EXAMINING^ THE EYES. 711 



Third Stage. 



Put a plain snaffle bridle on the horse; turn him round in his 

 stall; and examine his eyes, nostrils, and mouth. 



EXAMINATION OF THE EYES.— In order to ascertain that 

 the haw and conjunctiva (the membrane which lines the eyelids 

 and covers the eyes) are in a healthy condition, we may open the 

 eye in the following manner : After having ''' made much " of the 

 horse, place a hand on his nose to prevent him from going for- 

 ward, or catch hold of the lower lij) if he wants to depress his 

 head too much. Then, by means of the forefinger and thumb of 

 the other hand, open the eyelids by pressing the ball of the eye 

 into its socket. This causes the haw and a large amount of the 

 inside of the eyelids to be shown. 



To examine the eyes themselves, we may, first of all, look at 

 them with a full stream of daylight coming in on them. They 

 should then appear prominent, soft, clear, and free from tears 

 and other signs of inflammation or irritation. They should show 

 no intolerance of light, as might be indicated by their being 

 deep-sunken ; by the more or less closed condition of the eyelids ; 

 and by the haw projecting more than usual over their surface. 

 The eyelids should be devoid of any unnatural fulness, and should 

 not present that peculiar wrinkled condition which is character- 

 istic of periodic ophthalmia. When an eye has suffered from an 

 attack of this not very common disease, it looks dim, weak, and 

 smaller than usual. Both eyes should be of the same size. Any 

 excessive convexity or flatness of the cornea should be noted, with 

 the view of ascertaining how it affects the sight. In testing for 

 amaurosis (p. 348), we should try the sight of one eye by shading 

 the other, and by gently moving the fingers of the disengaged hand 

 close to the uncovered eye, taking care not to touch the eyelashes, 

 nor to produce a current of air, which, by affecting the nerves of 

 the part, might make the aninial blink, and might thus convey 

 a wrong impresion to our mind. 



The eyes should now be examined by means of a candle, or small 

 lamp, in a place from which all other light has been excluded; 

 the object being to allow the pupil to dilate as much as possible, 

 so as to expose to the utmost extent the interior of the eye. If this 

 is not practicable, light coming from one direction only, such 

 as from a top window or skylight, should be employed. Light 

 reflected from white objects, such as whitewashed walls, a white 

 waistcoat or shirt front, should be carefully excluded ; for it would 

 be apt to cause the production in the eye, of white images, the 



