THE EYELIDS AND THEIR DISEASES. 157 



and afterwards more lightly applied until the rind is dried or burned. 

 The object of this is to bring a degree of heat, far above that of 

 boiling water, but not so great as of red hot iron, to bear upon the 

 part. The fat about the rind is heated to that degree which will 

 probably be sufficient to rouse the absorbents, and induce them to 

 take up the bone, without destroying the life of the part ; for we 

 shall see presently that it is a tumor of a peculiar character. This 

 may be repeated two or three times, with intervals of two days. 

 Should the tumor not diminish, nothing more can be done ; for these 

 bony growths in cattle, arising from local injury, have very little life in 

 them, and soon degenerate into a state of caries, or decay of the bone. 



Sometimes these tumors spring from the back of the orbit, pro- 

 duced by the injury or perforation of the bone. No cure can be ef- 

 fected ; if the eye should become painful, and intensely inflamed and 

 begin to protrude, there is but one course, to destroy the animal. 



External bony tumors frequently ulcerate, and the bone becomes 

 carious or decays. No possible good can be done here, and human- 

 ity and interest require us to put a speedy termination to the animal. 



The eyes are placed quite on the sides of the face, for the ox, in 

 a state of nature, being exposed to the attacks of ferocious animals, 

 needs an extended field of vision to perceive danger in every quarter. 

 He is oftener the pursued than the pursuer, and requii-es a lateral, 

 instead of a somewhat forward direction of the eyes. The eyes are 

 prominent, to increase tlie field of vision, and are made so by the mass 

 of fat accumulated at the back of them. A prominent eye is a good 

 point in a beast ; it shows the magnitude of this mass of fat, and 

 therefore the probability of fat being accumulated elsewhere. This 

 prominence, however, should not be accompanied by a ferocious or 

 unquiet look ; neither the grazing nor milking beast can have too 

 placid a countenance, or be too quiet and docile. 



THE EYELIDS AND THEIR DISEASES. 



The eye is supported and covered by the lids, which were designed 

 to close at the approach of danger, and so afford protection to the 

 eye ; to supply it with the moisture necessary to preserve its trans- 

 parency ; to shield it from the light when diseased ; and to close 

 over it, and permit the repose which nature requires. At the 

 edge of the lids is a cartilage, to preserve their form, and to enable 

 them to close accurately ; and along these edges are numerous little 

 openings, w-hich pour out an unctuous fluid that defends them from 

 the acrimony of the tears. 



Cattle are subject to a pustular eruption on the edges of the eyelids, 

 accompanied sometimes by great soreness, and considerable ulcera- 

 tion. It bids defiance to every application, except the mild nitrated 

 ointment of mercury, ?.nd occasionally it does not yield even to that ; 

 yet on the approach of winter, it frequently disappears spontaneous- 



