James Law

“ In examining animals for soundness and especially the horse or dog, the condition of the eye must be made one of the most important subjects of inquiry, as a disease or defect may render the animal altogether unsuited to the object to which it is destined. As in every other field of diagnosis thoroughness is largely dependent on the adoption of a system which will stand in the way of any flaw being too hastily overlooked. ”

“ With fore limbs strapped up, the animal soon exhausts himself in his efforts to disengage them and escape, and lies down completely reconciled to his fate. He may now be accustomed to his objects of terror—the opening and closing of an umbrella, or the waving of a flag over his head, the discharge of a gun close to his ear, the passing of car or locomotive, or any other object of his dread. When allowed to get up he will usually pay no further attention to these things, especially if patted and spoken to encouragingly, and perhaps fed apple or sugar, or something of which he is fond. ”

“ The conjunctiva, the cornea, the sclerotic or iris may be implicated in the lesion in different cases, so that such wounds are of the most varied degree of gravity. If, however, the lesion is confined to the lid, and in the absence of absolute detachment of the flap, or severe contusion, a good repair may be confidently hoped for. The vascularity and reparatory powers of the eyelid are unusually great, and the looseness of the skin, connective tissue, mucosa, and even the muscles is such that they do not draw injuriously upon the edges of the wound to disturb the process of cicatrization. ”

“ That bacteria may be present without serious injury is undoubted. The protective power of the healthy mucosa is very great. But when the mucosa is weakened, microbes that would otherwise be harmless, find a ready infection atrium, and triumph over the weakened tissues. Hence retention of urine and overdistension of the bladder as in urethral calculus, blocking of the urethra by a parasite, spasm of the sphincter vesicæ, compulsory retention as in the mare in harness, the dog kept indoors, or in railway car on a long journey, or in mares so travelling, may become the occasion of cystitis. ”

“ With a disease so fatal prevention should be the first consideration and especially when it appears in an enzootic form. Even in the absence of a definite knowledge of its germ or toxin, it is logical to avoid the locality, condition, food or water by which such germ or toxin has presumably entered the system, together with every unhygienic condition, which may have reduced the resistance of the system and laid it open to the attack. The animals should be removed to a clean, airy, building and the old one should be thoroughly emptied, purified and whitewashed, the lime-wash containing 4 ozs. ”

“ The horse that is blind can go to pasture or be driven in harness with safety, but the one that sees all objects distorted or blurred is liable to become a shyer endangering the life of his rider or driver. The greater number of cataracts in horses come from recurrent ophthalmia and are associated with opacity of the vitreous, detachment of the retina, exudates in the choroid, degeneration of the optic nerve, or other lesion which of itself would destroy vision. ”

“ The balking horse is one that obstinately refuses to perform a piece of work for which his physical condition seems to be well adapted. The willfulness of the refusal is the important feature. In case of such a serious drawback to the value of a horse, the presumption of fraud on the part of the seller is unavoidable, in case he failed to mention the habit to the purchaser, but of course this is even more emphatically certified if he has warranted the animal as a good worker, or kind, or true in work. ”

“ Clover, alfalfa, and a generous grain diet may serve as an example for herbivora, and a fair allowance of meat and bones for dogs. Food from land that has apparently contributed to the disease in other cases is best avoided. If the land is poor, sandy, or destitute of earthy salts and phosphates, so much the more is it to be suspected and set aside. In the case of sucking animals it should be seen that the milk is rich and abundant, and that it is not too rich in fat, nor otherwise calculated to disagree and induce indigestion. ”

“ Crossing with a strange male having many of the desirable qualities of the herd, but which is more vigorous may be resorted to. When the secretion of urine becomes scanty an abundance of pure water, or a diet of succulent grass or roots or ensilage or even small doses of alkaline diuretics may be resorted to. Any source of arsenic or phosphorus poisoning should be cut off, and as an antidote to phosphorus, oil of turpentine may be given in small doses. This agent may, indeed, replace the alkalies as a diuretic, bringing in an element of tone for the mucosa which is not to be despised. ”

“ Friedberger and Fröhner found apoplexy quite frequent in sheep, ox. and dog, and rare in the horse, although more subject to the violent exertion which they put in the front of all causes. It is probable that the sluggish, pampered life of the first three animals, and the tendency to fatty degenerations and heart disease introduces a special predisposition as it does in man, while the horse, inured to an open air life and a vigorous muscular condition, is comparatively immune. Bright’s disease is a common cause in the human subject, with its resulting cardiac hypertrophy. ”

“ The symptoms of uncomplicated meningitis on the one hand and encephalitis on the other are rarely seen, the disease usually implicating more or less both brain and meninges, in a common inflammation or the symptoms of the one involving those of the other through proximity or interdependence of function. And yet in traumatic lesions of the cranial walls, the symptoms may be those of pure meningitis, and in thrombosis, embolism or parasitism of the brain, and in certain tumors they may be those of simple encephalitis. ”

“ In traumas, too, the cornea and even the aqueous or vitreous humor may be opaque. In cases resulting from exposure to cold or from internal causes, the media of the eye are at first clear and transparent. The condition of the interior of the eye is usually to be learned by examining the patient as he stands facing the light from a dark back ground. A stable door or window will afford the requisite amount of rays falling from above and from each side upon the interior of the eye. The observer looks indirectly or obliquely and under favorable conditions can see the iris and through the pupil. ”