Parasites of the Eye. ^51 



tears abundant, the cornea was vascular in its outer portion with 

 a surrounding area of opacity, which was followed by a bluish 

 white opacity of the whole cornea excepting at the inner canthus. 

 Under treatment there was a general improvement but a month 

 later there was a new attack and five filaria were discovered under 

 the eyelids. The cornea became opaque and permanent blindness 

 ensued. Goubaux noticed a dilatation of the lachrymal canals. 

 The diagnostic symptom is the discovery of the worms, which is 

 favored by the eversion of the lids and the squirming movements 

 of the worms. When dried by holding the lids open for some 

 time they become sluggish or quite still, but are at once roused 

 into activity by moistening through renewed closure of the lids. 

 They may easily conceal themselves in the folds of the conjunc- 

 tiva or in the lachrymal ducts. The evolution of the worm is un- 

 known. Railliet deposited an ovigerous female on the healthy 

 eye of a horse, but no young worms developed. 



Treatment consists in picking out the worms with the fingers, 

 or still better with forceps, or in washing them out with a strong 

 current of water injected under the eyelids with a syringe. The 

 medicinal agents advised are non-irritant vermifuges, such as infu- 

 sion of wormwood or quassia, tincture of aloes diluted in an equal 

 amount of water, and camphorated spirits in water. As showing 

 the uncertainty of mercurials five worms were found alive and 

 active on the conjunctiva after repeated injections of a solution of 

 mercuric chloride in tincture of opium. If, however, the worms 

 were at that time in the lachrymal canals or ducts this apparent 

 anomaly might be explained. 



Filaria Lachrymalis Bovis. The filaria of the conjunctiva 

 and lachrymal ducts of cattle was first noticed by Rhodes; later in 

 1838 -by Coulom and still later by Anceze, Lafosse, Baillet, Gurlt, 

 Baudanne. I^ike the filaria palpebralis of the horse it has been 

 found at all .seasons, but especially in .summer and autumn, July, 

 August, September, and November. 



The Filaria lachrymalis resembles that of the horse but differs 

 in its greater length (10 to 14 mm. for the male and 20 to 24 mm. 

 for the female), in the transverse striation of the integument, by 

 its two very inequal spicula, one six times the length of the 

 other, and by its larger embryos. 



Symptoms. Apart from the presence of the worms these may 

 be entirely absent. In other cases acute conjunctivitis or kera- 



