264 DISEASES OF THE HOESE. 



a yellowish tinge and bursts, giving rise to a deep sore which is liable 

 to extend as an ulcer, and may be in its turn followed by bulging of 

 the cornea at that point (staphyloma) . This inflammation of the con- 

 junctiva may be simply catarrhal, with profuse muco-purulent dis- 

 charge; it may be granular, the surface being covered with minute 

 reddish elevations, or it may become the seat of a false membrane 

 (diphtheria). 



Treatment. — In treating external ophthalmia the first object is the 

 removal of the cause. Eemove any dust, chaff, thorn, or other for- 

 eign body from the conjunctiva, purify the stable from all sources of 

 ammoniacal or other irritant gas; keep the horse from dusty roads, 

 and, above all, from the proximity of a leading wagon and its attend- 

 ant cloud of dust ; remove from pasture and feed from a rack which 

 is neither so high as to drop seeds, etc., into the eyes nor so low as to 

 favor the accumulation of blood in the head; avoid equally excess of 

 light from a sunny window in front of the stall and excess of darkness 

 from the absence of windows; preserve from cold drafts and rains 

 and wet bedding, and apply curative measures for inflammation of 

 the adjacent mucous membranes or skin. If the irritant has been of a 

 caustic nature, remove any remnant of it by persistent bathing with 

 tepid water and a soft sponge, or with water mixed with white of egg, 

 or a glass filled with the liquid may be inverted over the eye so that 

 its contents may dilute and remove the irritant. If the suffering is 

 very severe, a lotion with a few grains of extract of belladonna or of 

 morphia in an ounce of water may be applied, or if it is available, 

 a few drops of 4 per cent solution of cocaine may be instilled into 

 the eye. 



In strong, vigorous patients benefit will usually be obtained from a 

 laxative, such as 2 tablespoonfuls of Glauber's salts daily, and if the 

 fever runs high from a daily dose of half an ounce of saltpeter. As 

 local applications astringent solutions are usually the best, as 30 

 grains of borax or of sulphate of zinc in a quart of water, to be ap- 

 plied constantly on a cloth, as advised under " Inflammation of the 

 eyelids." In the absence of anything better, cold water may serve 

 every purpose. Above all, adhesive and oily agents (molasses, sugar, 

 fats) are to be avoided, as only adding to the irritation. By way of 

 suggesting agents that may be used with good effect, salt and sulphate 

 of soda may be named, in solutions double the strength of sulphate of 

 zinc, or 7 grains of nitrate of silver may be added to a quart of dis- 

 tilled water, and will be found especially applicable in granular con- 

 junctivitis, diphtheria, or commencing ulceration. A cantharides 

 blister (1 part of Spanish fly to 4 parts lard) may be rubbed on the 

 side of the face 3 inches below the eye, and washed off next morning 

 with soapsuds and oiled daily till the scabs are dropped. 



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