William Grindley, aged 37, boot-maker, formerly of 16, Whitecomb Street, Pall Mall, East, now of St. James's Workhouse, states that he was attacked with acute inflammation in both eyes in 1839. He at first had the advice of private practitioners, and subsequently went to two different Ophthalmic Hospitals. He remained in one eleven months, in the other fifteen. It appears from his own account that his sufferings were very great, for he asserts his eyes and eye-lids were swollen very much. The treatment consisted in bleeding, cupping on the temples, lancing frequently the eye and eye-lids; caustic was applied to the eyes, and seatons to the nape of the neck; leeches. The patient had two caustic issues in the temples; he was salivated, and had administered to him various potent drugs.
On the 9th of August he was sent to me from the Board of St. James's Workhouse, when he could scarcely discern light from darkness. He said that he had been led about for the last three years. The left eye was afflicted with staphyloma, and was perfectly opaque. The cornea of the right eye was covered with a dense opacity, so much so that no appearance of iris or pupil could be discerned through it. The right was not so unnaturally prominent as was the left eye. The vapour in this case was daily applied, and the progress of cure was so rapid, that in the course of a month he was able to come to me from St. James's without his accustomed guide. At Christmas he obtained permission from the Board to be absent for a few days for the purpose of visiting his wife and children. It was his wish to see the faces of those near and dear to him; for in his former visits he could only hear them talk, for not one glimpse of their countenances was he able to obtain. The cornea of the right eye is rapidly becoming transparent. The convexity of the left eye is still considerable, but the opacity is so far removed as to give evidence that a continuation of the medicine will render it again perfect, although it must take a considerable time to effect so desirable an object.
CASE 4.
Two cases of —— Ophthalmia, ending in Opacity of the Cornea.
Sarah Hopping, aged 15, daughter of Thomas Hopping, boot-maker, 20, King Street, Drury Lane, and of the Blind School, Queen's Square, about nine years ago had a violent attack of inflammation in both eyes. She was taken to an infirmary, and remained there for many months, where she became perfectly blind. She was afterwards taken to two Ophthalmic Hospitals as an out-patient—one for six months, another three. The treatment generally was lancing the inner eye-lids, and applying caustic to both the eyes and temples, leeching and blistering both the neck and temples often. The left eye was altogether opaque, and did not show the least appearance of either iris or pupil when looking at it in a strong light. The right eye appeared quite lost, for there was only in the socket a small red tumour, about the size of a pea.
The vapour was applied, and at the present time the opacity is so far gone that she can see to walk alone; but there yet remains much to be removed.
Her sister Elizabeth, aged 12, was similarly affected, but the disease had not attained to the same height. She is now almost well.