HOOKS OR HAWS. 121 



HOOKS OR HAWS. 



The hooks or haws in a horse, is the growing of a 

 horny substance upon the inner edge of the washer oi 

 caruncle of the eye, which may be found in the inner 

 corner next to the nose. When this disease makes its 

 appearance, the washer or caruncle is enlarged with 

 great rapidity, and the ligament that runs along the 

 edge of this membrane, becomes extremely hard, or 

 like a cartilage, and whenever it arises to this state, 

 it draws, compresses, and causes great pain to the eyes, 

 produces a tightness of the skin, a stiffness of the hind 

 legs, and finally a general spasmodic affection through- 

 out the whole system. 



As the eyes of a horse are often inflamed, and some- 

 times diseased, without their having the hooks, for 

 the purpose of ascertaining the fact, take hold of the 

 bridle, and raise the horse's head as high as you can 

 with convenience reach: if he is diseased with the 

 hooks, the washer or caruncle of the eye, while his 

 head is raised up, will cover at least one half the 

 surface of the eye ball. When this is the case, take a 

 common sized needle with a strong thread, place on 

 the horse's nose a twitch, to prevent his moving; then 

 take in your thumb and finger the washer or caruncle 

 of the eye, and pass the needle through it about a 

 quarter of an inch from the outer edge, and inside the 

 horny substance ; draw it gently with the needle and 

 thread, until you have a fair chance of performing the 

 operation ; then with a sharp knife cut the piece out, 

 taken up with the needle, which must not be larger 

 than one fourth the size of a four pence half penny ; 



