AMAUEOSIS.] 



THE HOESE, AND 



["W0UND3 



blood to the coats of the eye, when irritation 

 ensues. The retractor muscle then acts from 

 sympathy, which produces pressure on the 

 tunica vitrea, and the cells of the vitreous 

 humour are destroyed, together with the cap- 

 sule of the lens. To prevent the lens floating 

 about, lymph is thrown out, forming an arti- 

 ficial capsule. By this action of the retractor 

 aiuscle, the aqueous humour is pressed upon 

 by the lens through the other parts, and this 

 humour against the transparent cornea. To 

 prevent the eye from bursting, the humour 

 becomes absorbed ; the lens is thrown against 

 the iris, which dilates, coming in contact with 

 the transparent cornea; the pupil in con- 

 sequence becomes lost. From these compli- 

 cated effects, an operation is both difficult and 

 useless. It has been performed several times 

 at the Eoyal Veterinary College. But even if 

 imperfect vision is restored, it is detrimental to 

 the horse, causing him to shy, and rendering 

 him unsteady and dangerous. When cataract 

 occurs in the human subject, couching is prac- 

 tised ; but, in the horse, this is all but imprac- 

 ticable. 



GUTTA SERENA, OR AMAUROSIS, 



Is another disease of the eye of the horse, 

 consisting of a paralysis of the optic nerve, 

 which becomes insensible to the light, though 

 admitted througn a perfect organ. It is much 

 more common in the human subject than in 

 horses. Blistering behind the ears, on both 

 sides, has been repeatedly tried for it, but 

 without any success. Kowels between the 

 jaws, kept open for a length of time, have also 

 been tried, but without any satisfactory result. 



On one occasion, a young veterinary surgeon, 

 just emanated from the Royal Veterinary 

 College, and who had not seen any practice 

 previous to his going to that establisiiment, 

 was called to a horse affected with inflamma- 

 tion of the eyes. He at once pronounced the 

 necessity of taking blood ; but being rather a 

 timid operator, he, in striking the phleme, only 

 just touched the jugular vein, the blood scarcely 

 deigning to flow. Consequently he pinned up 

 that side, and proceeded to the other, with no 

 better success. The result was, that the 

 horse's neck became greatly swollen, and 

 though it was well bathed, it had no effect. 

 Suppuration took place, and the horse lost tlie 

 vein on both sides : but while this was going 

 on, the inflammation entirely left his eyes. 

 The gentleman to whom he belonged kept 

 him for two or three years after, but no in- 

 flammation ever returned. 



Gutta Serena has followed an attack of 

 stomach staggers, and, in many instances, has 

 come on from excessive loss of blood after 

 castration, and from ruptured liver. It has, 

 also, appeared in a temporary form after 

 apoplexy, and during gestation. 



In treating for it, copious bleeding at the 

 neck, followed by a dose of physic, is recom- 

 mended. Local applications to the eye are of 

 little service. 



"When the disease proceeds from the livei^ 

 stomach, or any other viscera, bleeding is not 

 always to be adopted, but should be regulated 

 by the general health of the animal. AVhen 

 the above treatment fails, calomel, combined 

 with opium, may be tried, and, in obstinate 

 cases, strychnine. 



CHAPTER XVL 



wounds — wounds in general; wounds of the head; chest; abdomen; joints; sheaths of 



tendons; arteries; veins; knees; gun-shot wuunds; sutures. 



WOUNDS IN GENERAL. 

 Wounds are a species of injury to which 

 horses are not only perpetually liable, but 

 206 



they consist of so many difFeredt kinds, and 

 require such various modes of treatment — 

 according to the cause, appearance, situation, 



