164 
PERIODICAL OPHTHALMIA 
thrushes, or any habitual discharge, too abr uptly, the humour 
will be likely to fly to the eyes. But although I am the last man 
in the world to treat practical observations with neglect, yet I 
cannot say that I have ever seen a single well-marked instance of 
this kind. There is, I think, much more truth in the remark 
which I have sometimes heard the same class of individuals 
make, viz. that “ kiln-dried corn is apt to bring on bad eyes.” 
One swallow does not make a summer, nor shall one fact ever 
establish in my mind any point, which, to be right, should be of 
frequent occurrence: but, if I had seen many cases like the fol¬ 
lowing, I should be much inclined to think there might be some 
truth in the old doctrine I have mentioned. As it is, I cannot 
help bringing it forward as a curious though insulated fact, not 
unconnected with the subject I have in hand : it appeared to me 
so remarkable at the time, that I thought it worthy of being put 
on record. I extract it from the register: 
A bay gelding (a troop horse), eight years old, was admitted 
into the infirmary stables, Canterbury, on the 11th of February, 
1819, with a severe affection of both eyes, being the first attack. 
Eye-lids much swollen, great vascularity of the conjunctiva, 
intolerance of light, and profuse flow of tears down the cheeks. 
During the last three months previously to admission, this horse 
had been subject to habitual swelling of the legs, for which some 
doses of laxative and alterative medicine had been given. When 
the eyes became thus affected, we remarked that the swelling of 
the legs suddenly ceased. An active treatment was put in prac¬ 
tice with respect to the eyes, repeated bleeding, &c. &c. ; and 
on the 4th of March the eyes seemed much better; the tume¬ 
faction of the lids had disappeared : but there was a partial re¬ 
turn of swelling in the hind legs. (A good discharge from the 
rowels which had been inserted in the chest and thighs.) On 
the 8th, the eyes had become free from inflammation, although 
rather dull and discoloured, and the swelling of the legs had 
disappeared. On the 18th, the eyes had nearly resumed their 
natural appearance, the legs remained fine, and the horse seem¬ 
ing in other respects in good health, he was discharged, but 
was readmitted on the 20th of May, with a recurrence of inflam¬ 
mation in the near eye, the other not being affected. The parox¬ 
ysm appeared obstinate, not giving way to treatment; and con¬ 
tinued, with but little abatement, until the night of the 5th of 
June, when a painful inflammatory swelling made its appear¬ 
ance in the near hind legs, extending along the inside of the 
hock and up the thigh ^. But vvliat is remarkable, on the deve- 
* We often see this kind ot affection occur, especially amongst young 
horses; they call it, in Yorkshire, a “shoot ot humours;” in Scotland, 
