The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-03-10
How Horses Eyes arc Injured

1t has been observed that or all d0nes'
tic animals the horse is the most afflicted
with diseases of the eye. Some Of these
ailments are hereditary aud from un.
known causes, others-and these are OF
a painful frequency-are inherited, and
their origin may be readily traced.
Of this latter class of causes may be men,
toned: insufficient of bad arrangement
of light in stables, blinken; high racks
for feeding; ammonia fumes in stalls, tho
wbipl Although the eyes of the horse is
we'll adapted for seeing at night, yet be il
not nocturnal animal, so the daylight
should be admitted to it, A dimly
lighted stable imposes on the horse sud-
den changing from twilight to broad sun.
light, which cannot fail to weaken the
sight. If the windows are arranged on
one side or the other of a stall, the horse's
head will be directed mostly to the side
from. which the light comes; one eye will
be more in the shade than the other, both.
eyes will be strained from being exposed
to unequal light. Ifthe window is direct
ly in front of the stall, glare of light
directed toward the eyes with binding
effect, which is very injurious. Probably
the best arrangement for lighting sta
bles is by means of skylight or win.
dows near the ceiling.
Much has been said against blinkers,
yet their use continues to considerable
extent. Ifthe eyes ofthe horse, like those
of the man, were directed forward, blink
era might prove uncomfortable, bu. not
injurious. The range of vision in the
horse is much greater than in man; by
limiting this range of vision and allowing
it forward direction only-which il not
nature-the muscles Of the eyes become
strained aud their strength impaired.
1t is not reasonable to suppose that
the timid, nervous horse, that starts
at every unusual sight or sound, would
be inspired with more confidence if al
lowed to see all there is to be seen than
if strsining the eyes painfully to see ob.
jects terrible to him just back of the
blinkers. The position a horses head
has to assume when feeding from high
rack is the one most favorable for chatf
or other hurtful matter from the hay to
fall into the eyes. The most serious in
jury commonly arising from this cause
is from the boards of grain. The sharp
little hooks or prickles on these attach
themselves to the eye in such way that
the wafer from the tear gland cannot wash
out the boards; Inflammation follows,
and even the most judicious treatment
cannot always bare the eye. .
Probably every one is familiar with
the effects of sniff from grandma's bottle
of hartshorn or smelling salts-which is
only ammonia under other names-and
imagine how unendurable continuous
application of the fumes would be.
Ofcourse the ammonia fumes arising
in even a very badly kept stable would
not be 50 concentrated as those from the
salts, yet they are of sufficient strength
to seriously injure the sensitive and deli.
cately organized eye of a horse.
Well constructed floor, good manage
ment and cleanliness are perfect remedies
for this enemy. Of Ill the causes OF
blindness in our noble, docile and useful
friends none prick us 80 sharply with
our unworthiness to possess such animals
a. when it is caused by the use of the whip.
No excuse can be made for such accidents
whether done in wantou carelessness or
by cruel intent.