WORM IN THE EYE. 135 



detected in the horse's eye; of which the Linnsean description is, 

 " strongylus equinus. Capite opaco, intestine nigro. Strong^di 

 ovipari, hactenus non nisi in mammalium canali cibario reperti." 

 Both the filaria and strongylus are thread-like worms, and without 

 the aid of the microscope could not be recognised. Mr. Gibb 

 has " never found the filaria except in the stomach and intestines 

 of the horse, and in the eye ;" and adds, he has never, as far as his 

 recollection serves him, " seen a case of worm in the eye before 

 October, or later than February or March ;" the phenomenon be- 

 ing " exclusively confined to the cold months," and more prevalent 

 in seasons in which the rains have been unusually heavy and en- 

 during. The disease called kumree, or weakness in the loins, con- 

 sidered to be of a verminous nature, is likewise prevalent under 

 the same circumstances. Mr. Gibb has " almost invariably found, 

 in the stomach and intestines of the horse, worms exactly similar to 

 those that are found in the eye, and in very great numbers, particu- 

 larly in the cold months; also in tumours in the stomach, couched 

 in thick mucus, but never in other parts of the body, — never in 

 the cellular membrane of any part, or in the canal of the spine : 

 though he has often dissected, with Mr. Moorcroft, horses that have 

 had kumree, or weak loins, with a view of ascertaining the cause 

 of the disease. Mr. Molyneux has discovered worms, " similar to 

 the filaria," within the intestinal canal, '' as well as on the surface 

 of the peritoneum ;" and adds, " it does not appear that any part 

 of the peritoneum is exempt from them." 



A worm extracted by Mr. Skeavington, examined without the 

 aid of a glass, appeared of the magnitude of a middle-sized sewing 

 cotton, and was nearly three-eighths of an inch in length, and ex- 

 hibited a black speck at either end. Another worm, which while 

 in the eye appeared flat and with edges '' fringed like a saw," 

 proved afterwards to have been dead, and ultimately became ab- 

 sorbed. A worm liberated by Mr. C. Percivall " measured one- 

 fourth of an inch in length, was about the size of common sewing 

 thread, perfectly white, and pointed at both ends. Viewed through 

 a microscope, it resembled a piece of catgut ; and there were three 

 luminous marks distinguishable upon one end of the body, supposed 

 to be the head ; and farther backward, an irregular luminous patch, 



