DISEASES OF THE EYE. 4) 
hair, eyes, ete. I had a case of this kind, and the owner s state- 
ment was as follows: The animal (mare) had been in his ; osses- 
sion about five years. She had four successive attacks of blindness, 
waich had never been treated by a certified surgeon, and it was 
concluded that she must have a periodical attack in spite of all 
effoi ts to prevent it. Now, this is what we call a case of idio- 
pathic periodical amaurosis, and if it does not owe its origin to 
some hereditary idiosyncracy, it is the result of an abnormal con- 
dition of the brain. 
When our attention shall be called to a case of this character, 
we must bear in mind the fact that this animal survived four 
periodical attacks of the same malady, and performed the ordinary 
duties of a horse, in the intervals of health, with far-seeing eyes, 
and without the aid of science; and this goes to show that this 
condition of the nervous structure of the eyes of some horses, as 
well as many other diseases incidental to them, are often “ self- 
limited,” and the subjects will recover, if carefully nursed and 
left unembarrassed by “ poisonous drugs.” This opinion is in- 
dorsed by some of the most distinguished surgeons of the present 
day. I have no desire to try to saddle the reader with any pecu- 
iar notions of medication emanating from my own fancy or 
braius. I am not offering sensible people a mirror of my own 
reflection, but I wish to present the truth in that mirror, so that 
they may see it and judge for themselves, Excessive medication 
is a quicksand which we must try to avoid. Thousands of well- 
meaning medical aspirants have actually committed professional 
suicide by clinging to the absurd theory of medication as prac- 
ticed in bygone days. ‘The lancet, and many of the heroic medi- 
cines which our predecessors placed great confidence in, and in 
their writings have urged us to use, are now almost discarded. 
It is not because an essential change has taken place in the nature 
of equine maladies, but because we have greater faith in Nature as 
our curative agent, and have become better acquainted with inat- 
omy, pathology, and physiology. 
But to resume the subject of amaurosis. If from the history 
of the case, we have reason to believe that it is of a pericdical 
character, and if it be the sequel to, or an accompaniment of, 
some hereditary affection, we may be sure that the malady will 
exist for a certain length of time in spite of all we may do. In 
such cases, all that is necessary is to have the animal comfortably 
