268 



from the proximity of a leading wagon and its attendant clond of dust ; 

 remove from pasture and feed from a rack which is neither so high as 

 to drop seeds, etc. , into the eyes nor so low as to favor the accumula- 

 tion of blood in the head ; avoid equally excess of light from a sunny 

 window in front of the stall and excess of darkness from the absence 

 of windows; preserve from cold draughts and rains and wet bedding, 

 and applj^ curative measures for inflammation of the adjacent mucous 

 membranes or skin. If the irritant has been of a caustic nature 

 remove any remnant of it by persistent bathing with tepid water and 

 a soft sponge, or Avith water mixed with white of egg, or a glass filled 

 with the liquid may be inverted over the eye so that its contents may 

 dilute and remove the irritant. If the suffering is very severe a lotion 

 with a few grains of extract of belladonna or of morphia in an ounce 

 of water may be applied, or if it is available a few drops of 4 per cent 

 solution of cocaine may be instilled into the eye. 



In strong, vigorous patients benefit will usually be obtained from a 

 laxative, such as 2 tablespoonfuls of Glauber's salts daily, and if the 

 fever runs high from a daily dose of half an ounce of saltpeter. As 

 local applications astringent solutions are usually the best, as 30 

 grains of borax or of sulphate of zinc in a cjuart of water, to be applied 

 constantly on a cloth, as advised, under inflammation of the eyelids. 

 In the absence of anj^thing better cold water may serve every i)ur- 

 pose. Above all, adhesive and oily agents (molasses, sugar, fats) 

 are to be avoided, as only adding to the irritation. By way of sug- 

 gesting agents that may be used with good effect, salt and sulphate 

 of soda may be named, in solutions double the strength of sulphate of 

 zinc, or 7 grains of nitrate of silver may be added to a quart of dis- 

 tilled water, and will be found especially applicable in granular con- 

 junctivitis, diphtheria, or commencing ulceration. A cantharides 

 blister (1 part of Spanish fly to 4 parts lard) may be rubbed on the 

 side of the face 3 inches below the eye, and washed off next morning 

 with soap-suds and oiled daily till the scabs are dropped. 



WHITE SPECKS AND CLOUDINESS OF THE CORNEA. 



As a result of external ophthalmia, opaque specks, clouds, or hazi- 

 ness are too often left on the cornea and require for their removal 

 that they be daily touched with a soft feather dipped in a solution of 

 3 grains nitrate of silver in 1 ounce distilled water. This should be 

 applied until all inflammation has subsided, and until its contact is 

 comparatively i^ainless. It is rarely successful with an old thick scar 

 following an ulcer, nor with an opacity having red blood-vessels run- 

 ning across it. 



ULCERS OF THE CORNEA. 



These may be treated with nitrate of silver lotion of twice the 

 strength used for opacities. Powdered gentian, one-half ounce, and 

 sulphate of iron, one-fourth ounce daily, may improve the general 

 health and increase the reparatorj^ power. 



