DISEASES PECULIAR TO BREEDING STOCK. 297 



stable repeats on a small scale the damp, hot, cloudy, relax- 

 ing climate which we have seen to be the most favorable to 

 the development of the disease we are dealing with. 



For breeding and growing horses, therefore, it is all-im- 

 portant to secure dry, airy, roomy stables and to keep these 

 clean and sweet. A naturally porous or well-drained soil, a 

 sunny exposure and a sufficiency of ventilating orifices above 

 and below, so disposed as not to create cold draughts, are 

 points of especial value. 



Stables should be so constructed as to avoid darkness on 

 the one hand and a full glare of sunshine striking the eyes 

 on the other. Darkness is usually associated with unclean- 

 liness, damp and close air; but apart from these it is inju- 

 rious in hindering the proper development of red blood glob- 

 ules which are so essential to sound and vigorous health. 

 It further tends to weaken the eyes and to expose them to 

 suffering and inflammation when suddenly taken out into the 

 full glare of sunshine. When the sunlight is reflected from 

 snow, from white walls, or from the white dust of a limestone 

 soil it becomes increasingly injurious. It is well to have a 

 stable well lighted but the sunlight should be made to enter 

 behind or to one side, and not to fall directly on the eyes of 

 the animal. 



How common an occurrence is the presence of hay seed or 

 chaff in the eyes of animals. Nothing can conduce more to 

 the development of a latent predisposition to ophthalmia. 

 The sensibility of the eye is adapted to its situation which is 

 protected by the margins of the orbit against solid objects of 

 large size while it is especially liable to be invaded by fine 

 particles of sand, dust, etc. A smooth marble or finger may 

 be made to touch the eyeball without great suffering, while 

 a grain of sand or ashes produces exquisite torture. To 

 avoid these smaller and more hurtful bodies hay racks should 

 be made no higher than the ordinary manger and if filled 

 from above it should be through a closely-boarded chute so 

 that neither seed nor dust may readily drop into the eyes. 



The above remarks are equally applicable to the dust of 

 the highway in summer. With breeding animals especially 

 it is dangerous to drive in the cloud of dust raised by a lead- 



