DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY. 
675 
to enable the ulcers to heal ; when the condition involves the 
deeper structures and the activity of. the lymphatics is dormant 
or sluggish, as in the asthenic form of keratitis, the use of sub¬ 
conjunctival injections of either antiseptic fluids or normal 
salt solution is indicated and should be administered in the 
same small doses as already mentioned. 
4. Iritis. —The origin of the cause of iritis may be local or 
constitutional. Among the most common causes of local in¬ 
juries are penetrating wounds and foreign bodies in the cornea 
or ciliary zone ; to this we may add metastatic iritis from kera¬ 
titis. scleritis, eyelitis or choroiditis. The constitutional causes 
are rheumatism, tuberculosis, epizootic influenza, pyaemia, and 
gonorrhoea. Rheumatism is a shield which veterinarians have 
used in making diagnoses when the cause is obscure ; and for 
this reason we do not like to give this as a cause of any disease. 
There is no doubt that domestic animals are susceptible to 
rheumatism, but when the practitioner shelters his diagnoses in 
the dark and “ shady ” nooks of such an obscure condition as 
rheumatism as the cause of iritis, lameness, endocarditis, etc., 
he often finds it a difficult task to convince other u up-to-date ” 
and progressive veterinarians that his etiology and even his 
diagnosis are correct. This cause ( rheumatism ) for unexplained 
conditions has been employed to such an extent that it has 
fallen into disrepute, and most invariably when the veterinarian 
says that rheumatism is the cause of any particular condition, 
the average driver, coachman or barn-boss will say: “ Ah! 
he don't know what is the caitse of the trouble —he said it was 
rheumatismT 
The most common causes of iritis in domestic animals are 
traumatisms, and the common symptoms are sluggish pupil, 
congested conjunctiva, paralysis of ciliary muscles (cycloplegia), 
paralysis of sphincter of pupil which causes a dilatation of pupil 
(corodiastasis), and in cases of long standing the pupil may be¬ 
come closed {corodisis ). 
Treatment. —If the condition is due to some constitutional 
disorder that should be improved, but our entire attention should 
not be directed to that alone ; the condition of the eye must not 
be neglected and probably the most important part of the treat¬ 
ment is to prevent adhesions of the iris. The treatment must 
not be confined to subconjunctival injections ; the use of such in¬ 
jection in the course of treatment is only to prevent infection ; 
if there is any danger of infection, or to increase absorption, noth¬ 
ing more can be expected from the procedure, and the regular 
