Extract of a Letter from Tho. Aery M. D. to Cromwell Mortimer M. D. Secret. R. S. Containing the Particulars of the Cure of a Wound in the Cornea, and a Laceration of the Uvea in the Eye of a Woman

all very sickly; but in the Georgia Frigate, in which were about 300 Men, all were in good Health; and last Week I was informed that they got all in Health to Georgia. * * * Your obliged and affectionate humble Servant, Stephen Hales. VIII. Extract of a Letter from Tho. Aery M. D. to Cromwell Mortimer M. D. Secret. R. S. containing the Particulars of the Cure of a Wound in the Cornea, and a Laceration of the Uvea in the Eye of a Woman. Whitehaven, June 14. 1748. SIR, Read June 30. Your laudable Endeavours to promote the Art of Medicine, make me willing to hope you will pardon the Freedom I take of acquainting you with the following Case, tho' I have not the Happiness of your Acquaintance; and I beg the Favour of you to lay it before the Royal Society, to publish, if you approve of it; which will oblige, Sir, Your humble Servant, Thomas Aery. A POOR Widow, aged 26 Years, of a pale Complexion, was for several Years now-and-then subject to the Colic. Dec. 26. 1744. she received a Wound in the Cornea of her right Eye, by the Spear of a common Fork, which also divided the Uvea. Part of the aqueous Humour was discharg'd, the Eye lost its Transparency, had a violent Pain in it, and she could only distinguish Objects when she look'd down. I order'd her a Collyrium prepared of the Bals. Tolut. Camphor. solut. in Sp. Vin. Aq. Plantag. cum pauxillo Tinct. Mart. Mynsicht. A few Drops of this blood-warm was to be used frequently; to bleed her largely in the Arm, and her Diet was to consist of Water-Gruel, Aq. Hord. and fresh Broth. Next Day she had no Pain in the Eye, but complain'd she saw Motes floating before it: I order'd her a Purge of Infus. Sennæ, and an astringent Fomentation to her Temples and Eyelids. The Day following the Eye was inflamed, and the Lids tumefied, and she had a Pain in her Head. The Collyrium was changed to Rose-water and Vinegar, aa 3 fs. Roche-Alum gr. v. 3 Drops twice a Day. The 29th the Inflammation increasing, the Infus. Sennæ and Bleeding were repeated, and the Parts were fomented only with Spirit of Wine. The 31st the Inflammation continued to decrease, till after a Fright. Jan. 5. the Inflammation increasing, the Sides of the Wound became a little protuberant. The Senna was repeated, and a Blister laid behind the right Ear, and an emollient Collyrium was used: Next Next Day the Swelling of the Eyelids was gone: The 11th she had a Shew of the Menses, and the Wound appeared healed: From the 15th to the 24th the Inflammation continued to abate; only one Day it increased by fretting and weeping much; but by bleeding she grew better, and so she continued to the 30th; unless one Day, upon catching Cold, her Eye became exceedingly inflamed, which was relieved by bleeding. Feb. 4. she had a little Pain in her Eye, and the Tunica adnata looked a little red. Soon after dropping in of 2 Drops of cold Water, the Eyelids swelled, and a violent Inflammation of the Eye ensued, with a Speck appearing; but these Symptoms went off by repeated Applications of Leeches and a mercurial Purge. The 19th a Sternutatory of Hellebore and Euphorbium was order'd. In a few Days after the Inflammation left her Eye; when she complained she saw double; which Complaints also soon left her. The Eye is myopical, and she sees the right Side of Objects a little darkened; yet she can read pretty small Characters. The Uvea is not united where it was divided, but still retains its natural Power of Contraction; the Transparency of the Humours and Convexity of the Cornea are the same as before; there is no Scar upon the Cornea; the Shape of the Pupil is much alter'd, as may be seen by the Figure of the Eye, which I send herewith. See Fig. p. 415. Upon catching Cold she is subject to a slight Pain in her Eye. At present there remains no other Alteration than what I have just mention'd, and what necessarily follows from the Contraction of the Pupil, the not admitting a sufficient Quantity of Rays to pass to the Retina, upon which Account she is short-sighted. Her seeing Objects darkened on one Side, may proceed from the artificial Part of the Pupil being situate nigher to the great Canthus of the Eye than usual in Nature; by which the Rays which fall on the Side of the Cornea next to the little Canthus of the Eye, being partly intercepted, must occasion a Defect in the Picture; from which Defect a Darkness will be seen on one Side of the Object. To the Weakness of the Vessels of the Eye we may attribute the Pain of the Eye upon catching Cold: It oft-times happens to those who have had a severe Ophthalmia, that, during Life, the small Vessels are too weak; and hence, from slight Causes being distended, they will be painful, and frequently red. This Case is known to several in this Place, particularly to Mr. Blencowe, an ingenious Surgeon and Apothecary. Some Remarks occur from this Case; viz. 1. Her Cure would have been performed sooner, if her Circumstances had allowed of her observing an exact Regimen. 2. When her Eye had little or no Appearance of Inflammation, I tried cold Water, but with rather bad Success. All cold Applications to inflamed Eyes, Astringents or Repellents, require the utmost Caution in applying them; for if they produce not a good, they will produce a bad Effect. In slight Cases they oft have very happy Effects, but where the obstruent Matter is so fixt that it will not suffer itself to be easily repell’d back, the Vessels being straitened, the Fluids coagulated the the Disease will be increased; which happen'd in this Case from the Application of cold Water. 3. The good Effects of Evacuations are very evident in abating the Inflammation. Wounds in the Cornea, attended with a Wound of the Uvea, and a troublesome Ophthalmy, heal without any Scar. 5. An artificial Pupil, made by slitting the Uvea in a different Method from that invented by the ingenious Mr. Cheselden. 6. The Necessity of changing the Topics, according to the State of the Distemper; which has been remarked before by several celebrated Authors. A, This Figure represents the Eye as it appears at present. The Society adjourned to October 27, 1748.