Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-12-24
DELICATE oPERAT,oN.-,
HOW . Snake Was Successfully Reno,
 from 2 Mare's Eye.

D ow Snake Was Successfully Removed
 from 2 Mares Eye.
 A Baltimore correspondent writes to the Cincinnati Enquirer that, few days ago.
 pr. Thomas W. Spranklin, assisted by Veterinary Surgeon John S. Colton, sue. ;cessfully removed a living worm or
 snake" from the eye of an old mare be-
 longing to Mir. Stansberry, of Patapsco
 Neck, Md. The animal, a dark bay, about
 nfteen and half hands high, has attracted
 good deal of attention from the curious.
 The parasite, technically known as tlaria
 ocuh equinus, was three inches long and had the general appearance of a piece of
 gray silk thread. It had it's abiding place Tn the aqueous humor of the mare's left eve. ana was III state of incessant motion.
 WrlgSlng about after the manner of the anlmalcule seen in a drop of water under under a microscope. It was first noticed in the mares eye about six months ago, when It was so small as to be barely discernible. It grew steadily until it attained it's present slze 1t was never still a moment, but kept Sp US activity, without pause day or night. 1Ee poor old mare was kept in a state of perpetual nervous excitement by it and wasted away until her ribs almost protruded through her rusty coat, and her Hanks were as thln as It was possible for any thing of hesh to be. Many showmen visited her and offered to buy her for exhibition pur. poses, but her owner would not sell her .o them.
 rms was the second authenticated case of the kind on record ln America. The other was ln New York and was operated on by Dr. Pomeroy at the New York America, Veterinary College about ten or twelve years ago. The animal was placed under the influence of chloroform and the worn, removed but, having some heart trouble, it died under the operation.
 Dr. Spranklin began his operation bv se. curely binding the old mare so that she could not move and then laid her down on her right side. Then her left eye was treated With a solution made of ninety-three parts of rose-Water and seven parts of cococaine Small quantities of this solution were dropped into the eye, at intervals of five minutes, seven or eight times until partial anesthesis was obtained and it could be touched by the finger without pain to the animal. Ihen an lnclsion was made in the eye rom the outer canthus, or corner, be- tween the cornea, or eye ball and the sclero- tic coat, or white of the eye. The incision was made by means of a sharp lance shaped like an arrowhead. The incision was made at about right angles with the eyelid. and so that it would be almost wholly covered by it when in its normal po- t1on. Tho instrument was kept in the wound until aqueous humor had exuded. Then it was still retained in position and used as guide for pair of very delicate spring forceps, whose blades were inserted into the opening. The lance was then r,, moved and pr. Spranklin, placing the index finger of his left hand upon the opposite side of the corner, gently but firmly pushed the parasite toward the blades of the forceps It was so very active that four or five times 1t 7vriggled away from their grasp. At last nc was able to get tight hold upon it and draw 1t out. It was very lively and lived Tor several minutes-in fact until it was placed for preservation in small vial of alcohol The lips of the incision were drawn together and closed in flap, tho aoueous humor again flowed into and filled the cor ner, and in less than three-quarters of an hour the old fnare was back in her stall eat ng as calmly as though such thing as a aallGate surgical operation was beyond her ken.
 Dr. SpranlSlin is firmly of tho opinion that lnless inflammation should ensue from want of proper nursing of the eye.it will soon be as well as it ever was, both in ap- oearance and strength of sight As to how 'he worm got into the animals eye he in- | 'lines to the idea that it's germ was taken | nto the mares system through water which | she drank.