Infectious Conjunctivitis in Herbivora. 371 



and as many as fourteen weeks later in the same gardens it at- 

 tacked the bovine animals. 



In sustaining the doctrine of infection, however, we must not 

 altogether ignore accessory causes. lyike other affections of the 

 eye, this has seemed to appear especially in low, damp lands, 

 bottom lands, deltas, marshy borders of lakes and level prairies, 

 so that a general lack of tone or a lymphatic constitution may be 

 held. to predispose. Nor is it necessary to ignore the influence 

 of pollen, dust and other irritants, which though they may not 

 cause the specific disease, yet prepare the way for its attack by 

 reducing the resisting power of the tissues. 



Symptoms. These are the phenomena of severe purulent con- 

 junctivitis. Closed eyes ; profuse secretion of tears, soraetimes 

 mixed with blood, changing in a few days to a thick, purulent, 

 white or yellow secretion, which collects in masses inside the lids, 

 along their margins, in the inner canthus and on the cheeks, 

 gluing together the cilia, lids and hairs. When separated the 

 Uds show a mucosa of an uniform deep red, covered with pus, 

 and irregularly swollen according to the amount of infiltration. 

 Papillary and follicular hypertrophy are marked features, and 

 the nictitans projects excessively over the eyeball. In many 

 cases the cornea becomes opaque and in some instances erosions 

 occur which may cause perforation or loss of the eye. In other 

 instances the ulcers heal with the formation of cicatrices, or the 

 weakened portion of the membrane yields under the internal 

 tension and staphyloma supervenes. In such cases the pupils 

 are contracted. 



The disease is usually attended by marked hyperthermia, the 

 secretions, including the lacteal, are materially decreased, appe- 

 tite and rumination are impaired and the animal leaves the flock 

 or herd. The disease affects cattle and sheep, and Menard, Ma- 

 thieu and Hoffmann add horses and goats. 



Treatment. This must be primarily anti-septic, but without 

 neglecting constitutional disorder. Rest in a dark, cool stall, 

 with the head elevated by tying to a high point. Give at once 

 an active purgative ij^lb. Glauber salts in 4 quarts warm water, 

 and follow up with cooling diuretics and sedatives (saltpeter .}^ 

 oz. and tincture of aconite 20 drops, thrice a day) . If the tem- 

 perature runs very high a few doses of acetanilid or phenacetin 

 may be given. I/Ocally use silver or other antiseptic coUyrium 



