Two Letters from the Great, and Experienced Oculist, Dr. Turbervile of Salisbury, to Mr. William Musgrave S. P. S. of Oxon, Containing Several Remarkable Cases in Physick, Relating Chiefly to the Eyes

Two Letters from the great, and experienced Oculist, Dr. Turberville of Salisbury, to Mr. William Musgrave S. P. S. of Oxon, containing several remarkable cases in Physick, relating chiefly to the Eyes. The first Letter. SIR, Understanding that your Philosophical Society has lately received accounts of some unusual Distempers of the Eyes, and that more accounts of this nature will be welcome to you, and are desir'd of me in particular; I should not act suitable to the great respect, which I have to the worthy Gentlemen of that Society, should I not endeavor to answer the expectation they have of me. The Disease, which, in some late discourse with you, I named Bursa Oculi, or the Pouch of the Eye, was a Bag without matter in it, (like an empty purse,) on the white of the Eye, under the upper lid; it hung flag about the length of a thumb nail. Another person had no visible disease in his Eyes, but could not see at all, unless he squeezed his Nose with his fingers, or Saddled it with narrow Spectacles, and then he saw very well: him I carried to Mr. Boyl, as a fit subject for so great a Philosopher to make his remarks on. A Maid, two or three and twenty years old, came to me from Banbury, who could see very well but no colour beside Black and White. She had such Scintillations by night, (with the appearances of Bulls, Bears, &c.) as terrified her very much; she could see to read sometimes in the greatest darkness for almost a quarter of an hour. If your Society will give me their thoughts on these Distempers, they will very much oblige their, and Your humble Servant, London Aug. 4th 1684. Dawbeney Turberville. The second Letter. SIR, The kind reception, which your Society gave those observations, I sent you from London not long since, does encourage me to add these which follow. I will relate them to you in few words; as considering that I write a Letter, not a Discourse. A Sadlers Daughter of Burford, had an Impostume which broke in the corner of one of her Eyes; out of it there came about 30 stones, as big as pearl, and splendid; after which she had a Fistula; came to me to be cured; and went away not deceived in her expectation. Here was one in Salisbury, who had a piece of Iron, or Steel, stuck in the Iris of the Eye; the Person was in very great pain; came to me; I endeavor'd to push the Iron out with a small Spatula, but could not; I then applied a Loadstone to it, and immediately it jumped out. Man came to me, complaining that he had a long time been troubled with a great pain, and convulsions in his Cheek; you might cover the place, where the pain was, with a penny; the Convulsions pul'd his Mouth, Face, and Eye aside: he had used many things prescribed him by Physitians, and Chirurgions, but to no purpose: I applied a Cupping glass to the place, with fired flax in it; I then scarified, and cup'd him again; after which I put on a plaister of Viapalma, and he was perfectly cured. I was consulted by a Maid, who had a pustle broke in her Eye, out of which there came fine small sand, like Chalk, for many Weeks together: I made use of Purg- ing, Fumigation, and some Topics, by which she recov- ered her sight in a very great measure. If you please you may report these Observations to your Society, and if these are judg'd worth consideration, some others may be communicated by Your very humble Servant, Dawbeney Turberville. Sarum Oct. 5th. 1684.