SIMPLE OPHTHALMIA. 319 



brane over the eyeball, often failing to accomplish it; and 

 thus the eye is rendered more liable to injury ever after. 



Whenever this membrane becomes tumefied, instead of cut- 

 ting it out, open the bowels, and apply cold water to the eye 

 several times a day. If much inflammation exists, bleed from 

 the small vein just below the eye, the course of which vein in 

 all thin-skinned animals is quite distinctly marked. 



SIMPLE OPHTHALMIA. 



This disease arises sometimes from a blow inflicted by a pas- 

 sionate groom, or from some other external injury, or from a 

 foreign body entering the eye, causing such an irritation in 

 that delicate organ as sometimes to terminate in blindness. 



The symptoms are considerable swelling and inflammation 

 of the eye lids, their under surfaces being very much reddened, 

 and the vessels highly injected with blood; there is also a 

 cloudy appearance over the cornea, or transparent part of 

 the eye. 



For treatment, if the animal is in a plethoric condition, take 

 six or eight quarts of blood from the jugular vein, regulating 

 the quantity by the action on the pulse ; otherwise general 

 bleeding should not be undertaken. The bowels should be 

 freely opened with Barbadoes aloes, six drachms ; pulverized 

 ginger root, one drachm ; and pulverized gentian root, one 

 drachm, made into a ball. Bathe the eye freely with cold 

 water; after which apply with a syringe either of the following 

 washes : laudanum, six drachms ; rain, or distilled water, one 

 pint; mix the two, and shake well before using: — or, take 

 half an ounce of the extract of belladonna dissolved in one 



