The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1860-12-21
Blind staggers.
From The Southern Homestead

| proper to describe the indications OF it.
approach, the causes which produce il ir
the horse, and the remedies requisite Il
save life. Its approach may be discover
ell by The horses partial blindness, eythei
in one eye or both. Secondly, by HE
staggering to the right or left losing hi,
balance, laundering over whatever oh
stacles may fall in his path, plungin.
recklessly and insensibly, and often
throwing himselfprostrate, and trembling
his eyes CLASSY, evincing the greatest
mental and physical agony--sometimes
his eyes are closed, and seemingly over
come with stupor, wake up suddenly, and
fall quickly back into drowsiness from
which he seldom RECEIVERS.
CAusEs:--It is brought on by the horse
snuiling up his nostrils, the fine warm
dust of the rotton worm.eaten corn,
which is so abundant this season every
where, and which is as fine as flower and
a deadly poison. In breathing, he in
hales this pulverizcd poison, and it fills
up, and obstructs the. lachrymal tube-a
small organ-about an inch from the end
of the nose of the horse, and about the
size of q common pea, when expanded;
1t is situated in the back part of the nos
tril, just where the blue and red Innings
connect-thcre are other smaller tubes
higher up the nostril, too minute to be
discovered, without magnifying glasses
when so obstructed. they tester and swell,
and nigh state of inflammation is set up,
and the water from the eyes cannot be
discharged, consequently the nerves of
the eyes are instantly infamed, produc-
ing blindness, and thus communicate
with the brain, and produce dcrange-
ment, and almost certain death.
With a view to master this disease, so
fatal to the docile and generous animal,
| have recently dissected three heads: one
fresh. one dead week, and a dry head.
and have thoroughly satisfied myself,
not only as to the exact anatomy and pc
culiar formation of the head, but as to
the true cause of the blindness and in
sanity OF the horse, afflicted with blind
staggers. This lachrymal tube extends
from its outlet, up the cheek of the
horse to the lower corner of the eve, and
furnishes the channel through which the
water of the eye is discharged. and just
opposite, at the back corner of the eye,
there is another tube, extending directly
into the brain, in which is found the OPP
tic or right nerve. ] ran q straw from
the end of the nostril up into the eye
through the lachrymal tube, ard one
from the brain through the optic tube,
and they crossed precisely in the centre
of the ball, thus showing the initiation
in the tube, leading from the nostril to
the eye, would not only form sympathy,
but from direct contact produce inlama-
ton and arrangement OF brain, and con-
sequent death.
REMEDIEs:-Take fine soft feather and
oil it, and insert 1t in the small lachrymal
gland or tube, and cleanse it of the mat
ter collected-then make a swab to fit
the nostril. and dip it in No. 6, or spirits
of turpentine or any similnr stimulating
medicine, and swab the nostril well, six
or seven inches up it, so rs not only to
open those smaller tubes, but excite and
stimulate the whole inner surface, and
thereby cleanse the tubes, which con-
meet themselves with the eye restoring
instantly the sight, and relieving the
brain from madness and partial derlnge-
ment. Secondly, give an ounce of aloes,
or pint of salt, dissolved in quart of
warm water every hour, till his bowels
are freely acted on, so as to pioduce re-
taxation of the system, and aid the other
remedies in reducing the initiation of eye
and brain-and betore all. bleed the horse
in both neck veins till he falls or Gaints,
if down run the small blade of your
knife entirely through his nose, just up
in the cavities which run up each side OF
the nose, insert it entirely through,
about an inch below the fork, under the
nose bone, which will let the blood from
all those organs Immediately around the
eye and brain-it will bleed prolusely,
but will stop of itself. The swab up the
nostril may be used till the nose bleeds
freely, as there is very thin delicate
membrane separating the tube or orifice,
which conducts the water from the eyes,
from the inner surface of the nostril;
thus the bleeding does great good.
The causes above assigned are the true
and only causes, of every species of stag
gers, and the stomach has nothing to dc
with the disease and if the above rene
dies are resorted 10 in any instance, five
hours before death, in large majority Of
cases the horse will be saved. Treat him
gently for several days. keeping him en-
tirely from grain, and feeding him OF
hay or fodder. b. NJ. EDNEY.
NpytrcesJoroDgh, Tenn.