26 THE DISEASES OF HORSES, 



are applied, it is important the part should be kept cold by frequent 

 application of fresh lotion, for the cloth or sponge with which they are 

 used soon becomes hot when in contact with an inflamed surface. In these 

 cases there is a difficulty in keeping the lotion at the place, from the 

 point sticking out, but this can be overcome by making a bag in shape 

 like a filter bag, and tying it above and below the joint. Fill the bottom 

 with sponge, saturated with lotion, and leave a hole in the top side of the 

 bag to pour in fresh supplies by, and so keep up the evaporation from 

 the part. Where the case has been neglected it may be necessary to 

 apply iodine. The cold lotions are only of use in the early stage. The hair 

 may be cut close and the skin painted daily with compound tincture of 

 iodine, or a weak ointment of biniodide of mercury (p. 17) may be used. 



Cataract. — This is an affection of the eye of a serious nature, very 

 frequently ending in blindness. It is known by different names, as cap- 

 sular cataract, lenticular cataract, &c, according to the part of the eye 

 affected. The pupil of the eye, which is a clear crystalline substance of 

 jelly-like consistence, and convex in shape, is surrounded by a transparent 

 sac or capsule ; this becomes affected by inflammation of adjacent parts, 

 and a deposit of lymph takes place, and the eye presents to an accurate 

 observer a cloudy and rather mottled appearance ; when this is caused 

 by inflammation the other eye is apt to become affected also, wdiereas, 

 if from the effects of a blow, the disease does not usually extend to the 

 second organ. Cataract also arises from obscure constitutional causes, 

 and in confirmed lenticular cataract the lens presents a pearly appearance, 

 and one or more white opaque spots may be seen, varying in size from 

 the head of a pin upwards. The disease may exist some time, and escape 

 the observation of master and groom, and requires close inspection for the 

 inexperienced to detect it ; when suspected to exist, it will be best 

 examined by leadiug the horse to the stable door, where there is a strong 

 light, and looking closely into the eye sideways. The first symptoms that 

 generally appear, and lead to the suspicion of the existence of cataract, is 

 the horse becoming timid and shying, especially if he has not before shown a 

 disposition to shy — not that every shying horse has a cataract, but the 

 defective vision produced by its existence is a source of great danger, 

 even worse than blindness, as the horse sees objects in a distorted form, 

 impressing him with fear, and causing him to start aside even from objects 

 with which he has been familiar. The causes of cataract are often obscure 

 and unexplained, but sometimes result from inflammation of the con- 

 junctiva, and sometimes the result of a blow. May how ascribes this and 

 other affections of the visual organs in some cases to the keeping of the 

 horses' eyes constantly fixed on a whitewashed wall, as is the case in 

 some stables, and points out how unnatural this is, and how painful and 

 productive of evil, and requests his readers to prove it on themselves by 

 holding up a sheet of white paper before their eyes for only half an hour. 

 There is, no doubt, much truth in this ; and any of my readers who have been 

 out a day when the ground was completely covered with snow will know 



