Papers on Health

by John Kirk

Eyes, Hazy Sight.—Frequently, after inflammation, and even when that has ceased, the sight is left in a hazy condition. The eyes may be in such cases rather cold than hot, and not amenable to the cooling applications. The whole system also lacks vital action. First, in such a case, wash the back thoroughly all over at night with hot water and soap (see). Dry well and rub hot olive oil into the skin until dry. In the morning rub the back for a few minutes with vinegar or weak acetic acid (see) before getting out of bed, dry, and rub with warm olive oil. A strip of new flannel should be sewn on the underclothing, so as to cover the whole back. The feet and legs should be bathed (see Bathing Feet) twice a week. All alcoholic drinks, and most drugs, should be avoided, while only such food should be taken as can be converted into good blood. Half a teacupful of distilled water should be taken before each meal. The whole of this diet tends to produce healthy blood, which is the great means of dissolving all haziness in the lenses and humours of the eyes.

Every drop of alcohol does so much to reduce that action. We have heard this beautifully described by one of the foremost of living medical men. He began by stating, what no one can doubt, that a certain quantity of alcohol taken by the strongest man will kill that man as effectually as if he were shot through the head with a rifle bullet. Now a certain portion of alcohol takes a man's sight entirely away. Half that quantity will only render his vision "double"—that is, unfit him to see objects as they really are. Half that again will only perceptibly impair the power of the eyes; but the action of the smallest particle of the substance is the same in nature as that of the largest quantity. Hence that action is to reduce the very efficiency of the nerves of the eye, which it is of such immense importance to nurse to the uttermost. No mere dictum, however strongly expressed, can hold for a moment against this transparent reason. Hence, if a person must take alcoholic liquor, the cure of inflammation in his eyes, and of the thickening of the transparent portions of these organs, is simply out of the question unless the disease is comparatively slight, and his nervous constitution strong.

The very same reason holds good of tobacco. So of opium. So of every other narcotic, whatever it may be called. Hundreds of men lose their eyesight by the use of tobacco alone. We have seen their eyeballs gradually becoming sightless when no change could be detected in their eyes—only the optic nerve gradually lost its sensibility till they were entirely blind. We are perfectly aware that there are those who will scout the idea of such an effect, and prescribe these very narcotics largely in such cases; it is because such drugs are used and ordered that we are compelled thus to reason about them. In all cases of failing eyesight they should be carefully avoided. So should all foods which are not easily converted into healthful blood.

Eyes, Healthy.—Cheap, ill-printed literature is responsible for much eye trouble, and it is well worth while to pay, if possible, a little extra for books well printed, especially in the case of those who read much. When reading sit erect, with the back to the light, so that it falls over the shoulder. Too fine work, dim light, wrong diet, and want of exercise produce the dull and strained eye, which eventually becomes seriously diseased. Opening the eyes under cold water will help to strengthen them, and massaging the muscles of the eye by passing the finger and thumb round the socket (with scarcely any pressure on the ball itself) will be found of advantage.

Eyes, Inflamed.—For all kinds of burning inflammatory pain in the eyes, the following treatment is most effective. Place a hot bran poultice (see) beneath the back of the head and neck while the patient lies on the back. Press gently fresh cool damp cloths, frequently changed, all over the eyeballs and sockets, so as to draw out the heat. No one who has not seen this done can imagine how powerful a remedy it is. It may also be necessary, if the feet be cold, to foment up to the knees. This last fomentation is best done at bedtime, and the feet and legs should be rubbed with olive oil, and a pair of cotton stockings put on to sleep in, to keep the feet comfortable.

If the eyes are very sensitive the treatment should go on in dim light, as may be felt necessary. The poultice and cold cloths may be used for an hour twice a day. In bad cases, where sight has been seriously affected, a good rubbing of all the skin of the head with the finger tips may be given before the poultice is applied. This rubbing must not be a trial to the patient, but gently done, with kindly good will, and it must be pursued for fifteen or twenty minutes, until the whole head is in a warm glow.

