction : and this is, that in general it is by mere accident the 

 cataract is discovered; and to all our inquiries the answer is, 

 ''never to my knowledge has the horse had diseased or weak eyes." 

 Two Focal Points have been observed in the formation of a 

 cataract of this description; at least such appear to have existed 

 in the following case sent to The VETERINARIAN for 1834, by 

 Mr. Harris, V.S., Bromyard. 



" A bay mare, coming five years old, when first broken, two years ago, was 

 accidentally submitted to my inspection. I perceived tivo small cataracts in 

 the off eye. After close inquiry, / could not hear that any symptoms of in- 

 flammation had been observed. From that time she has remained free from 

 ophthalmia, although exposed to causes likely to produce it ; and when, a 

 week ago, she came under my treatment for lameness, there was but one 

 cataract remaining." 



Were the cataracts in this case capsular or lenticular ? 



Mr. Cartwright mentions a case wherein " the horse had two 

 cataracts in each eye ; two of them being about the size of large 

 pins' heads, the other two treble that size." 



Congenital Cataract constitutes another kind of the original 

 or spontaneous class. Gibson speaks of horses being " foaled with 

 cataracts or pearls in their eyes." In man, congenital cataract 

 commonly affects both the lens and its capsule. " I believe it," 

 says Dr. Mackenzie, " to be at first lenticular, and that after some 

 months it becomes capsulo-lenticular." Mr. Harris, the gentle- 

 man above referred to, has likewise favoured us, in the same 

 Veterinarian, with a case of the congenital description. 



" An otherwise healthy foal was observed to have defective eyes, I think, 

 the second day after birth, when I discovered a large cataract in the centre of 

 each eye (without the slightest appearance of inflammation) which nearly 

 destroyed vision in a strong light, and caused him to roam about, and turn his 

 head in different directions, in order to catch a sight of the objects around 

 him ; but when he was removed to a dark stable, he appeared satisfied, and 

 like other foals." Whether the foal was destroyed or died of disease, Mr. 

 Harris could never ascertain, though the case furnished an undoubted "proof 

 of the formation of cataract without inflammation, or that ophthalmia may 

 affect the foetus in utero." 



