Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-08-10
Removal OF t'ilaria From q
Horses Eye.

A Baltimore letter to the Atlanta
Constitution says:
Recently Dr. Thomas W. Sprank-
lin, assisted by Veterinary Surgeon
John S. Cotton. successfully remoy-
cd living worm or snake" from
the eve OF an old mare belonging to
Mr.. Stansberry, of Patapsco Neck,
Md The animal. dark bay, about
fifteen and a half hands high, has
been in the stables of Rice & Mar
shall, on North Frederick street, for
several days, and has attracted
good deal of attention from the GU
rious. The parasite is technically
known as filaria oculi equinus, was
three inches long and had the gener-
al appearance of piece of gray silk
thread. 1t had It's abiding place ir
the aqueous humor of the mares left
eye, and was in a state of incessant
motion, wriggling about after tn e
manner Of the animalcules seen in q
drop of water under a microscope.
1t was first noticed in the mares
eye about six months ago, when it
was so small as TO lie barely discerni-
BILE. 1t grew steadily until it attain
ed present size. 1t was never still a
moment, but kept up its activity
without pause day or night. The
poor old mare was kept in a state
of perpetual nervous excitement by it
and wasted away. till her ribs pro-
truded through her rusty coat, and
her hanks were as thin as it was pos
sible for anything Of flesh to be.
Many showmen visited her and offer
ed to buy her for exhibiting purposes,
but her owner would not sell.
DR.. Spranklin began his operation
by securely binding the old mare so
that she could not move, aud then
laid her down on her right side. Then
her left eve was treated with solu-
ton made of ninety-three parts OF
rosewater and seven parts Of cocaine,
Small quantities of this solution were
dropped into the eye, at intervals Of
five mirutes, seven or eight times,
until partial aue sthesia was obtained
and it could be touched by the finger
without pain to the animal.
Then an incision was made in the
eye from the canthus or corner, be-
tween the cornea or eyeball and the
sclero,ic coat or white of the eye.
The incision was made at about
right angles with the eyelid, and SO
that il would be almost wholly coz
cred by it when in its normal posi-
ton. The instrument was kept in
the wound until the aqueous humof
had exuded. Then it was still re-
tanned in position, and used as o
guide for a pair OF very delicate
forceps, whose blades were inserted
into the opening.
The lance was then removed, and
nt. Spracklin, placing the index fin
ger of his left hand upon the oppo.
site side Of the cornea, gently but
firmly pushed the parasite towards
the blades of the forceps. 1t was so
; very active that four or five times it
wiggled away from their grasp At
last he was able to get tight bold
upon it and draw it out. 1t was
very lively and lived for several min
utes, in fact, until it was placed for
preservation in small vial of alco'
hol. The lips of the incision were
drawn together and closed in q flap,
the aqueous humor again flowed into
and filled the cornea, and in less tLan
three quarters of an hour the old
mare was back in her stall eating as
calmly as though such a thing as
delicate surgical operation was beyond
her ken
DR.. Spranklin is firmly of the opin-
ion that unless inflammation should
ensue from want OF proper nursing of
the eye, it will soon be as well as ii
ever was, both in appearance and
strength of sight As to how the
worm got into the animals eye, be
inclnes to the idea that its germ was
taken into the mares system through
water which she drank