Medical Sketches of the Expedition to Egypt, from India

by Sir James McGrigor

The practice of the natives, was, to apply, in the first stage, emollient decoctions of their plants, and poultices of the kali. In the last stage, they rely much on the frequently bathing of the eye in the cold water of the Nile: they are likewise very fond of bleeding; and I understood that sometimes they use the actual cautery, burning behind the ear where we usually apply blisters.

The practice, which appeared to be by far the most successful, was the following:

For the first twenty-four or thirty-six hours after admission, the eyes of every patient were carefully syringed with tepid water, which had been filtered carefully. The syringing was performed from three to six times in the day; the light was carefully excluded, the patient kept cool, and every other part of the anti-phlogistic regimen strictly enforced. After the above period, a weak solution of sugar of lead, or of camphor, or vitrolated zinc, was applied. Where the pain was much complained of, a solution of opium was added to the collyrium; opium was applied in a cataplasm, or two or three drops of laudanum were let fall into the eye.

If there was much swelling, a saturnine poultice, or the coagulum alluminosum, was applied to the eyes. I observed, that blistering a large surface, and as near as possible to the seat of the pain, if kept discharging for some time, always afforded great relief.

To remove the fever and to alleviate the distressing pain, we often gave opium internally in a considerable quantity, and with great advantage.

Setons in the neck and the free use of bark appeared to be of the greatest service, when the disease was of long standing.

In opacity of the cornea, and when there were specks, several gentlemen thought highly of the aqua phagedænica of the old pharmacopeias, after having divided the vessels which went to the speck. It gave very pungent pain; but I have seen great relief from it, and also from a solution of lunar caustic.

As a collyrium in Egypt, I often gave with considerable benefit what I found in the hands of the black doctors in India, viz. a tea spoonful of lime-juice to four table spoonfuls of water, or a tea spoonful of arrack to two table spoonfuls of water. In the first stage, I would have applied leeches, but never could procure them.

In Persia, Dr Short, informs me, that he was very successful in the general use of an ointment, composed of white vitriol, tuttey, and cinnabar, after the application of leeches and scarification.

From the days of Prosper Alpinus, the salts contained in the soil of Egypt have been supposed to be among the principal causes of the ophthalmia of the country. Though the various modifications of light and heat no doubt act as existing causes; yet to the particular soil of Egypt, and to the constitution of the air there, we must look for the regular and the principal causes of this disease.