The next description of the operation, which claims our interest, is that by Benvenuto (Benevenutus Hyerosolimitamus), who flourished in the twelfth century. The quaint blending of religion and science, which it reveals, makes it very attractive reading: “Towards the third hour, the patient having fasted, thou shouldst make him sit astride of an ordinary chair, and thou shouldst sit before him in the same way. Keep the good eye of the patient shut, and begin to operate on the bad eye, in the name of Jesus Christ. With one hand raise the upper lid, and with the other hold the silver needle, and place it in the part where the small angle of the eye is. Perforate the same covering of the eye, turning the instrument round and round between the fingers, till thou hast touched with the point of the needle that putrid water which the Arabs and Saracens called Mesoret, and which we call cataract. Then beginning from the upper part, remove it from the place where it is before the pupil, and make it come down in front, and then hold it for as long as it takes to say four or five paternosters. After, remove the needle gently from the top part. If it happens that the cataract reascends, reduce it towards the lower angle, and when you have introduced the needle into the eye, do not draw it out unless the cataract be situated in the place described above; then gently extract the needle in the same way as you put it in, turning it about between the fingers. The needle being extracted, keep the eye closed and make the patient lie flat on a bed, keeping him in the dark with his eyes shut, so that he does not see the light or move for eight days, during which time put white of egg on twice a day and twice during the night.”