FARRIERY.

387

which, becoming opaque, prevents the admission of those raysupon the retina that constitute just and distinct vision. Thedisorder, called moon eyes, is only a cataract forming. Itnukes its appearance when a horse is rising at six, at which timeone eye becomes clouded, the eye-lids being swelled, and veryoften shut up ; anil a thin water generally runs from the di-casedeye down the cheek, so sharp as sometimes to excoriate the skin;the veins of the temple, under the eye, and along the nose, areturgid and full: though sometimes it happens that the eye runsbut little. This disorder comes and goes till the cataract whitens;then all pain and running terminate, and the horse becomes totallyblind, which is generally in about two years. During this timesome horses have more frequent returns than others; which con-tinue in some a week or more, in other; three or four ; returningonce in two or three months, and they are seldom so long as fivewithout a relapse.

There is another kind of Moos Di.indnfss, which is also theforerunner of cataracts, wlvrr no discharge of weeping attends.Tlte eye is never shut up or closed, but now and then looks thickand troubled, at which time the horse sees nothing distinctly, it isnot unusual in this case for one eye to escape. In all blemishesor defects, w here a thickening of some one of the coats, mem-branes, or humours, of the eye, has formed an appearance of cata-ract or lilm, it lias been an established custom among most far-riers to bestow a plentiful application of corrosive powders, un-guents, and. solutions, for the purposes of obliteration ; withoutreflecting (as Mr. Taplin observes) upon tlie absurdity of endea-vouring to lie-true by corrosion, what is absolutely separated fromthe surface by a variety of membranous coverings, according tothe distinct seat of disease; with which it is impossible to bring theintended remedy into contact; without first destroying the inter-vening or surrounding parts by which the inner delicate structureis so numerously guarded. Hut in all disorders of this sort, w I te-ther moon eyes or confirmed cataracts with a weeping, generalevacuations with internal alteratives can only take place. Indeedthe attempts to cure cataracts have hitherto generally producedonly a palliation of the symptoms and sometimes have proved en-tirely destructive. Yet early care, it is said, has in some instancesproved successful. To this end rowclling is prescribed, withbleeding at proper intervals, except where the eyes appear sunkand perishing. It is also directed, during the violence of thesymptoms to observe a cooling treatment; giving the horse twoounces of nitre every day mixed into a hall with honey; and bath-ing the parts above the eye with verjuice or vinegar, whereinrose-leaves are infused, to four ounces of which half a drachm ofsugar of lead raav be added. The swelling on the lid may after-wards be bathed with a sponge dipt in equal parts of lime andHungary water mixed together; and the cooling laxative drink,No. )2, should be given every fourth day, till the eve becomesclear. J’lie haws are a swelling and sponginess that grows in theinner corner of the eye, so large sometimes as to cover a part ofthe eye. The operation here is easily performed by cutting partof it away; but the farriers are apt to cut awav too much: theWound maybe dressed with honey of roses; and if a fungus orspongy flesh arises, it should be sprinkled with burnt alum, ortouched with blue vitriol.

Of Strains.

In all strains, it uniformly happens, that the muscular or ten-dinous fibres are overstretched; and sometimes ruptured or broke.1 o form, therefore, a true idea of these disorders, let us first con-sider every muscle and tendon as composed of springy elasticfibres, which have a proper power of their own to contract and ex-tend themselves; or, to make their action more familiar, let uscompare them to a piece of catgut, that we may the better judgewith what propriety oilv medicines are directed for their cure,thus, then, if, by a violent extension of this catgut, you had soo\ erstretclied it as to destroy its springiness or elasticity, and wereinclined to recover its lost tone, would you for that purpose thinkot soaKing it in oil? And is not the method of treating strains, oroverstretched muscles and tendons, full as preposterous, when you

athe or soak them in oily medicines, at a time that they want re-» tangents to brace them up? Yet custom has so established thispractice, and fallacious experience seemingly so confirmed it, that

