OPHTHALMIA. 



If fungus sprout, it must be touched with caustic ; there is little 

 danger attending the operation. 



The eyelids are more subject to disease in the ox than in any oth- 

 er domestic animal. If any foreign body gets into the eye, and re- 

 mains long there, the eyelids partake of the irritation ; become hot 

 and tender, and much thickened, ai'd will continue thickened some- 

 times after the inflammation of the eye has subsided. Fomentations 

 will be proper here. Occasionally there is oedematous swelling of 

 the eyelid, especially where the pasture is damp and marshy. 

 These enlargements are too little thought of, and left to nature to re- 

 lieve ; but they indicate a degree of general debiUty, and a disposi- 

 tion in the eyes to disease. Many old c ittle have eyelids either dis- 

 tended W4th fluid infiltrated into the cellular texture, or from which 

 a portion of the fluid had been removed by absorption, but a deposit 

 remained, indicated by the impression of the finger being left upon 

 the lid, and are more or less out of condition, or will not fatten 

 kindly, or have lately had inflammation of the eyes, or w^ill be attacked 

 by it soon afterwards. 



A curious appearance — not disease — has been observed in the eye- 

 lids of fat bullocks. A certain portion of gas has been iuifiltrated into 

 the cellular tissue. If this is a dissight, scarification may be made 

 on the lid, and the gas gradually pressed out. 



The eye of the ox generally is large and flattish ; the transparent 

 cornea is quite convex. The pupil is of a transverse oblong form ; 

 and the iris dark, but varying with the color of the animal. 



It is on account of the cornea of the ox being so convex, and the 

 lens also more than usually convex, that many cattle appear to be 

 short-sighted, at least while they are young, when they will approach 

 near to a stranger, before they appear to have made a satisfactory 

 examination of him. 



. OPHTHALMIA. 



Ophthalmia is frequent in the ox. It has a periodical character, 

 and will disappear and return until it has its natural termination — 

 blindness. The cases of simple ophthalmia, however, proceeding 

 from the introduction of foreign bodies into the eyes, blows, or being 

 the accompaniment of other diseases, and then yielding to medical 

 treatment, are numerous in the ox, and, therefore, as it is not always 

 possible in the early stage to distinguish the one from the other, the 

 disease may be attacked with more confidence. 



The means of cure are bleeding and physic, as the constitutional 

 treatment ; and fomentations, cold lotions — opium in tincture — sat- 

 urnine lotions — zinc lotions, as local applications ; the opium duiing 

 the acute stage, the lead as soon as the inflammation begins to sub- 

 side, and the zinc as a :omc, when the inflammation is nearly sub- 

 dued. 



