78 
WORMS IN THE EYES OF OXEN. 
to be going on well, when the symptoms returned and another 
worm was discovered in the same eye; for which a second 
operation was performed. The animal eventually lost the eye ; 
but had no further return of the disease. 
Rarely but one eye is affected, and from the very commence-, 
ment opthalmia makes its appearance. The eye becomes la¬ 
chrymose ; the lids swell; the conjunctiva grows more or less 
reddened; the transparent cornea dim, &c. These symptoms 
might mislead a young practitioner and induce him to regard 
that as a primary disorder which was but consecutive upon ano¬ 
ther. Such was the case with myself: thinking I had opthal¬ 
mia to deal with, I employed suitable means ; but finding they 
availed nothing I was led to make further examination, and then 
was surprised at the discovery of a small perfectly white worm, 
about the size of a hair, and an inch in length, swimming in the 
aqueous humour. The circumstance led me to conceive that 
medicines regarded as anthelmintics, might, even topically ap¬ 
plied, through the medium of absorption, have the effect of des¬ 
troying these parasites ; and I determined with this view to 
make trial of the tincture of aloes, as will be seen hereafter. 
At present I pronounce on such cases with much more cer¬ 
tainty. In my examinations, I take care that the eye be con¬ 
fronted with a strong light, by turning the animal round to the 
threshold of the stable-door; and I am slow and cautious in 
deciding. Should the disorder be incipient, it is easy to discover 
in the bottom of the anterior chamber of the eye, one or two 
little bodies of a reddish white colour, and about the magnitude 
of small peas : these are the envelopes or germs of the future 
worms. I have actually observed after three, four, or some¬ 
times ten days, these animalcules, coming into existence, in 
continual agitation. In 24 or 36 hours they are completely 
developed; and move about without interruption upwards and 
downwards and in front of the iris, which they occasionally 
touch. This is the only time the beast manifests any uneasi¬ 
ness, which he now does by shaking his head, as if something 
unexpected had surprised him. In most cases it is a solitary 
worm : rarely two or three. I shall not attempt to account for 
the presence of these strange productions : I could offer nought 
but hypotheses, and others can do that as well and perhaps 
more plausibly than myself. As far as my own experience has 
gone in my present part of the country, the disorder generally 
appears about June and leaves in November : I have never seed 
it in any other season. Does it require a certain temperature of 
the atmosphere to give birth to these parasites ? I cannot af¬ 
firm so much. 