Eyes, Inflamed, with General Eruptions over the Body.—In some cases the eye trouble is only a part of a general skin inflammation, accompanied with heat all over the body, and an acrid, irritating discharge from eruptions on the face and elsewhere, especially on the head. The cold cloths and poultice will not work in such a case. The chief agent in the cure is fine soap lather (see Head, Soaping). Let the head be shampooed with it for half-an-hour. The whole body should then be lathered and shampooed for a short time in a warm bath; this is best done at bedtime. Much water is not needed; warm soapy lather, well rubbed all over, is what is required. Ordinary soap will make the skin worse; only M'Clinton's will do to soothe and heal it (see Soap). If white specks show on the eyes, the treatment in article on Eyes, Danger to Sight of, will cure these. When this complaint is obstinate and refuses to heal, medical advice should be sought, as blood poisoning is probably present.

Eyes, Paralysis of.—The partial paralysis of the muscles of one eye produces double vision, so that the patient sees two similar objects where there is only one. This double vision is often, however, the result of stomach derangement. If so, it may soon pass away. The true paralysis is more persistent. To cure this, rub the entire skin of the head gently and steadily with the hands and finger-tips (stroking always upwards) for some fifteen minutes. Then apply cold cloths to the eyes as already directed. If the cold cloths are uncomfortable, hot ones should be tried. Do this for fifteen minutes also. Continue alternately for an hour twice or three times a day. We have known one such day's treatment remove the double vision entirely, and no relapse occur, but in most cases the treatment must be persevered in and returned to until the paralysis is overcome.

Eyes, Spots on.—These spots are of two different kinds, and yet they are very much the same in nature and substance. What is called "a cataract" is of a different character. We refer not to this, but to the spots that form on the surface of the eyeball, and those that form in the membrane of the eyelid. When inflammation has gone on for some time on the eyeball itself, portions of whitish matter form on the glassy surface and soon interfere with the sight. When inflammation has gone on in the eyelid, little knots like pin-heads form, producing a feeling as if sand were in the eye. Afterwards these knots grow large and swell the eyelid, and at times the matter in them grows hard, and seems to take up a lasting abode in that tissue. Strong and destructive liquids or powders are sometimes applied, that so affect the whole substance of the eye as to cause blindness. Nothing of this nature is required at all. First, the skin of the head must be dealt with. You will find that this is hot and dry, and somewhat hard on the skull. Rub this gently with the dry hands for a few minutes, then press a cloth tightly wrung out of cold water all round the head. Rub and cool alternately for half-an-hour or more if it continues to produce an agreeable feeling. When the head is all soothed, and good action has been secured, at least on its surface, begin with the eye itself. The same treatment is required for both classes of cases. The eye will be shut at first. You take a fine camel's-hair brush, such as is used by artists, and some vinegar or acetic acid, so weak that you can swallow a portion of it without hurting your throat. This is a very good test of strength for the acid. You carefully brush over the outside of the eyelids and all round the eye with this weak acid. This must be done most carefully and patiently for a length of time, till all sweatiness is washed off, and a fine warm feeling is produced by the acid. The matter softens and breaks up, so that it begins to pass away. We have seen a little ball of hard white matter break up and come away after a single brushing carefully done. When the matter is in the eyelid, and is so situated that you can brush over it in the inside of the lid, it is well to do so; but this operation must be gently and carefully done. When you have brushed with the acid long enough, dry the eyelids and cheek carefully, and rub with a little fresh olive or almond oil. It will be well to cover the eye from the cold, and from any dust that might irritate. You will soon find that it is as clear and sound as could be wished.

Eyes, Squinting.—Various affections of the eyeball muscles cause this. To cure it is often easy, sometimes very difficult. The method of treatment is to stimulate all the nerves of the head and face, and at the same time to soothe their irritation. This is accomplished by massaging the brow and entire head. It must be gently and soothingly done. The open hands are drawn upwards over the brow from the eyebrows, the rubber standing behind the patient. Then both sides of the head and the back of the head are stroked similarly. After this the whole head is rubbed briskly with the finger-points. This should be done often, even four or five times in the day. If the patient objects, it is being unskilfully done; the right sort of rubbing is always pleasant. A squinting eye has been cured in a few rubbings, where the case was a simple one. If the head becomes very hot, it may be cooled as directed above for Children's Sleep. Squinting may be produced or increased by that state of the stomach and bowels in which worms are bred.