would be a difficult task to convince the illiterate and preju-

ced o[ the absurdity, who, by attributing effects to wrong causes,

are led into this error, and the oils usurp the reputation that is dueonly to rest and quiet: they seem, however, to be aware of the illconsequences b\ their adding the hot oils, as spike, turpentine,and origanum; which, though they in some measure guard againstthe too suppling quality of the other oils, yet the treatment is stilltoo relaxing to be of real service. Indeed, in all violent strainsof either tendons or muscles, whatever opin’ou we may entertainof bathing and anointing with favourite nostrums, which often suc-ceed in slight cases, where perhaps bandage; alone would havedone; vet it is the latter, with pro|«'ily resting the relaxed fibres,till they have thoroughly recovered their tone, that are the chiefthings to be depended on; and some month- are often necessaryfor effecting the cure. All violent strains of the ligaments, whichconnect the bones together, especially those of the thigh, requiretime, and turning out to grass, to bring about a perfect recovery.F.xternal applications can avail but little, the parts affected lyingloo deep, and so surrounded with muscles that medicine cannotpenetrate to them. The sooner, in these cases, ahorse is turnedout to grass, the better; as the gentle motion in the field will pre-vent the ligaments and synovia from thickening, and of course thejoin! itself from growing stiff. When a horse’s shoulder is over-strained, lie doer, not put out that leg as the other; but, to preventpain, sets the sound foot hardily on the ground to save the other;even though he he turned short* on the laine side, which motiontries him most of any. V’hcn trotted in band, instead of puttinghi; leg forward in a right line, be forms a circle w ith the lame leg;and when he stands in the stable, that leg is advanced before theother. To cure this lameness, the practice is fir-t to bleed him,though perhaps this might as well be dispensed with; as in allcases where there arc no positive inflammatory symptoms, bleed-ing only protracts the cure by weakening the system. Next letthe whole shoulder be well bathed thrice a-dav with hot verjuiceor vinegar, in which are sal ammoniac, opodeldoc, No. 32, or twoparts of camphorated spirits and one of oil of turpentine mixed.Soap dissolved in vinegar has been also prescribed ; but this is im-practicable as it will not dissolve in that or any other acid. Whenthe strained part is very much swelled, it should be fomented withwoollen cloths, large enough to cover the whole, wrung out ofboiling water, and applied as hot as po-sible; a little brandy andvinegar, (equal parts of each,) being previously sprinkled uponthem. They should be kept upon the part till they begin to cool,and then others should be applied as before. ’I bis must be re-peated six or seven times. ’Die last should be bound on with adrv one over it, to keep up a constant perspiration. Sometimesfomentations are made with a strong decoction of aromatic andemollient herbs: such as southernwood, wormwood, chamomileand elder flowers, mallows, Ac. When the shoulder is muchswelled, a rowel in the point of it often does great service ; especi-ally if the strain has been very violent, and the swelling very-large: but as to boring up the shoulder with a hot iron, and after-wards inflating it, it is both a cruel and absurd treatment: and thepegging up the sound foot, or setting on a patten shoe, to bring thelame shoulder on a stretch, is a most preposterous practice, amidirectly calculated to render a horse incurably lame; for it canonly be necessary in cases the very opposite to this, where the mus-cles have been long contracted, and we want to stretch (hem out.Where poultices can be applied, they are at first undoubtedly verveffectual, after bathing with hot vinegar or verjuice; and are tobe preferred greatly to cold charges, which, by drying so soon onthe part, keep it stiff and uneasy: let them he prepared with oat-meal, rve-flour, or bran boiled up in vinegar, strong beer, or redwine lets, with lard enough, to prevent their growing stitf; andwhen bv these means the inflammation and swelling are broughtdown, bathe the parttwice a-dav with either of the above mixtures,opodeldoc, or camphorated spirit ot wine ; and roll tlie part threeor four inches, both above and below, with a strong linen roller ofabout two fingers width ; w hich contributes not a little to the re-covery, by bracing up the relaxed tendon ; and perhaps is moreto be depended on than the applications themselves. In strains ofthe coffin joint, that have not been discovered in time, the curewill be extremely difficult. Strains of the back sinews are vervcommon ; and are easily discovered by the swelling, which ex-tends sometimes from the back side of the knee down to the her),but for the most part the hor-csets that foot before the other. Thetendon should he well bathed three or four times a-dav with hotvinegar; and if much swelled, apply the poultices above recom-mended :