Observations on ophthalmia and its consequences / by Charles Farrell, M.D.

  • Farrell, Charles, 1779-1855.
Date:
1811
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on ophthalmia and its consequences / by Charles Farrell, M.D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    ways the case for several days after the protrusion of the iris; but the pain and inflammation decline gradually ; and if the little eminence on the cor- nea be not destroyed by caustic, or removed by a cut of a scissars, it becomes covered in time by a membranous or horny substance like the cornea, by which it is protected from the air and tears, and the patient ceases to feel any inconvenience from it. In some few instances it appeared to me that the protruded portion of the iris was contained in a membranous sack. I was led to suspect that this was the case, from having observed in some instances of protrusion, especially when the iris protruded near the junction of the cornea with the sclerotica, that the eye preserved nearly its natural rotundity and size ; but that the aqueous humour escaped, and the cornea collapsed by touching the little eminence with caustic, for the purpose of destroying it. It appears to me that the first effect of the caustic in these cases was the corrosion of the membrane, which restrained the flow of the aqueous humour, and contained the protruded portion of iris. I have repeatedly observed that the aqueous humour escaped, and the cornea col- lapsed in cases of protrusions of this kind, from the patient's being attacked by a violent fit of coughing, or a new accession of inflammation. After having noticed these facts for some time, I resolved to pay close attention to every case of