320 SPECIFIC OPHTHALMIA. 



pint of rain water. Give internally one draclim of powdered 

 colchicum morning and evening, in a bran masli ; no graia 

 should be given during the treatment ; corn should be especially 

 avoided. 



SPECIFIC OPHTHALMIA. 



Inflammation of the eye, or specific ophthalmia, is known to 

 horsemen as moon-blindness, from the influence which the 

 moon is supposed to exert upon it. This, however, is one of 

 the many popular delusions which fill the pages of many use- 

 less works on farriery. When a horse is once attacked with 

 this disease, he is ever after liable to subsequent attacks, at 

 intervals varying from one to six months, and generally ter- 

 minating in blindness. This termination may, however, be 

 warded off for a long time by proper management ; each sub- 

 sequent attack rendering such a termination more and more 

 certain, from the increased alteration in the structures of 

 the eye. 



The horse may appear perfectly well, and the eyes clear and 

 bright one day, and the next morning usually one eye will be 

 found closed, more particularly if it is exposed to a strong 

 light ; little or no swelling will be observed ; the lining mem- 

 brane of the eye lid is quite red, and the eye exceedingly 

 watery and tender. 



The causes of this disease are mainly attributable to heredi- 

 tary predisposition, or to confinement in dark stables, and 

 sudden exposure to strong light. Badly ventilated stables, in 

 consequence of which the eyes are continually exposed to the 

 strong fumes of ammonia arising from the urine, as also hard 

 work in a small collar^ are supposed to be exciting causes. 



