366 PERIODICAL OPHTHALMIA OP HORSES. 
noticed it clearly supervene upon some other disease, or some 
great constitutional disturbance. 
In a former paper (No. I of the Observations on Metastasis of 
Inflammation, vol. iii,page 162) I have stated, that I had an op¬ 
portunity, while with the army of occupation in France, of wit¬ 
nessing many well-marked instances of the periodical ophthalmia 
supervening upon repeated or long-continued attacks of diabetes; 
a complaint which we found more or less prevalent all the time 
we remained in that country; and which was occasioned by 
feeding our horses upon com generally of an unsound quality, 
furnished by the contractors employed by the French govern¬ 
ment; having been rendered so either in the transport, or by 
being violently heated while in store. Badly kiln-dried oats 
is also an unwholesome food for horses, which will often induce 
diabetes, and which will sometimes be followed by the same 
consequences. 
Inflammation of the eyes, and blindness, have been known to 
follow some great exertion—some extraordinary day’s work—- 
some violent exhaustion: and I myself have seen an instance or 
tw o of its making its first appearance, in cases of great debility 
or inanition from excessive bleeding. Perhaps any great consti¬ 
tutional disturbance may occasionally give rise to it. 
High feeding, and forcing the animal to breathe an impure 
atmosphere, are, without doubt, amongst the most common excit¬ 
ing causes of this complaint. Upon the latter of these circum¬ 
stances, viz. hot, foul, and badly ventilated stables, Mr. Coleman 
always lays, and with much reason, a very great stress. This (a 
poisoned atmosphere) he takes to be the principal, if not the sole 
cause, not only of inflammation of the eyes, but of almost every 
other malady to which the domesticated horse is subject. About 
tw enty years ag'o all the barrack stables in Great Britain were 
ventilated agreeably to his suggestion; a measure which has 
been attended with the greatest benefit to the service: and the 
Professor deserves the more credit for this step, as in carrying it 
into effect he had to contend with old established habits and 
deep-rooted prejudices. I, for one, can bear witness, that since 
that period the number of cases of acute disease, as farcy, 
glanders, inflammation of the lungs, &e., have very much dimi¬ 
nished in the barrack stables. These things, however, will some¬ 
times happen in the best regulated families. 
We are careful to keep up a free ventilation in the troop stables; 
and the result, I say, has been satisfactory. But over the officers’ 
stables we have little or no control: “ a man can do what he likes 
with his own.” And here we have always experienced great 
opposition, and obstinate resistance to our system of ventilation. 
