518 DISEASES OF THE CONJUNCTIVA 



the disease. The ordinary collyria, such as zinc sulphate 

 (1 per cent.) ; silver nitrate (0.5 per cent.), or chinosol (1-500), 

 should be used for a few days to remove all of the surface 

 infection and astringe the membrane. Following this treat- 

 ment the affected parts of the conjunctiva are cauterized 

 with silver nitrate. Apply immediately a solution of sodium 

 chlorid to prevent injury to the cornea. This operation 

 may be repeated in a few days, if necessary. In the mean- 

 time the astringent and antiseptic solutions are to be con- 

 tinued. 



It is advisable to remove the membrana nictitans when it 

 shows the pronounced follicular granulations. This is best 

 done in the following manner: The animal may be given 

 a general anesthetic, or anesthetize the membrane locally 

 by instilling 0.8-1.5 of codrenin solution in the affected 

 eye. If the latter is used the operation should be delayed for 

 ten or fifteen minutes for complete anesthesia. The animal 

 is placed on the operating table, held by an assistant, the 

 membrana nictitans grasped with a small forceps and pulled 

 outwardly toward the inner canthus of the eye. It is then 

 cut off carefully with a curved scissors. Care must be taken 

 to prevent removal of any of the other conjunctival mem- 

 brane, as this would lead to scar formation and result in 

 entropion. Serious hemorrhage may occur in individual 

 cases. If the hemorrhage is copious a gauze pack should be 

 placed over the eye and held in place by a head bandage. 

 This may be removed in twenty-four hours and the ordinary 

 antiseptic solutions used. Recovery from the operation 

 requires ten days to two weeks. 



Exanthematous Conjunctivitis.— Definition.— An exanthe- 

 matous eruption occurring during the course of certain 

 diseases. In small animals this form of conjunctivitis is not 

 very common, but has been observed accompanying or 

 following distemper in the dog and cat. Parasitic skin 

 diseases and eczemas often extend to the conjunctiva from 

 the skin around the palpebral margins. This frequently 

 results in suppurative inflammation of the glands along the 

 margin of the lids, and in the membrana nictitans. Many 

 cases of favus in fowls extend to the conjunctiva. 



