290 STABLE MANUAL AND HORSE DOCTOR 



greatly assisted if v/e can ascertain that the horse has had 

 a previous attack. 



The eye is remarkably retracted ; and this retraction 

 forces the haw over a portion of its globe, where it is seen 

 swelled and preternaturally red, from its participation in 

 the disease. The inner lining membrane of the lids will 

 be found highly vascular and hot, pouring forth, in most 

 instances, a flood of tears, which continually trickle down 

 the face ; and the whole conjunctiva will present a network 

 of turgid red vessels over its opaque white surface. If the 

 cornea be not too opaque, or too much inflamed, we shall 

 discover the aqueous humour thick and muddy also ; the 

 iris and choroid will likewise be found altered from tbeir 

 natural colour. From this state it follows sometimes that 

 a central yellow patch is discovered at the bottom of the 

 eye ; in which case matter has formed, from the usual 

 suppurative inflammation ; but it most commonly becomes 

 absorbed again, and sometimes very speedily. In very 

 acute cases, however, there is a large deposit of fluid, which 

 disorganises the eye. The rapidity of the changes in the 

 state of the eye is a very marked feature of specific 

 ophthalmia ; and the transition from an almost opaque to 

 almost a clear state of the cornea, and from a simple 

 dimness in the appearance to a perfect opacity, sometimes 

 occurs in a remarkably short space of time. VVe have seen 

 an eye opaque within and without, which was merely dim 

 the night before ; and perhaps within twelve hours it would 

 again have almost become transparent without any apparent 

 medical agency. 



Specific ophthalmia commonly attacks only one eye in 

 the horse, leaving the other totally unafiTected, or, at most, 

 only sympathetically involved. Worthy of remark is the 

 complete and sudden change which often takes place in this 

 disease. From being in a very aggravated state of inflam- 

 mation in one eye, it will suddenly shift its seat to the 

 other, leaving the original much amended or nearly well ; 

 and it will not only thus change about from eye to eye, but 

 may likewise either spring from, or be transferred to other 

 organs. 



The eye or eyes, however, thus far recovered, seldom 

 remain very long sound, but often are again subject to 

 the diseased action, and the complaint recurs with all its 

 pristine violence. As these attacks are repeated, they 



