The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: ¶ the cause of blindness of horses, during late years so extensive in Riverina, has been professionally cleared up. ¶ This service, ¶ Baron von Mueller continues interpolated in quotation. ¶ render...

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94.07.00c

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Ferdinand von Mueller to […], 1894-07 [94.07.00c]. R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora, J.H. Voigt and Monika Wells (eds), Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, <https://vmcp.rbg.vic.gov.au/id//letters/1890-6/1894/94-07-00c-final.odt>, accessed June 9, 2026

Letter not found. The text given here is from 'The blindness of horses', Barrier miner, 1 August 1894, p. 2 (B94.08.02). It is dated to July 1894 as the latest date that it could have been sent to appear in the newspaper on 1 August. The item is an account of investigations into the increasing number of cases of blindness in horses in the Darling district (NSW) undertaken by a veterinary surgeon, Daniel Parr, including studies in situ and in Melbourne and Sydney. The extract from M's letter is introduced by

Mr. Parr appears to have solved the riddle, and is receiving very warm praise from scientific men for his work. The importance of the subject early enlisted the sympathy and help of Baron von Mueller, F R.S., and that learned scientist has since grown almost enthusiastic in the matter. He has written to express his pleasure that, through Mr. Parr's researches.

the cause of blindness of horses, during late years so extensive in Riverina, has been professionally cleared up. This service,

Baron von Mueller continues interpolated in quotation.

rendered by Mr. Parr's sagacity, skill, and perseverance is of wide-reaching importance both in a strictly scientific and plain practical direction. The methodic observations alluded to originated solely with Mr. Parr, took up his time and attention through a long period, and have brought about absolutely definite results, and lead to perfectly feasible means for obviating in future a horse disease which threatened to annihilate or greatly impair the vast resource of horse rearing in Australia.

The article does not say what the outcome of Parr's work was. For details, see W. Kendall to M, 16 January 1895 (in this edition as 95-01-16a), and the preliminary report, 'Epizootic blindness in horses. Some important experiments', in the Australasian, 7 July 1894, p. 10, where it is identified as the result of a chronic alkaloidal poisoning when horses ate the native tobacco, Nicotiana suaveolens.