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find a fmall opening, through which, by inferting a pipe, 

 yoii may fill the eye with wine, and relieve the diforder ; 

 a remarkable proof of the minute and accurate obfervation 

 of the ancients. The exillence of fuch an opening (for it 

 is, in reality, the opening of the lacrymal duft that is alluded 

 to), is not known to m'ny who profefs to praftife on the 

 difeafes of horfes at this day. 



Abfyrt'is, a Greek writer, who lived about the reign of 

 Conftantine the Great, and prior to Vegetius, recommends, 

 in this difordcr, and which he calls vaXufxa, tb.at the ear 

 {hould be pierced with an awl, and a piece of white helle- 

 bore fliould be inferted in the perforation for its relief. 



The following we venture to give as a more natural and 

 true defcription of the appearances of the eye, durmg the 

 prefence of this complaint, than what has before been ex- 

 hibited ; though, no doubt, fubjcft to many omiflions and 

 imperfeftions, which future obfervations may lead us to 

 reftify. 



The carlieft indication of this difeafe is exhibited by the 

 external tranfparent parts of the ball of the eye becoming 

 obfcured, alTuming a blackilh glafly hue ; fometimes blue, 

 or brown, or a dull white, and Iheaked with blood, accord- 

 ing to the degree of inflammation or diftenfion of the blood- 

 veffils ; admitting, according to their capacity, the different 

 parts of the blood which are not tranfparent ; and this in- 

 flammation, it may be remai-ked, takes place more fre- 

 quently in young horfes of five or fix years old, than in 

 thofe of a more advanced age, and the upper half of the 

 cornea generally appears more obfcured than the lower ; 

 this, however, may be a deception, arifing merely from the 

 point of vifion, the obferver being placed below the eye, 

 and feeing direftly through the lower part, and more 

 obliquely through the upper. The blood-veffels alfo may 

 be obferved increafed in number and fize, pafGng over the 

 opake white furface of the fclerotica, to the cornea and 

 conjundlva ; for it has not, as far a-s we know, been ever 

 afcertained from aftual difleftion or experiment, whether it 

 is the cornea that is inflamed, or the conjundtiva, or both ; 

 nor is it abfolutely neceffary for the treatment, that this 

 fliould be known. 



The eye and eye-lids feel hotter to the hand than ufual ; 

 and often times there is a depofit of a white matter refem- 

 bling pus, in the bottom of the anterior chamber of the eye, 

 which, perhaps, proceeds from the vefTels of the ciliary 

 fringe, or uvea, which are large in the horfe. 



After this opacity of the cornea has exiftcd fome time, 

 the eye of itfelf, or llill more certainly if antiphlogiftic means 

 are ufed, returns to its natural brilliancy, and the diiorder 

 feems removed ; a few weeks or months may elapfe before 

 its return ; and if thefe remedies are had recourfe to very 

 early, the diforder may even be permanently removed ; it 

 ■very frequently, however, returns, and again difappears, and 

 this feveral times before the inflammation of the cryftalline, 

 and the deftruftion of fight take place. In other fubjefts, 

 one uninterrupted courfe of inflammation, without any inter- 

 val, takes place, till the cataract is fully formed. 



V-'lien this morbid proccfs begins in the cryfl:alline, the 

 inflammation of the exterior parts of the eye often difap- 

 pears, and they aflume their ufnal brightnefs, and afford us 

 an opportunity of diflindtly obferving the changes which 

 take place in the lens. 



And, with refpeft to the cataraft itfelf, or this opacity 

 of the lens, we may remark, that the whole cryftalline (hall 

 affume this milky appearance at once, or a fmall fpeck 

 only near the centre fliall be feen, which often remains for 

 years, without the Icaft perceivable increafe, and without 

 producing blinduefs, or any fenfible detriment to the ani- 



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mal : again, in other cafes, no fpeck is obfervable but 

 whitifli lines which refleft the lisfht, ftretchin? like ravs 

 rom the centre ot the lens to its circumference ; and lome- 

 times the capfule containing it is faid to be only af- 

 feaed. 



The cataract, as it is called, being fully formed, the com- 

 plete opacity of the lens being ellablifhed, and light no 

 longer admitted, the iris begins to lofe its properties, 

 nearly clofing up the opening of the pupil : from its relaxa- 

 tion, the whole eye becomes diminiflied, and apparently funk 

 in the head ; and the capfule, efpecially in draft horfes, 

 burfl;s, and the lens is forced from its fituation, and falls to 

 the anterior chamber of the eye, refembhng, as we have 

 before obferved, an opake white ball. 



As perfcft clcarnefs and diilindnefs in all parts of the eye, 

 with a due contraftion of the pupils, are the moft certain 

 indications of its goodnefs, fo the flightell dulnefs or 

 opacity in the external coats, or diminution of the pupil, 

 fhould lead the purchafer to be cautious; for it cannot be 

 too often obferved, that this opacity, after it has been of 

 fome ilanding, is almoft certain deflruftion to the eye ; and 

 there are no remedies at this time known that can prevent 

 its fatal termination, though numerous attempts and expe- 

 riments have been inflituted with this view ; and the opera- 

 tion for the cataraft is ufelefs in the horfe ; for if it fuc- 

 ceeds, the vifiou is ftill fo imperfeft, that bhndnefs itfelf is 

 prefeiable. 



Though various ufeful offices can be found for horfes that 

 have loft their fight ; yet it is of im.portance, for moft of 

 the purpofes to which they are applied, that it fliould he 

 preferved. We cannot recommend with too much force, the 

 necetfity of an early recurrence to the prefcribed remedies 

 for deftroying the inflammation ; for, at its very commence- 

 ment, it has probably only the characters of common in- 

 flammation, and might be entirely and effeftually fubdued 

 as in other parts ; but neglefted, this diforder foon affumes 

 its peculiar properties, arifing, perhaps, from the particular 

 ftrufture and funftions of the parts aflfefted, and in a fliort 

 time becomes perfeftly beyond the reach of any remedy ;■ 

 for though, no doubt, there are a few infulated inftancts 

 where tiiis diforder has been removed, yet, as the termina- 

 tion of the generality of cafes is of an oppofite nature, it 

 would be unwarrantable to make a conclufion from fuch cafts 

 of the general poffibility of cure in this complaint. 



Where the inflammation has not yet received the fpecific 

 properties above defcribed, the following remedies will fre- 

 quently remove it ; and in more confirmed caft-s, we fhall 

 mention the means that have been unfucq<tflSfully employed" 

 to remove it, that we may fhew the infufRcicncy of fuch 

 attempts, and promote farther experiment and refearch ref- 

 pefting it. 



In the commencement of this complaint, the ufe of ab- 

 ftinence from heating food, or hard exercife ; expofure to 

 ftables of cooler temperature, and well aired, not from par- 

 tial drafts, but their loftinefs only ; exchifion of too much 

 light, or the light altogether ; diluent drinks, and pur,ra- 

 tives ; fuch may be employed to the general fyftem. "To 

 the part itfelf, wafhes of cold water, or ice and water, or 

 litharge water, or with a fmall portion of opium diflblved; 

 in it ; others think more favourably of ftimulating, or cauf- 

 tic waflies, as weak folutions of vitriolated zinc, very dilute 

 acids, and even fpirits and water. 



Bliftcrs applied to the cheek, or over the maffeter muf- 

 cle, produce an irritation which is very fuccefsful in re- 

 moving this inflammation, and, in particular, the infertion of 

 a feton or two in the mufcular parts furrounding the eye, 

 care being taken that the fafcia over the mufcle is divided, 



othei'wiie 



