584 



DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 



thalmia, and often lead to the supposition that the eye has received 

 a blow or other injury. 



The above symptoms become more and more aggravated, and 

 the patient becomes affected constitutionally ; the circulation is in- 

 creased, the mouth hot, and the appetite impaired. These symp- 

 toms may continue for several days, and then, gradually disappear, 

 or they may be prblonged for weeks, and end "only with the destruc- 

 tion of the eye. A prominent and well-marked symptom of this 

 disease is its shifting from one eye to the other ; in many cases, one 



eye has no sooner re- 

 covered than the other 

 becomes affected. At 

 other times, recovery 

 is rapid, and to all ap- 

 pearances the eye looks 

 perfectly healthy ; in a 

 short time, however, 

 the disease returns, and 

 often with increased 

 severity. These oc- 

 currences or shiftittgs 

 take place in from three 

 weeks to a month or 

 more. As the disease 

 advances still further, 

 the eye begins to clear, 

 the cornea becoming 

 transparent, leaving a 

 slight muddiness in the 

 anterior part (cham- 

 ber) of the eye ; the pupil diminishes in size, and the disease grad- 

 ually terminates in more or- less opacity of the chrystalline lens or 

 its capsule, constituting cataract. 



Treatment. — As a general rule, the treatment of specific oph- 

 thalmia is very unsatisfactory, but still medicinal remedies are found 

 beneficial in palliating the disease. The horse should be placed in 

 a comfortable and darkened loose box, with a plentiful supply of 

 pure air. A brisk dose of purgative medicine should be adminis- 

 tered, and if much constitutional fever is present, ten drops of the 

 tincture of aconite should be given every three hours, until six or 

 eight doses are given. Bleed from the facial vein, and follow by fo- 

 mentations of hot water to the eye. After the third or fourth day, 



Fig. 902. — Inflammation of the Optic Nerve. 



a, Papillae of the optic nerve congested ; b. 

 connected by exudation round the papillae ; 

 ished arteries. 



Enlarged yeins, 

 , rather dimin- 



