APPENDIX. DISEASES OF THE EYE. 347 



first produced tiie coniplaiiit be avoided, or, 

 ill other words, if the horse be properly exer- 

 cised, fed, and groomed, the part will gradually 

 recover it's ori2:inal strencfth : if, on the con- 

 trary, as soon as the inflammation is gone off, 

 the exGiting cause be again applied, the eye 

 will more readily become diseased than it 

 did at first; being in a weak state, and conse^ 

 quently more irritable, or susceptible of in- 

 flammation. The second attack will of course 

 increase the weakness or disposition to disease \ 

 and after this the case may be justly deemed 

 incurable. After repeated attacks the interior 

 parts of the eye become diseased, and at length 

 a cataract or incurable blindness takes place. 

 It often happens, however, that the eye 

 continues in this fluctuating state some 

 time. In some cases a cataract forms rathei 

 suddenly. 



I have often met with cases, vvhere a small 

 speck or opacity formed in the crystalline hu- 

 mour, and continued without alteration for 

 twelve months. In one case no alteration hap- 

 pened in two years : but this speck or opacity 

 in the inner humour, or crystalline, always 

 hinders vision in some degree, and is frequently 

 the cause of a horse's starting. 



