Among the other complications may be named pus in the anterior chamber (hypopion), prolapsus of the iris, iritis and panophthalmia.
Treatment. In the milder form of keratitis, antiseptic astringents with atropia sulphate are often effectual: zinc sulphate, boric acid or alum (1 ∶ 100). Any direct mechanical cause of the irritation must be removed, and the eye rendered as far as possible antiseptic or aseptic. Derivatives also may be of service, and Trasbot especially advises bleeding from the angular vein of the eye but only in the very earliest stages. Cupping, leeching or setons may be employed. Excessive tension may be relieved by puncture of the cornea near its margin. The remaining opacity after the inflammation has subsided may usually be removed by touching it daily with a camel’s hair brush dipped in a solution of silver nitrate (1 ∶ 200).
In the more severe cases antiseptic lotions are even more essential, mercuric chloride (1 ∶ 5000), potassium permanganate (1 ∶ 100), boric acid (1 ∶ 100), silver nitrate (1 ∶ 200). Careful massage is of value.
Ulcers may be touched daily with a solution of silver nitrate (1 ∶ 400), or of pyoktannin (1 ∶ 100).
Perforations must be treated by antiseptic bandage, eserin, and in case of necessity, iridectomy as advised under perforating wounds.
Abscesses of the cornea should be opened with a flamed needle and treated with antiseptic lotions.
Obstinate cases are often benefited by ointment of yellow oxide of mercury 1, vaseline 10, or by the red oxide of mercury or calomel.
POISONING WITH COTTON SEED OR COTTON SEED MEAL.
Poisons in cotton plant: on man, pig, cow, stock cattle. Symptoms in latter: Nervousness, debility, exhaustion, in-cöordination, paresis, dyspnœa, dullness, anorexia, drooping head, trembling, lachrymation, corneal ulcer, opacity, vesiculation; unilateral or bilateral; with rest and change of food recover in five days except eye lesions. Treatment: suspend cotton seed, purge, and treat eye lesions.
The cotton plant develops poisons for various genera of animals. The bark of the root is a favorite abortifacient for woman and may be used for the same purpose in the domestic animals. The seed when fed continuously to swine will destroy life with symptoms of scorbutus, and grave constitutional disorders. Cotton seed meal fed in excess to dairy cows has a bad reputation for inducing garget and mammitis. In stock cattle it has the reputation of producing diarrhœa, running from the eyes, abscess and ulceration of the cornea, staphyloma, hyperthermia (103° to 109° F.), swelled legs, congestion of the liver and spleen, and high colored urine. As described by Dr. F. C. McCurdy, of Kansas City, the southern cattle arrive in poor condition, seem nervous, weak and exhausted, move with an uncertain, staggering gait, and may fall and make convulsive but ineffectual efforts to rise. Dyspnœa, blue mucosæ, and protruded tongue are noticeable in such cases. In the slighter cases, dullness, inappetence, suspended rumination, drooping head, and trembling limbs are characteristic features, and profuse lachrymation is constant. In some eyes there is a small opaque spot around a minute ulcer containing small granules like dust or sand, and situated in the centre of the cornea on the line of approximation of the two eyelids. Larger opaque areas when present were generally confined to the corneal surface, without any areola of distended vessels, and without a vascular zone at the junction of cornea and sclera. In certain cases the whole transparent cornea stood out in the form of a vesicle, so prominently as to interfere with closure of the eyelids. The affection might attack both eyes or only one.