Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-09-05
pLlNDNlss AMONG Hoases.



Its Cause. aud Something About Proven
ton and Proper Treatment
II has been stated that blindness 1,
moro prevalent among horses In America
than among those Of other countries II
this Is tho case the causes Of the owl
should he investigated aud removed II
possible without delay. Il is tho fact
that blindness Il moro prevalent among
horses In Ohio than those Of any other
section Of the country. Tho eases 81
Blindness are attributed In great meas
ure to overlooking, tho Ohio horses b..
iug notonously fat II IL q common
practice 10 force tho fnt upon horol IN.
tended for sale by Ituihng them princi.
paly with Indian corn, aud keeping them
without service In warm. close siahlca
This method OF feeding soon fattens a
horse, but ut tho same time It's digestive
functions are injured by tho treatment.
IL Ia now believed that blindness eau DO
traced 10 n sympathetic relation between
disorder Of the digestive organs and the
brain. and that through tho latter the
optic nerve becomes diseased aud ends
In destroying tho vision. Blindness is
also frequently transmitted 10 Offspring,
and thus an owl. fr1t orr ginatlng In dis
ease. almost becomes natural defect by
hereditary descent Errors In feeding
horses, "a Is woll known. also produce
blind staggers and organic disease Of the
brain, therefore tho greatest care should
10 exercised In feeding them.
In order TO prevent tho spread Of horao
blindness II IL recommended that when.
ever tho animal shows tho least symp-
toms Of tho disease II should DO kept on
n light diet Of hay and oats a hone
may DO maintained In good condition ON
twelve pounds Of hay and five pounds Of
oats for daily feed. In breeding homes
u 10 also recommended that all animals
allowing the least symptoms Of organic
disease DO rejected.
ono Of tho iirst symptoms Incident 10
blindness, which any person may readily
notice, IA the dispostion Of tho animal
10 rniso his forrlOgl unnecessarily high,
while, NJ tho same time. tho cans arc
drawn back and forth In quick succca.
sion, and thus giving surn evidence that
tho sagacioua animal "a sounding the
ground over which no travels. Theaa
are tho principal ideas advanced by most
veterinarians respecting tho causooi pruv-
Hlent horse blindness In our country aud
u mode Of aucsting the spread OF tho
owl Thoro aro some other causes u
this disease which appear more evident.
any Of which arc perfectly capable 81
removal. Blind horses arc more com.
inon IN cities than IA the rural districts.
This is principally caused by bad sta.
bles. Many VI them arc underground
cellars, and with few exceptions all
stables arc too small They do not al.
init sufficient quantity OF fresh air for
ventilation and respiration, aud this al.
ways tends 10 injuro tho health OF tho
animals Light 10 M essential TO tho
health Of horses IA that of men, and vet
most stables are nearly as dark rs dun.
gconA. II would be- far better for most
OF the horses Ia our cities TO be- kept IN
open sheds than Ia the stables commonly
provided for them.
l am also positive that cyohllnds on
tho harness tend 10 iuiurc the eyes Of
homes, and as they are totally useless
and unsightly appandage- they should
be abandoned entirely. Tho open bride
has become more common, but II should
be universal, Tight, close collars, which
squeeze the eyes Of horses IN putting
them on, arc also very injurious to tho
eyes of the animals. have known one
case Of permanent injury TO tho eyes Of
nm excellent horse from this cause, Car.
riagc and draft horses should be pro.
vided with divided collars secured either
at tho top OF bottom, 10 that they are not
required TO DO forced over the heads Of
tho anlmals.-New Yulk World.