VETEEINAEY OPHTHALMOLOGY. 69 



inflammation v>i adjacent parts, etc. ; is one of tlie most 

 frequent diseases of the eye. It leads to vascularization, 

 cell proliferation and suppuration, each of these con- 

 ditions being more or less prominent according to the 

 kind of inflammation present. Attending these con- 

 ditions we find the vision is impaired, ciliary irritation, 

 which is always ominous (a zone of fine vessels appearing 

 around the corneal margin), pain, photophobia, lachry- 

 mation, conjunctival congestion and contraction of the 

 pupil. The cornea will be turbid and swollen. If 

 ulcerated, it becomes thinned, and perhaps rupturing 

 permits deeper parts to become pi-olapsed or escape. 

 If thinned or softened it may bulge forward from 

 intra-ocular pressure, forming staphyloma. After 

 recovery, indelible opacities 

 and alterations of curvature 

 may remain, with correspond- 

 ing loss of vision. In treating 

 acute corneal inflammations it 

 Is the cardinal rule to avoid 

 all irritants and caustics and 

 to pay special attention to 



*^ Tig.SS. - 



hygiene and general health. 



Atropine, darkness, and rest of the eye are always 

 proper. Cold and local bleeding may be tried if symp- 

 toms are very acute. When the disease does not 

 improve under this treatment, or becomes chronic, the 

 proper treatment requires special experience. Where 



