Chap. XXIV. Of Films, Webs, Sec. 8 j" 



applied outwardly can reach it, but whar would at the 

 fame Time deftroy the Eye ; and therefore it is in vaia 

 that Farriers ufe corrofire Medicines to eat off Catara(5ts, 

 as is commonly pra^tifed among them. Neither would 

 internal Means, or any Operation avail much towards re- 

 moving it, though that alio has been allay'd by Mounte- 

 banks ; for after a Cataradt has been couch'd, as thofe 

 Creatures are unmanagable, it generally grows again, and 

 the Horfe remains blind. 



Cataracts are of different Colours, yel- T/je Sicns of a 

 low, black, and white ; yet tholu to which Catarad, 

 Horfes are chiefly fubjecl, are either whitiili, or of a Pearl 

 blue, or inclinable to green, and are ealily known, becaufe 

 in ti've Beginning they are but very fmall, but grow larger, 

 as that Matter which forms them is continually falling 

 into the watery Humour. But there is one Sign whereby 

 to know a Catara(fl:, efpecially before it is ripe ; and that is, 

 by rubbing the Outlide of the Eye j for by that Means it 

 will a little (hift Place. 



There have been other Signs taken Notice of by all Phy- 

 fical Writers, as when there is the Appearance of Flies, 

 Duft, or Hairs floating before the Sight, And Mr. Snape^ 

 in his Third Book q\ The Anatomy cf a Horfe ^ Chap. 13. 

 fpeaking of the watery Humour, has applied thefe Signs to 

 Horfes which are apt to ftart without Caufe. His Words 

 are thefe. 



" It is obferv'd in Men, that if any clotted and colour- 

 " ed Bits or Motes fwim in this Humour, the Shapes of 

 *' feveral Infeds, as Gnat?, Flies, Spiders, and the like, 

 *' will feem to be flying before their Eyes, as has been of- 

 " ten declared by Men who have had this Afflidlion. I 

 *' am therefore apt to believe, that many Horfes are not 

 *' without fuch Kind of congealed Bits floating in this Hu- 

 ** mour, that without any evident or external Caufe to oc- 

 *' caflon it, are much given to ftart, efpecially with their 

 *' Head, the Reprefentation of the forefaid Infeds moving 

 " before the cryftalline Humour, which makes them fear 

 •' fomething or other is ftill flying into their Eye. 



*' Yea, it is in human Bodies further obferv'd, that of- 

 *' tentimes feveral of thele colour'd Particles m the watery 

 '* Humour do gather together, and unite fo clofe, that they 

 " grow, as it were, into a Skin or Film, fprcading bet^ore 

 *' the Sight of the Eye, which caufes an abfolute Blindnefs, 

 *' and is that Difeafe which Piiyflcians call a Catarai^-y 

 O 2 " which 



