6G6 
OBSERVATIONS ON SOUNDNESS. 
horse was not purcliased. There were two gentlemen con¬ 
cerned in the purchase, one of whom rode him over some 
fences whilst the other looked on; in a subsequent conver¬ 
sation, on our way home, I was endeavouring to explain the 
manner horses witli such impaired vision as in this par¬ 
ticular instance take their leaps, when the looker-on ex¬ 
claimed, I remarked that he never jumped short, but 
always jumped over the marJc, that is to say, jumped too higP 
These animals are safe jumpers if all goes well, but they are 
not those I would like to get into a difficulty with. I need 
not, I am sure, remark that such eyes are unsound. 
It appears to me that such cases as these are the most im¬ 
portant as well as the most difficult we can be called upon 
to examine. I am anxious to dwell a little upon this point, 
because I know how many mistakes are made by those whom 
it might be supposed were better acquainted with the patho¬ 
logical condition of the eye; there arc so many circum¬ 
stances connected with eye examinations which tend to perplex 
the examiner. In one case we meet with animals having a 
decided objection to prying, if the head is to be handled; 
secondly, the peculiarly obscure daylight often interferes with 
our researches. The day I am penning these remarks is one 
ill calculated for such examination; I was engaged this 
morning in the examination of a young animal, and found 
much difficulty in looking into the eyes at all. 
It behoves us to make ourselves acquainted with all these 
things, so as to be the better able to guard against them. I 
remember a practitioner bringing g mare to me, to give an 
opinion upon the near eye. His words were, Sometimes 
I fancy I can see something wrong in the eye, and at others I 
can see nothing; will you be good enough to examine it, and 
say if the eye be sound I was obliged to take this case into 
a dark stall, and by the aid of a lighted candle pursue the 
scrutiny. I found at the hack of the lens there was an opacity, 
at which part cataract had commenced. The difficulty in this 
instance was the want of proper light. I believe, in many 
cases of what are termed amaurosis we are at a loss to know 
the structure diseased. I am almost inclined to the idea the 
membrane which secretes the aqueous humour is often at 
fault, and it is that which gives to the eye the peculiar 
colour we so often witness; but of this I would not like to 
speak in positive terms, not having directed my attention 
sufficiently to it. 
Lenticular cataract is sometimes overlooked, from its 
extreme thinness. I have more than once or twice found 
horses passed as sound when opacity of the capsule has been 
