DISEASES OF THE EYES. 



These are not of frequent occurrence in the horse, but when 

 they do present themselves are mainly limited to three causes, 

 viz. , injuries due to blows; the presence of a foreign body, such as 

 hay seeds or portions of chaff; and cold. In byegone times horses 

 were frequentl}' the subjects of inflammation of one or both eyes 

 by reason of the unhealthy condition of stables; but since owners 

 have awoke to the necessity of studying the comfort and well- 

 being of their animals by providing more light and more sanitary 

 arrangements the occurrence of this disease is rare. Ophthai^mia 

 is a term generally used to define the presence of inflammation of 

 the conjunctiva, a fine membrane that lines both the eyelids 

 and the front of the eyeball; ophthalmia may arise as the result 

 of any of the causes we have already referred to; in former 

 times one form of this disease was described as periodic ophthalmia, 

 owing to the fact that it frequently recurred, but this we attribute 

 to the unsanitar}^ conditions of the stables, and the cause that 

 provoked the first attack was likewise accountable for those that 

 followed, and the repeated recurrence of the attacks were respon- 

 sible for the production of complete blindness in cases not a few. 



Ophthalmia that is due to injuries — such, for instance, as the 

 blow from a whip lash, or to the presence of a foreign body, is 

 easily accounted for and with equal readiness successfully treated; 

 the presence of a foreign body demands its careful removal, and 

 once discovered, nothing answers better for this purpose than a 

 bird's feather; after the removal is effected the organ should be 

 fomented with hot water, and a weak lotion of Arnica, one in 

 twenty, applied with a piece of sponge; when the inflammation is 

 set up by a blow or an injury of any kind, frequent fomentations 

 should be adopted and a compress of Arnica lotion, about one in 

 twelve, applied; the compress can be kept in position by a piece 

 of linen cut to the shape of the head with holes to pass over the 

 ears and tapes to tie round the jaw. 



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