Thus even remote Objects cannot be distinguished but imperfectly.
So far for the Investigation of the Nature and Cause of this Disease.
Having been hitherto mistaken for a Gutta Serena by Practitioners, it has accordingly been treated as such. Issues, Vomiting, Purging, Salivation, have all, occasionally, been tried; but every Method yet attempted to remove this Disorder, has been to no better Purpose than to confirm it.
A rational Treatment of this Disease, I should imagine, cannot but be acceptable to the Public; I therefore proceed to point it out.
The Indications for a radical Cure are three, relaxing, deobstructing, and restoring to their due Tone the ocular Muscles.
In order that they may be relaxed, the Patient must avoid spirituous Liquors, Tea, Coffee, Chocolate, Aromatics, great Exercise, and violent Passions. He also must observe a low Diet; his only Drink, for a while, ought to be either Barley-water, Whey, Marsh-mallows Infusion, or Orgeate.
Regimen being prescribed, the Cure is to be attempted by a moderate Bleeding at the Foot, which is to be repeated once every Week.
Every Day (except those of Bleeding) the Patient should take, for a whole Month, two, three, or four Drachms of Cassia, according to the Strength of his Constitution.
When his Fluids are well diluted, antispasmodic Suffumigations[22] are to be conveyed to the Eyes by a proper Instrument. Emollient[23] Pultises are likewise to be applied to the temporal Regions.
These being made Use of, the Swelling of the ocular Muscles gives Way by Degrees, the obtuse Pain vanishes, the Globe of the Eye collapses, and Vision begins to be restored.