EXTRACTS FROM FOREIGN JOURNALS. 
471 
mare, extremely troublesome and nervous; in fact, it was with 
the utmost difficulty that anything like a good view of the eye 
could be obtained. I therefore cast her, when the parasite was 
clearly seen wriggling about in the aqueous humor. There was 
slight inflammation, with partial opacity of the lower portion of 
the cornea, involving nearly one-half of its surface, which was 
undoubtedly brought about by the case having been allowed to 
go too far before surgical aid was sought for, as the worm had 
been noticed in the eye fifteen days before the mare was brought 
to me. 
This operation, although by no means new, has, I venture to 
think, never before been performed by the aid of this new local 
anaesthetic. Therefore I trust a short history of the operation 
and the drug will not be without interest. 
I procured a solution containing one grain of cocaine in 
twenty-five minims of water, or of a strength of 4 per cent. The 
membraua nictitans was held back, and the solution painted over 
the surface of the cornea, conjunctiva and eye-lids, with a camel’s 
hair brush. In about ten to twelve minutes complete anaesthesia 
had taken place, with considerable dilation of the pupil. I then 
made a small puncture with the point of a Macnamara cataract 
knife, well guarded with lint, at the upper portion of the cornea, 
through which the filaria escaped. In a little less than twenty 
minutes sensation returned to the eye. No inflammation fol¬ 
lowed the operation, and the case has done well from the first. 
The opacity is gradually disappearing, and patient will be dis¬ 
charged in a few days. I have found from considerable experi¬ 
ence of these cases, that there is no instrument equal to the Mac¬ 
namara knife. 
This new local anaesthetic cannot but prove of»the utmost 
value in veterinary practice, more especially in operations on the 
eye. It has only one drawback, and that is its high price. Pre¬ 
viously, in operations of this kind, I always administered chloro¬ 
form with the best results, and of course, although I have never 
had any accidents with chloroform on the horse, still the danger 
attending its use, compared with the cocaine, is great indeed. 
Therefore the latter must, for the future, act as a valuable and 
