The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-09-12
nLlnDNses AMONG HORSES
ITS Causes and Something About Pfeven-
tion and Proper Treatment.

ITS Causes and Something About Pteven-
tion and Proper Treatment.
This is subject OF very general inn
portance. 1t has been stated that blind
ness is more prevalent among horses in
America than among those of other
countries. II this is the case the causes
of the evil should be investigated and
removed II possible without delay. II
Is the fact that blindness is more prevas
lent among horses in Ohio than those OF
any other section of the country. The
cases of blindness are attributed in a
great measure to overlooking, the Ohio
horses being notoriously fat. 1t is a
common practice in that state to force
the fat upon horses intended for sale by
Etufilng them principally with Indian
corn. and keeping them, without much
service, in warm, close stables. This
method of feeding soon fattens horse
but at the same time its digestive func-
tious are injured by the treatment. 1t
is now believed that the blindness can
be traced to a sympathetic relation be-
tween disorder of the digestive organs
and tho brain, and that through the
latter tue optic nerve becomes diseased
and ends in destroying the vision.
Blindnvss is also frequently transmitted
to offspring, and thus an evil, first origi.
mating in disease, almost becomes a
natural defect by hereditary descent.
Errors in feeding horses as is well
known, also produce blind-staggers,
stomach-staggers and organic diseases
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 thai
whenever the animal shows the least
symptoms of the disease it should be
kept on a light diet of hay and oats A
horse may be maintained in good condi
ton on twelve pounds of hay and five
pounds of oats for daily feed. In breed
ing horses it is also recommended thai
all animals showing the leastsymptom'
OF organic disease be rejected.
One of the first symptoms incident tc
blindness-which any person may read
lily notice-is the disposition of the ami
NAL to raise his forelegs unnecessarily
high, while, at the same time, the eari
are drawn back and forth in quick sue
cession, 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 thu
cause of prevalent horse blindness il
our country and a mode of arrestin(
the spread of the evil. There are somt
other causes of this disease which ap
pear more evident, any of which ar,
perfectly capable of removal. Blint
horses are more common in cities thai
in the rural districts. This is principal
ly caused by bad stables. Many O
them are under ground cellars, and
with few exceptions, all stables are to-
small They do not admit a sufficien
quantity of fresh air ventilation an
respiration, and this always tends to in
jure the health of the animals. Ligh
is as essential to the health of horses a
that of men, and yet most stables ar
nearly as dark as dungeons. 1t woul
be far better for most of the horses i
our cities to be kept in open sheds tha
in the stables commonly provided TO
them.
am also positive that eye-blinds o.
the harness tend to injure the eyes G
horses, and as they are totally useles
and unsightly appcndages they shoul
be abandoned entirely. The open br
die has become more common, but
should be universal. Tight, close col
lars, which squeeze the eyes of horse
in putting them on, are also very iniul
ious to the eyes of the animals 1 hav
known one case of permanent injur
to the eyes of an excellent horse fror
this cause. Carriage and draugh
horses should be provided with divide
collars, secured either at the top or bo
tom, so that they are not required to b
forced over the heads of the animals.
n. Y. World