The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-09-18
BLINDNESS AMONG HORSES.


Its Causes and Something About Preven-
tion and Proper Treatment.
1t has been stated that blindness is
more prevalent among horses in America
Than among those of other countries. If
this is the case the causes of the evil
should be investigated and removed if
possible without delay. 1t is the fact
that blindness is more prevalent among
horses in Ohio than those of any other
section of the country. The cases of
blindness are attributed in great meas
ure to overlooking, the Ohio horses be-
ing VIGOROUSLY fat. It is common
practice to force the fat upon horses in
tended for sale by stufing them princi-
pally with Indian corn, and keeping them
without service in warm, close stables.
This method of feeding soon fattens a
horse, but at the same time its digestive
functions are injured by the treatment.
1t is now believed that blindness can be
traced to sympathetic relation between
disorder of the digestive organs and the
brain, and that through the latter the
optic nerve becomes diseased and ends
in destroying the vision. Blindness is
also frequently transmitted to offspring,
and thus an evil, first originating in dis
ease, almost becomes natural defect by
hereditary descent. Errors in feeding
horses, as is well known, also produce
blind staggers and organic disease of the
brain, therefore the greatest care should
be exercised in feeding them.
In order to prevent the spread of horse
blindness it is recommended that when
ever the animal shows the least symp-
toms of the disease it should be kept on
light diet of hay and oats. A horse
may be maintained in good condition on
twelve pounds of hay and five pounds of
oats for daily feed. In breeding horses
it is also recommended that all animals
showing the least symptoms of organic
disease be rejected.
One of the first symptoms incident to
blindness, which any person may readily
notice, is the disposition of the animal
to raise his forelegs unnecessarily high,
while, at the same time, the ears are
drawn back and forth in quick success
sion, and thus giving sure evidence that
the sagacious animal is sounding the
ground over which he travels. These
are the principal ideas advanced by most
veterinarians respecting the cause of prev
alent horse blindNess in our country and
a mode of arresting the spread of the
evil. There are some other causes of
this disease which appear more evident,
any Of which are perfectly capable Of
removal. Blind horses are more COM
mon in cities than in the rural districts.
This is principally caused by bad sta
bles. Many of them are underground
cellars, and with few exceptions all
stables are too small. They do not adj
nit a sufficient quantity of fresh air for
ventilation and respiration, and this al
ways tends to injure the health of the
animals. Light is as essential to the
health of horses as that of men, and yet
most stables are nearly as dark as dun
geons. 1t would be far better for most
of the horses in our cities to be kept in
open sheds than in the stables commonly
provided for them.
! am also positive that eyeblinds on
the harness tend to injure the eyes of
horses, and as they are totally useless
and unsightly appendages they should
be abandoned entirely. The open bride
has become more common, but it should
be universal. Tight, close collars, which
squeeze the eyes Of horses in putting
them on, are also very injurious to the
eyes of the animals. / have known one
case of permanent injury to the eyes of
an excellent horse from this cause. Car
rage and draft horses should be pro-
vided with divided collars, secured either
at the top OF bottom, so that they are not
required to be forced over the heads of
the animals.-New York World.