GUTTA SERENA — DISEASES OF THE EAR. 121 



we are at present completely in the dark. If it does not soon disappear, the hydriodate 

 of potash administered internally might offer the best prospect of success. 



GUTTA SERENA. 



Another species of blindness, and of which mention was made when describing the 

 retina, is Gutta Serena, commonl}'- called glass ei/e. The pupil is more than usually 

 dilated : it is immovable, and bright, and glassy. This is palsy of the optic nerve, or 

 its expansion, the retina; and is usually produced by determination of blood to the 

 head. We have described it as a consequence of staggers. Ho much pressure has 

 been occasioned on the base of the brain, that the nerve has been injured, and Us func- 

 tion destroyed. The treatment of Gutta Serena is quite as ditucult as that of cataract. 

 We have heard of successful cases, but we never saw one ; nor should we be disposed to 

 incur much expense in endeavouring to accomplish impossibilities. Reasoning i'rom 

 the cause of the disease, we should bleed and physic, and administer the strychnine 

 in doses, commencing at half a grain, and not exceeding two grain*?, mornincr and 

 night — very carefully watching it. If we succeed, it must be by constitutional treat- 

 ment. As to local treatment, the seat of disease is out of our reach. 



DISEASES OF THE EAR. 



Wounds of the ear are usually the consequence of careless or brutal treatment. 

 The twitch may be applied to it, when absolute necessity requires this degree of 

 coercion ; but troublesome ulcers and bruises have been the consequence of the abuse 

 of this species of punishment, and more especially has the farrier done irreparable 

 mischief when he has brutally made use of his plyers. 



These bruises or wounds will generally — fortunately for the animal, and fortu- 

 nately, perhaps, for the brute that inflicted the injury — speedily heal ; but occasionally 

 sinuses and abscesses will result that bid defiance to the most skilful treatment. A 

 simple laceration of the cartilage is easily remedied. The divided edges are brought 

 into apposition, and the head is tied up closely for a few days, and all is well ; but, 

 occasionally, ulceration of the integument and cellular substance, and caries of the 

 cartilage, will take place — deep sinuses will be fonned, and the wound will bid defi- 

 ance to the most skilful treatment. The writer of this work had once a case of this 

 kind under his care more than two months, and he was at length compelled to cut off 

 the ear, the other ear following it, for the sake of uniformity of appearance. The 

 lunar caustic, or the muriate of antimony, or the heated iron, must be early employed, 

 or the labour of the practitioner will be in vain* 



It has been the misfortune of the same person to witness two cases in wliich the 

 auditory passage was closed and the faculty of hearing destroyed, by blows on the 

 ear violently inflicted. No punishment can be too severe for these brutes in human 

 shape. Whenever there is considerable swelling about the root of the ear, and tlie 

 fluctuation of a fluid within can be detected, it should be immediately opened with a 

 lancet, and the purulent fluid liberated. 



The abscess usually begins to fonn about the middle of the conch, or rather nearer 

 the base than the point. The incision should be of considerable length, or the openintr 

 will close aorain in four-and-twenty hours. The purulent matter having been evacu- 

 ated, the incision should not be permitted to close until the parietes of the ulcer have 

 adhered to each other, and the abscess is obliterated. 



The size and the carrying of the ear do not always please. The ears may be largei 

 and more dependent than fashion requires them to be, and this is remedied by paring 

 or clipping them to the requisite, size. On either side of the projection of the occipital 

 bone, and in a straight line forward and backward, a fold of the skin is pinched up 

 and cut away. The divided edges on cither side are then brought too-ether, and con- 

 fined by two or three stitches — they presently unite, and .the owner has a better- 

 looking horse, and soon forgets or cares not about the punishment which he has 

 inflicted on him. 



The ears of other horses may be supposed to be too close to each other. This fault 

 IS corrected by another piece of cruelty. Similar slips of skin are cut away on the 

 outside of the base of the ear, and in the same direction. Tire edges of the woim»i 

 11 Q 



