Cataract in the Eye. 233 



from the dark to the light, and places his own 

 face to the cheek of the horse and looks steadfastly 

 into its eye, and watches minutely the contraction 

 of the pupil when brought to the light. The 

 examiner should be very careful to observe if 

 both eyes contract alike, or if in the retina there 

 is a dull bluish white appearance ; if there is, the 

 chances are that the horse has imperfect vision, 

 if not cataract. Independently of the beauty of 

 a prominent eye, it is of much importance that 

 the cornea should possess considerable convexity, 

 but this must have a limit. If very prominent, 

 the rays of light will be too convergent, which 

 will cause indistinct vision, and the animal will 

 prick its ears forward and look at any object it is 

 about to pass in a nervous manner, being unable 

 to determine what the object may be. Thought- 

 less drivers will whip the horse for this, causing 

 the animal to have two fears to contend with 

 instead of one ; its indistinct vision makes it fear 

 passing objects, and the application of the whip 

 makes it still more nervous, and it will start 

 suddenly on one side and then set off at a gallop. 

 On the other hand, if the cornea be flat and small, 

 the rays may not be sufficiently convergent, and 

 consequently will render the vision imperfect, and 

 as it cannot see distinctly it will suddenly stop 

 upon coming unawares upon any object it does 

 not understand, and in all probability bolt round, 

 to the danger of the rider or driver's neck. A 

 horse is unsafe with either of these defects, both 

 in riding and driving. The cornea should there- 

 fore be moderately convex, perfectly transparent, 



