508 COMPARATIVE ANATOMY AND PATHOLOGY. 
uniform experience since that time has been in favour of the iodine, 
for the dispersion of these small isolated osseous tumours. The 
addition of a very small quantity of mercurial ointment to the 
iodine has almost uniformly increased its efficacy. 
Caries . — Exostosis on the orbital arcade is too frequently the 
forerunner of caries. The inflammation of the bone runs on to 
abscess, and the progress of this is uncertain as to time, but in- 
evitable as to its character. The bone becomes hollow and ca- 
vernous. It is filled with fungous growths, which gradually 
elevate themselves above the surface. The caries extends, and, 
in a short space of time, destroys a considerable mass of bone. 
When this is evidently apparent, and the eye exhibits intense 
inflammation and begins to protrude, no possible good can be ef- 
fected, but humanity and interest equally require that the suffer- 
ings of the animal should have a speedy termination. 
From the peculiar prominence of the forehead of the sheep, the 
orbit of the eye is occasionally fractured. I have seen repeated 
cases of it in our streets. If the fracture is serious, the animal 
should be immediately destroyed. If there is little displacement 
of the bones, nature may eventually set all right; but it should be 
recollected that this will require a considerable portion of time, 
during the whole or the greater part of which the animal will be 
suffering : then comes the question, whether both interest and hu- 
manity do not require the speedy destruction of the sheep. 
Puncture of the Wall of the Orbital Cavity . — There are cases 
on record, — for the sake of humanity we rejoice that they are but 
few, — in which a ferocious scoundrel has plunged his pitchfork 
deep into the eye of the horse and the ox, and not merely wounded 
the eyelids or the conjunctiva, but the point of the fork has pene- 
trated through the bony laminae, at the back of the eye, and on the 
inner side of the orbit. This will rarely, indeed, be perfectly 
effected, because the orbit is deficient, as we have already de- 
scribed, both at its outer side and its base. How shall we ascer- 
tain the injury that is actually done! It is absurd to attempt it, 
for by no power can the eye be so fixed that a probe shall pass 
through the original puncture. Every muscle will be at work to 
frustrate our purpose, and all that we shall do will be to torture 
the patient and strangely increase the inflammation. 
Treatment. — If the point of the instrument has penetrated 
through either of the lids, and considerably lacerated it, we must 
endeavour to close the wound by the first intention ; and then all 
our efforts must be confined to the abatement of inflammation, by 
bleeding, purging, spare diet, and the constant application of a 
poultice or fomentation. This would take place if the horse were 
the patient. Although he would experience most acute and long- 
