I 
CONTAGIOUS OPHTHALMIA IN CATTLE. 
443 
This outbreak, unlike the one previously mentioned, was read¬ 
ily traced to its origin, and was undoubtedly due to the introduc¬ 
tion of the diseased calf brought from Illinois. I first saw the 
cases in July, but owing to lack of means for complete isolation 
of the patients, the spread of the disease could not be arrested. 
Many of the herd were so wild that no treatment could be applied, 
unless they were lassoed and tied, the excitement of which did 
more harm than the treatment did good. Some of the more quiet 
animals were placed in dark stalls, and put under atropine treat¬ 
ment. This remedy produces very favorable results when adopted 
early in the disease (if properly applied), but it is worse than use¬ 
less when applied to animals running at large. 
That this disease is not identical with simple catarrhal oplr 
thalmia seems patent: for all the symptoms are more severe, the 
eyelids more oedematous, hot and red, the palpebree and ocular 
conjunctive more injected and swollen, while the papillae are more 
turgid and prominent. The discharge is purulent, thicker, more 
copious, and unquestionably contagions. 
Unlike simple catarrhal ophthalmia, the inflammation is not 
confined to the conjunctiva, but by extension involves the sub¬ 
conjunctival tissue, causing not only a secretion of muco-purulent 
discharge on the free surface of the conjunctiva, but a sero-plastic 
lymph infiltration of the substance of this membrane. So, also, is 
the cornea more often and more seriously implicated. 
At the commencement of the disease, the patient sometimes 
suffers most severely, for as the rapid swelling of the lids comes 
on, he makes frantic efforts to rub the parts against the stall, 
fence, ground or forelegs, and some moan or even bellow from 
pain. The lining membrane of the lids, on eversion, is found to 
be very vascular, swollen and red. The ocular conjunctiva is also 
abnormally red and swollen. At first there is only considerable 
laehrymation, but the discharge soon becomes muco-purulent in 
character, and contains floating flakes of yellow pus and broken 
down epithelial cells. 
The cornea usually becomes cloudy from infiltration during 
the second or third day. This infiltration is most marked in the 
centre, and may cause the membrane to become so opaque as to 
make the subject temporarily blind. The pressure of the greatly 
