112 HEALTH AND DISEASE 



which are apparent will satisfy the examiner that the disease in the lids 

 which was taken to be the result of injury was merely the indication of a 

 much more serious malady periodic ophthalmia, which has yet to be 

 considered. 



LACERATION OF THE EYELIDS 



Laceration of the eyelids, upper or lower, generally occurs in conse- 

 quence of the presence of a nail or a splinter of wood, &c., projecting 

 out from some part of the stall or box, against which the animal may 

 accidentally strike its head during a sudden movement. Occasionally it 

 happens that one of the lids is nearly torn off and left hanging by a 

 small portion which still remains intact. Even this severe form of injury, 

 however, need not discourage the operator, whose first duty is to cleanse the 

 part with a little weak solution of carbolic acid, and then to adjust the 

 edges of the wound with the greatest care, and apply a sufficient number of 

 stitches with a very fine needle, so as to keep them in perfect apposition. 

 No subsequent treatment will, as a rule, be necessary; the thin layer of 

 lymph which exudes from the divided surfaces will act as a most perfect 

 cement, and must on no account be disturbed. Generally, healing takes 

 place by what is called first intention. Now and then, however, a small 

 portion of the damaged structure may fail to unite. In such cases slight 

 stimulation is desirable, when pencilling the edges of the wound very slightly 

 with nitrate of silver will have a good effect. In most cases of injury of the 

 kind described the cure is quite perfect, and when the healing process is 

 concluded, the blemish which is left is exceedingly slight. 



Some writers on diseases of the eyes of the horse refer to abscesses in 

 the eyelids associated with catarrhal diseases of an acute type. This affec- 

 tion, which is very well known in human beings, i.e. stye (hordeum}, is 

 really a small abscess affecting some of the sebaceous or grease follicles on 

 the edges of the lids. In the lower animals, however, this form of disease 

 is very rare. 



ENTROPIUM AND ECTROPIUM 



In consequence of muscular spasm, or from loss of structure due to 

 disease or injury, burns especially, the eyelids are liable to become more 

 or less distorted. Two forms of distortion are recognized, and distinguished 

 as entropium and ectropium. 



Entropium. In this deformity the diseased lid is inverted or turned 

 inwards, so that the eyelashes are brought in contact with the sensitive con- 

 junctiva, causing considerable pain and inflammation, with an excessive 



