When the dreadful Symptoms disappeared, on again admitting Light into
his Room, he was apprehensive of having lost his Sight, but was soon
made sensible that it was only altered, for there was left to him a
Sensation of Objects at a certain Distance.
Too long and tedious would be the Narration of the various Remedies,
which were vainly employed in order to restore the Organ of Vision. I
shall only observe that, when I was applied to, the Patient had laboured
nearly Two Years under that cruel Disorder; and so weak was the
Impression of Objects on his Left Eye, that I looked upon the Success of
my Attempt as at best very doubtful.
Upon examining how far the natural Focus of the Rays of Light had been
changed, I found that my Patient could not possibly see the Hour on a
Watch, clearly, at any Distance whatever; but that he saw it less
imperfectly when the Watch was at Thirty-two Inches Distance:--An
Alteration of Vision the greatest I have ever known.
To add to his Misfortune, the Patient was of a scorbutic Habit; so I had
two Diseases to attack instead of one.
The first Thing to be done in this Case was, undoubtedly, diluting and
purifying the Humours; but among the antiscorbutic Remedies, such were
to be carefully avoided as were impregnated with acrid principles; for
Example, Water-cresses, bitter Plants, Tar-water, _Harrowgate_ Water,
Chalybeate Water, Elixir of Vitriol, Spirit of Sea Salt, &c. being all
diametrically opposite to the aimed-at Relaxation of the rigid Parts.
Accordingly I prescribed Whey and Apple-water for the sole Diet-drink,
with Milk and fresh Vegetables for Food.
Not daring to venture even a small Bleeding, on Account of my Patient’s
emaciated state of Health, I judged it proper to diminish the Mass of
Blood, by keeping his Body open with Cassia and Tamarinds.
This Method had the desired Effect. Not only the scorbutic symptoms
disappeared in Five Weeks, but one Eye was somewhat better.
No Alteration was made in the Diet; but, as the Patient’s Constitution
was then not so much debilitated, I prescribed Laxatives more
frequently: I likewise begun using emollient Suffumigations and
Pultises. They proved so effectual as to reduce the Scale to
Twenty-three Inches in Fourteen Nights.
The Patient daily gathering strength, I was no longer apprehensive of
any bad Effect from Bleeding, and accordingly had him bled.
Suffumigations and Pultises were continued three Weeks more, and during
the interval the Scale was reduced to Sixteen Inches.
I had him bled again, and afterwards electrified. The twelfth Day the
Scale was reduced to Ten Inches.
By continuing Electrization, Laxatives and _Tacamahaca_ Plaister a
Month longer, the Scale was further reduced One Inch and a Half.
Judging that Vision was almost restored to its pristine state, I advised
him, for the bracing it, Lotions with cold Water alone. I must confess,
however, that ever since the Left Eye has remained weak.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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