665 
OBSERVATIONS ON SOUNDNESS.^^ 
By R. H. Dyer, M.R.C.V.S., Waterford. 
[Continuedfromp. 531.) 
Aquo-capsulitis is a disease which wc^ as veterinarians^ 
are but little acquainted with^ although I have no doubt, if 
more attention were paid to affections of the eye, we should 
occasionally diagnose it. The characteristic symptom of 
aquo-capsulitis is an exceedingly dull and turbid appearance 
of the aqueous humour. 
The beautifully clear, pellucid fluid, which is generally 
perceptible in the anterior chamber in the healthy state, is 
visibly occupied by something resembling muddy water, so 
that it in some cases prevents the animal from seeing any 
object. These symptoms remain a few days only, when the 
fluid becomes clear again, as a general rule. There are, 
however, instances where the case is protracted, and is 
tedious to the practitioner; there are also cases met with 
where the aqueous humour is so changed that it partakes of 
a green tint. In this latter case the experience of the 
examiner will be required to be brought to bear. Not many 
days ago I was summoned to a distant county to examine a 
horse as to soundness. When the animal was being walked 
from the box-stall in which he was, to a three-horse stable, 
where I was anxious to pursue the examination of the eyes, 
I observed a peculiar movement of the head and feet, which 
led me to look particularly to the eyes. My attention having- 
been thus suddenly attracted to the visual organs, I inquired 
how long the horse had been in the possession of the present 
owner—he was standing by at the time: he replied, About 
a month.'*^ The aqueous humour had that peculiar tint, and 
the conjunctiva, when examined from behind, was of 2^leadeii 
hue. This colour can be more easily seen when looking from 
before or behind than when the examiner stands laterali}^ 
I said, His eyes are diseased.^^ He remarked he was not 
aware of it; that he had had two opinions prior to the pur¬ 
chase, and he held a certificate of soundness from one prac- 
tiiioner, and the other person was also of opinion the horse 
was sound. What amount of credit can be placed upon 
these statements I am at a loss to know"; these kinds of cases 
are not unfrequent, as many persons may imagine. The 
XXXVI. 44 
