Surgical Experiences in South Africa, 1899-1900: Being Mainly a Clinical Study of the Nature and Effects of Injuries Produced by Bullets of Small CalibreMakins, George Henry
History
Surgical Experiences in South Africa, 1899-1900: Being Mainly a Clinical Study of the Nature and Effects of Injuries Produced by Bullets of Small Calibre
Makins, George Henry
Gunshot wounds; South African War, 1899-1902; Surgery, Military
Three weeks later there was diplopia; loss of function of the
right external and inferior recti, although the ball could be
turned downward to some extent by the superior oblique when the
internal rectus was in action. Movements of the left globe were
not seriously affected.
The pupils were immobile and moderately dilated, but atropine
had been employed two days previously.
A year later the condition was as follows: There is some
weakness of the right seventh nerve, as evidenced by want of
symmetry in all the folds of the face, and in narrowing of the
palpebral fissure.
When at rest the right eye is somewhat raised and turned
outwards. Active movements outwards or downwards are
restricted. There is diplopia, and the vision of the right eye
is much impaired; the man can see persons, but cannot count
fingers with certainty, although he sees the hand. Putting on
one side the loss of free movement, there is no obvious
external appearance of injury to the eye.
Mr. J. H. Fisher reported as follows:
Ophthalmoscopic examination shows the left eye and fundus to be
normal. The right disc is not atrophied, but the whole of the
lower half of the fundus is coated with masses of black retinal
pigment. There is atrophy in spots of the capillary layer of
the choroid, and the larger vessels of the deeper layer are
exposed between the interstices of the pigment masses. There is
no definite choroidal rupture. The lesion encroaches upon and
implicates the macular region.
The injury is a concussion one, not necessarily resulting from
contact, and certainly not due to a perforation. The loss of
movement and faulty position are the result of injury to the
muscles, and not to nerve implication.
The man complained that when he blew his nose the left eye
filled with water and air came out. The left nasal duct was
however shown to be intact, as water injected by the
canaliculus passed freely into the nose.
Intra-orbital bleeding, subconjunctival haemorrhage with proptosis and
ecchymosis of the lids were usually well marked. The latter was
sometimes extreme.
Injury to the nerves was naturally of a very mixed character. In many
instances the branches of the first two divisions of the fifth nerve
were obviously implicated and regional anaesthesia was common. This was
often transitory when the result of vibratory concussion, contusion, or
pressure from haemorrhage. In other cases it was more prolonged as a
result of actual division of the nerve. As is usually the case, when a
small area of distribution only was affected, sensation was rapidly
regained from vicarious sources, even when section had been complete.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account