THE ORBIT OF THE EYE. 
505 
this organ more prominent than that of the horse. The grazier 
and the butcher draw a favourable conclusion from this prominence 
of the eye. They regard, and rightly, this accumulation of fat 
within the orbit of the eye as a pledge of a similar propensity to 
fatten in other parts. The expression of the countenance in these 
animals should not, however, be quite forgotten. There must be 
no indication of ferocity or unquietness accompanying the protube- 
rant eye, for if there is one point on which every skilful breeder 
has agreed, it is this, that neither the grazing nor the milking 
animal can have too placid a countenance, or be too quiet and 
docile in its habits. 
We may now consider the diseases and accidents to which the 
orbit of the eye is exposed. 
Fracture . — The first is fracture from accident or brutality. I 
have known it occur from a fall, but it is oftener to be traced to a 
disgraceful cause. Mr. Pritchard, in the second volume of The 
Veterinarian, relates a case of it : — “ A chesnut mare received 
a blow which fractured the orbit from the superciliary foramen, in 
a line through the zygomatic processes of the temporal and malar 
bones, to the outer angle of the eye. The detached bone, together 
with the divided integument, hung over the eye so as to intercept 
vision. On examining the place where the accident occurred, two 
portions of bone were found belonging to the orbital arch. After 
carefully inspecting the wound, and finding no other detached por- 
tions or spiculse that might wound the adjacent parts, the skin was 
carefully drawn together over the orbit, and two pins of silver wire, 
forming a twisted suture closed this part of the wound, and suffi- 
ciently secured the detached portion of bone in its proper place. 
A mash diet was ordered. 
“ On the following day considerable inflammation had taken 
place, and the eye was completely closed. A dose of physic was 
given, and fomentations of tepid water frequently applied. 
“ On the next day the inflammation and swelling had increased. 
Blood was taken from the angular vein, and a seton passed over 
the cheek from the condyloid process to the inferior angle of the 
posterior maxillary bone. The fomentation was continued. 
“The swelling and inflammation now speedily abated. On the 
fourth day after the accident the sutures were removed, and the 
eye was found clear and transparent. On the fifteenth day the 
wound had quite healed.” 
Of the bony defence of the eye the orbital arch is the part most 
liable to fracture, or, indeed, almost the only part susceptible of it. 
It is seldom that the whole of the arch is fractured, but most fre- 
quently they are cases similar to that of Mr. Pritchard, yet not 
