so 



cafes of the human eye are more numerous, but lefs 

 deftrudive. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE EYE. 



Inflammation of the eye, called in human medi- 

 cine ophthalmia, and among farriers lunatic^ is a very 

 common difeafe among horfes, and a very deflrudive 

 one to the organ it attacks. That it is brought on 

 by fome alteration from a common or natural Hate 

 is certain, as the difeafe is little obferved but where 

 horfes live nearly a life of art. Draught horfes are 

 particularly fubje6l to this difeafe, apparently from 

 the preffure of the collar preventing the free return 

 of the blood. All horfes fubjeded to violent exer- 

 cife are liable to it, becaufe, under any violent ex- 

 ertion, the breath is held, which prevents the paffage 

 of blood through the right fide of the heart, and 

 hence it accumulates in the head. Young horfes 

 are more fubje6l than old, becaufe their veffels are 

 incapable of refifting the increafed impetus of the 

 blood. The acrid urine confined in hot ftables is a 

 very general caufe of the difeafe. Want of exer- 

 cife, and too full feeding, have a great fhare in the 

 produdion of the complaint. When the inflam- 

 mation of a horfe's eyes recurs every five or fix 

 weeks, the farriers call it lunatic, thinking the moon 

 has fome influence over the complaint. • Sometimes 

 one eye only is inflamed; at others both; and fome- 

 times they are alternately fo. After one or both 



