DISEASES OB" THE EYE, ETC. 



351 



break off and remain, causing inflammation, blindness, abscess, etc. 

 These substances may penetrate the eyeball, but more frequently they 

 glide off and enter between the eye and the ocular sheath. 



Treatment— Their removal becomes often a very difficult task, from 

 the fact that the organ is so extremely sensitive, and the retracting 

 power so strong as to necessitate casting the animal, or even the 

 administration of sufficient chloroform to render it completely insen- 

 sible. The removal, however, is of paramount importance, and the 

 after treatment depends upon the extent and location of the injury — 

 cold water compress over the injured eye, the application of mild 

 astringent and cooling washes, such as acetate or sulphate of zinc, 5 

 grains to the ounce of water. When there is extreme suffering from 

 pain a 5 per cent solution of atropia or morphia, 5 grains to the ounce 

 of water, may be dropped into the eye, alternating with the cooling 

 wash, several times a day. When abscesses form within the orbit a 

 free opening must be maintained for the discharge of pus. In deep 

 penetrating wounds of the eye there is a great tendency to the forma- 

 tion of a fungus growth, which often necessitates the enucleation of 

 the whole eyeball. 



ORBITAL AND PERIORBITAL ABSCESS. 



Orbital abscess may form outside of the globe and within the orbital 

 sheath, as the result of a previous wound of the parts, or from frac- 

 ture of the bony orbit, etc. Periorbital abscess commences outside of 

 the ocular sheath, beneath the periosteal membrane covering the bone, 

 and is usually the result of a diseased or fractured bone which enters 

 into the formation of the orbital cavity. 



Symptoms. — Orbital abscess is manifested by a pushing forward of 

 the eyeball (exophthalmos), a swelling of the conjunctiva and eyelids. 

 The bulging out of the eye is in proportion to the size of the abscess; 

 the movement of the eye is fixed, due to the painf ulness of any volun- 

 tary movement of the eyeball. Periorbital abscess generally pushes 

 the eye to one side ; otherwise the symptoms are similar to the forego- 

 ing. The pain generally is very great; paralysis of the nerve of sight 

 may occur, and death may be caused by the abscess extending to the 

 brain. 



Treatment. — The treatment for either orbital or periorbital abscess 

 is the same as that for abscess occurring in any other part of the 

 body— a free opening for the escape of imprisoned pus. This should 

 be made as soon as the true nature of the disease is recognized. 

 Afterwards antiseptic injections may be needed to stimulate healthy 

 granulation and to prevent septic infection of the ocular membranes.' 

 For this purpose a saturated solution of boracic acid may be used, or 

 listerine 1 part to 10 of water. When the fever runs high, Glauber's 

 salts (sulphate of soda) may be given in 4-ounce doses once a day. 

 The animal should be kept in a darkened stable, on soft or green feed. 



