Then some electrical[24]Sparks are to be drawn from the Canthi of the Eyes, Morning and Evening, during a few Weeks. Mean while, a Plaister of Tacamahaca is to be worn on the Temples. These Remedies being calculated to remove all Obstruction of the affected Parts, promote the restoring of the Sight, and complete the second Indication.
When Vision is nearly[25] in its former State, there remains only a Weakness of Sight, which is gradually removed by often washing the Eyes with fresh Water alone.
Such is the Method I have pursued to perform the following Cures, being the only ones of the Kind I ever attempted.
Charlotte Blondel (the only Daughter of a Merchant in Paris,) a girl of about Eleven Years of Age, and of a delicate Constitution, being troubled with Worms, Mercurial Cakes were prescribed to her; and although she had been purged, now and then, during the Course of this Remedy, a Salivation came on. Soon after her Head swelled, and her Sight was altered in such a Manner that she could hardly distinguish any Object.
In order to conquer Salivation, purging was repeated every Day. It indeed soon diminished; so likewise did the Swelling of the Head: The Sight also was somewhat better. By following the Use of the same Laxative, every Symptom at last disappeared, except the Alteration of Vision; for she could only see Objects at a Distance.
The Parents, uneasy on their Daughter’s Account, applied to a famous Oculist, who declined undertaking the Cure.
Afterwards Application was made to a Fryar, of some Repute for curing Diseases of the Eyes. He gave it as his Advice, that the Patient was afflicted with a Gutta Serena, and attended her for Seven Months together, prescribing at first sudorific Drinkings, and at last ammoniac Suffumigations, which produced no other Effect but to inflame the Eyes.
The Patient was already given over, when I undertook her Cure. As I was not unversed in Optics, and had seen several People affected in the same Manner, I soon was made sensible her Case had not been understood.
Considering the Swelling of the ocular Muscles as the true Cause of this Disease, I was convinced that the only Remedies to be employed at first were Laxatives and Emollients. Accordingly, having fixed upon a cooling Diet, I prescribed two Drachms of Cassia to be taken fasting every Morning, for three Weeks together, and Infusion of Marsh-mallows for her Diet-drink. Seeing that the Patient had a Disgust to this Infusion, Whey was substituted to it.
My Patient received no Change in her Vision for Fourteen Nights, but afterwards found a little Benefit. In order to ascertain it in Future, I framed a Scale, whereon I marked the nearest Distance she could tell the Hour by a Watch. The Distance was Eight-and-Twenty Inches.