254 
FARR 
knowledge, for the removal of it. Thefe who may defire 
to he acquainted refpedting the information pofleffed by the 
ancients of this complaint, and their practices for its cure, 
may be referred to the writings of Abfyrtusand Vegetius : 
the latter, in his elegant work de Arte. Veterinaria , lib. 2, 
cap. xvi. de fvjfufione cculcrum, has divided this diforder 
jnto three kinds, under the titles JlenochoriaJis , protochoriafis , 
hypockoriajis ; by his definitions, however, of thefe three 
kinds, it appears that he only meant the different ftages 
of the formation of the cataraCt, from the firft inflam¬ 
mation of the eye, to the cryftalline becoming perfectly 
opake and burfiing its capfule; rufiling to the anterior 
chamber of the eye, and refting, like a white opake ball, 
againft the cornea ; occafioning a total lot's of fight, and 
which he compares to the yolk of an egg burfting from 
its (ituation in the centre of the egg, and to which it can 
never be again reduced. He confiders the caufe of this 
complaint to be the rupture of the membrane containing 
the fight; by excefiive heat, or more certainly from the fa¬ 
tigue of a long journey, or the negleCted injury of the eye, 
front theinattention of the mafter. His hypochoriajls, which 
appears to be the firft ftage of this diforder, he fays, dc- 
fcends from the head, and often fnews itfelf in oite eye, 
and then migrates to the other, and is attended with a 
flow of water or tears. His treatment, in this cafe, is to 
bleed often from the eye-brow, or rather the eye-lids, 
and from the temples ; to foment frequently with warm 
water in which rue and fennel feeds have been boiled ; 
to anoint the eye cum ccllyrio opopanato ct opobaljamato. 
He aifo recommends applying the aCtual cautery to the 
temples above the veins. This author, in another chapter, 
recommends, in this complaint, that you fhould infpedt the 
noftril on the fame fide with the morbid eye, and you will 
find a f ma 11 opening, through which, by inferring a pipe, 
you may fill the eye with wine, and relieve the diforder; 
a remarkable proof of the minute and accurate obfervation 
of tiie ancients. The exiftenceojf fuch an opening (for it 
is, in reality, the opening of the lacrymal du£t that is al¬ 
luded to) is not known to many who profefs to praCtife on 
the difeafes of horfes at this day. Abfyrtus, a Greek 
writer, who lived about the reign of Conftantine the 
Great, and prior to Vegetius, recommends, in this difor¬ 
der, and which he calls, vuXypa., that the ear fhould be 
pierced with an awl, and a piece of white hellebore fhould 
be.inferted in the perforation for its relief. 
The following we venture to give as a more natural and 
!rue defcription of the appearances of the eye, during the 
prefence of this complaint, than what has before been ex¬ 
hibited ; though, no doubt, fubject to many omiffions and 
imperfections, which future obfervations may lead 11s to 
reCtify. The earlieft indication of this difeafe is exhibited 
by the external tranfparent parts of the ball of the eye be¬ 
coming obfeured, afluniing a blackifh giddy hue ; fome¬ 
times blue, or brown, or a dull white, and ftreaked with 
blood, according to the degree of inflammation or difien- 
iion of the blood-vefiels ; admitting, according to their 
capacity, the different parts of the blood which are not 
tranfparent; and this inflammation, it may be remarked, 
takes place more frequently in young horfes of five or 
fix years old, than in thofe of a more advanced age, and 
the upper half of the cornea generally appears more ob¬ 
feured than the lower ; this, however, may be a deception, 
arifing merely from the point of vifion, the obferver being 
placed below the eye, and feeing direCtly through the 
lower part, and more obliquely through the upper. The 
blocd-vefiefs alfo may be obferved increafed in number 
and fixe, paffing over the opake white lurface of the 
fclerotica, to the cornea and conjundiva ; for it has not, as. 
far as we knew, been ever afeertained from actual diliec- 
tion or experiment,.whether it is the cornea that is in¬ 
flamed, or the conjunctiva, or both ; nor is it ablolutely 
neceflary for the'treatment, that this fhould be known. 
The eye and eye-lids feel hotter to the hand than ufual ; 
and oftentimes there is adepofit of a white matter refem- 
bling .pus,; in the bottom of the anterior chamber of . the. 
