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The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Paper, 'The refractive character of the eyes of horses' by Frederick Smith

Reference number: PP/23/28

Date: 20 February 1894

Description

Smith writes: 'The eyes of the horse are of great physiological interest, for there are certain features in connection with them not found in other animals. While equine vision is principally monocular, it is quite undoubted that the horse can see objects situated to the right and left of his body at one and the same time; it is also equally certain that by directing both eyes forward, and producing a powerful internal squint, vision may be rendered binocular for objects situated directly to the front.'

Annotations in pencil and ink.

Subject: Optics / Ophthalmology / Physiology / Hippology

Received 7 March 1894 / 19 March 1894. Read 26 April 1894. Communicated by John Gray McKendrick.

A version of this paper was published in volume 55 of the Proceedings of the Royal Society as 'The refractive character of the eyes of horses'.

Reference number
PP/23/28
Earliest possible date
20 February 1894
Physical description
Ink and graphite pencil on paper
Page extent
14 pages
Format
Manuscript

Creator name

Frederick Smith

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Citation

Frederick Smith, Paper, 'The refractive character of the eyes of horses' by Frederick Smith, 20 February 1894, PP/23/28, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/pp_23_28/paper-the-refractive-character-of-the-eyes-of-horses-by-frederick-smith, accessed on 17 July 2026

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https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/pp_23_28/paper-the-refractive-character-of-the-eyes-of-horses-by-frederick-smith

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  • Proceedings Papers

    The archival collection known as 'Proceedings Papers' is comprised of manuscripts and occasional proofs of scientific papers sent to the Royal Society which were read before meetings of Fellows and printed in full in the Proceedings of the Royal Society.

    Dates: 1882 - 1894

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