Cattle 1853 - Lewis Family Farm

THE EYELIDS AND THEIR DISEASES. 1B7
and afterwards more lightly applied until the rind is dried or burned.
The object of this is to bring a degree of heat, far above that of
boiling water, but nat so great as of red hot iron, to bear upon the
part. The fat about the rind is heated to that degree which will
probably be sufficient to rouse the absorbents, and induce them to
take up the bone, without destroying the life of the part ; for 'we
shall see presently that it is a tumor of a peculiar character. This
may be repeated two or three times; with intervals of two days.
Should the tumor not diminish, nothing more can be done ; for these
bony growths in cattle, arising from local injury, have very little life in
them, and soon degenerate into a state of caries, or decay of the bone.
Sometimes these tumors spring from the back of the orbit, pro-
duced by the injury or perforation of the bone. No cure can be ef-
fected ; if the eye should become painful, and intensely inflamed and
begin to protrude, there is but one course, to destroy the animal.
External bony tumors frequently ulcerate, and the bone becomes
carious or decays. No possible good can be done here, and humanity
and interest require us to put a speedy termination to the animal.
The eyes are placed quite on the sides of the face, for the ox, in
a state of nature, being exposed to the attacks of ferocious animals,
needs an extended field of vision to perceive danger in every quarter.
He is oftener the pursued than the pursuer, and requires a lateral,
instead of a somewhat forward direction of the eyes. The eyes are
prominent, to increase the field of vision, and are made so by the mass
of fat accumulated at the back of them. A prominent eye is a good
point in a beast ; it shows the magnitude of this mass of fat, and
therefore the probability of fat being accumulated elsewhere. This
prominence, however, should not be accompanied by a ferocious or
unquiet look ; neither the grazing nor milking beast can have too
placid a countenance, or be too quiet and docile.
THE EYELIDS AND THEIR DISEASES.
The eye is supported and covered by the lids, which were designed
to close at the approach of danger, and so afford protection to the
eye ; to supply it with the moisture necessary to preserve its transparency
; to shield it from the light when diseased ; and to close
over it, and permit the repose which nature requires. At the
edge of the lids is a cartilage, to preserve their' form, and to enable
them to close accurately ; and along these edges are numerous little
openings, which pour out an unctuous fluid that defends them from
the acrimony of the tears.
Cattle are subject to a pustular eruption on the edges of the eyelids,
accompanied sometimes by great soreness, and considerable ulcera-
tion. It bids defiance to every application, except the mild nitrated
ointment of mercury, and occasionally it does not yield even to that
yet on the approach of winter, it frequently disappears spontaneous-
;