I E R Y. 
eye, which, perhaps, proceeds from the vefTels of the ci¬ 
liary fringe, or uvea, which are large in the horfe. After 
this opacity of the cornea has exifted feme time, the eye 
of itfelf, or frill more certainly if antiphlogiftic means are 
ufed, returns to its natural brilliancy, and tbe-diforder 
feems removed ; a few weeks or months may elapfe before 
its return ; and if thefe remedies are had recourfe to very 
early, the diforder may even be permanently removed ; if 
very frequently, however, returns, and again difappears, 
and this feveral times before the inflammation of the cry* 
ftaliine, and the deftruCtion of fight take place. In other 
fttbjeCls, one uninterrupted courie pf inflammation, with¬ 
out any interval, takes place, till the cataraCl is fully 
formed. 
As perfeCt clearnefs and diftinCtnefs in all parts of the 
eye, with a due contraction of the pupils, a;e the mod 
certain indications of its goodnefs, fo the flighted aulnefs 
or opacity in the external coats, or diminution of the pu¬ 
pil, fhould lead the purchafer to be cautious; for it cannot 
be loo often obferved, that this opacity, after it has been 
of fome (landing, is almoft certain deftruCtion to the eye ; 
and there are no remedies at this time known that can pre¬ 
vent its fatal termination, though numerous attempts and 
experiments have been iiiftituted with this view ; and the 
operation for the cataraCt is ufelefs in the horfe ; for if it 
fucceeds, the vifion is Hill fo imperfeCt that blindnefs it¬ 
felf is preferable. ' 
Though various tifeful offices can be found for horfes 
that have loft their fight; yet it is of importance, for moil 
of the purpofes to which they are applied, that it fhould 
be preferved. We cannot recommend with too much force, 
' the neceffity of an early recurrence to the preferibed re¬ 
medies for deftroying the inflammation; for, at its very 
commencement, it has probably only the characters of com¬ 
mon inflammation, and might be entirely and effectually 
fubdued as in other parts ; but negleCted, this diforder 
foon afTumes its peculiar properties, arifing, perhaps, from 
the particular ftruCture and functions of the farts affected, 
and in a fiiort time becomes perfectly beyond the reach of 
any remedy ; for though, no doubt, there are a few in- 
fulated instances where this diforder has been removed, 
yet, as.the termination of the generality of cafes is of an 
oppofite nature, it would be unwarrantable to make a con- 
ciufion from fuch cafes of the general poflibility of cure 
in this complaint. 
We are not always to confider this complaint as local ; 
for when it is fo, it is much eafier of cure : but it is too 
often conftitutional, and therefore requiring peculiar re¬ 
medies and treatment; but unfortunately we have not yet 
difeovered a fpecific capable of reaching hereditary com. 
plaints. The horfe feldom perfpires in this difeafe ; and 
if he does, it,is in excefs, which (hows that the conftitu- 
tion is affected; and there is ptore or lefs a flow lingering 
fever. If the animal be bled, purged, &c. the eye will 
probably foon become clear ; but at the end of five orfix 
weeks, the other eye is feen difcoloured and inflamed ; 
this alfo gets clear; and about the fame period after¬ 
wards, the eye that was originally inflamed now again be¬ 
comes affeCted ; and fo on periodically, till the horfe be¬ 
comes totally blind in one of them. The degree of irri¬ 
tability is very various; fometimes it is fo grfcat'that the 
iris becomes afFeCled, and a little depofit of lymph may 
be obferved on its edge, and alfo at the edges of the little 
glandular bodies ; this never takes place in the human 
fubject.; for though the iris may be contracted, it is only 
in confequence of iymuathizing with the retina to prevent 
the admiffion of the rays of light. This depofit of lymph 
is mo.(l commonly at the inner angle of the iris, andon the 
edge of the fuperior glands, .and is 11 fually reckoned a hire 
indication of a fucceeding cataraCt and blindnefs. The 
cornea fometimes appears as red as if it had been waffled 
with venous blood; and neither the iris nor.pupil can 
then be feen, .which is a fure prognofis of the cornea being 
inflamed. 
It fometimes happens that the iris appears of a yellow 
colour } 
