John Plunkett, Mermaid Gardens, Hackney, formerly an attorney's clerk, visited me in May, 1837, and stated that he had been blind and obliged to be led about by his children for the last four years. For five years previously his sight had been gradually diminishing. He further stated that he was much troubled with floating images before his right eye, as well as with clouds resembling animals, strange goblins, and sometimes with flashes of lightning, vivid red, changing into light blue. One great peculiarity of this miserable man's case was, that when he threw back his head there appeared a stream of blood flowing from the top of the right eye to the centre, where it formed into a circular pool about the size of a split pea, but ultimately it became as large as a shilling. It often remained a considerable time, and then diminished gradually in red streaks. This was a matter of great alarm to him. He had been at several Ophthalmic Institutions for nine years previously to his visiting me. He has had electricity, tartarate of antimony, blisters, issues, stramonium, mercury (until it produced dysentery), and almost every kind of treatment that could be suggested, tried, but to no purpose.
When I saw him the pupil was immoveable, and the eye dull in the anterior, and very obscure. The left eye was destroyed. He could not discern, in a bright light, the shadow of white paper when it was moved between him and the light.
The compound embrocation of oil of cloves was used by rubbing it upon the forehead and temples daily, and in the space of twelve days he was able to discern objects and could touch them. In two months he could put his finger through a ring when held by another person. He continued occasionally under my care for about a year, during which time the embrocation was regularly used. He could walk alone, and the eye was generally useful, but he was not able to read with it. He could see objects at the distance of thirty feet.
The last month he has visited me once or twice a week, for the purpose of having the prussic acid vapour applied to his eye, to ascertain if the sight could be restored sufficiently to enable him to follow his occupation as a clerk. In this case an advantage has been gained. The patient is now able to read a little, which, previously to the use of the prussic acid vapour, he was unable to do.
Amaurosis.
William Dale, boot-maker, of 14, Clarence Gardens, Regent's Park, visited me in July, 1837. He stated, that with his right eye, for the last year, he could only discern light from darkness; and that for several months before he was much troubled by clouds and spots floating before his eyes. The evening gaslight produced a continued flashing of light from his eye. The light looked as if surrounded by all the colours of the rainbow.
He first went to an Ophthalmic Hospital, where he was blistered on the temple and salivated. Nux vomica produced such an effect upon him that all his limbs were involuntarily twitched, so as to alarm them exceedingly. He then left, and went to another institution for three months; and at length was told that the optic nerve was injured, so as to render a restoration of vision impossible. The left eye, when looked into, had a dark green, muddy hue, and the pupil was exceedingly dilated and immoveable. He was unable to distinguish an object placed before his eyes; yet he states that he could distinguish light from darkness.
When he applied to me I had the compound embrocation of pimento applied occasionally to the forehead and temples, by means of a friction sponge. During the first month he was able to discern objects and colours. The pupil acted under the impression of light almost equal to the good eye. It was not until this application had been used for a year that the patient was enabled to read with the eye.
I saw the patient this day (the 25th of Jan. 1843). The eye, upon examination, appeared to be in a healthy state. The sight was not so good as when he left me, and after he left off the applications, but this he attributes to the circumstance of his general health not being good, owing to his having suffered from intermittent fever.