Amaurosis
Amaurosis.
Ann Weeks, of No. 19, Little Queen Street, aged 14, daughter of Thomas Weeks, carman,52, Great Wilde Street, has been blind in her right eye since she was two years old. The left eye is unaffected. When two years of age she was taken to an Ophthalmic Hospital, where various modes of treatment were adopted for the recovery of the eye, until the month of March, 1842, when she went to another Ophthalmic Hospital, where she attended for six months, but received no benefit.
On the 16th of June the Rev. Peter Hall, of Long Acre Chapel, brought her to me; and when examined in a strong light, with her face towards the window, we could not perceive the slightest action of the pupil. Mr. Hall and I tried her with a sheet of white paper, moving it before her eyes several times, but she was perfectly unconscious of it. After the eye was exposed to the vapour of prussic acid for a short time the pupil acted slightly when exposed to light; and she was able, not only to see the paper, but to take hold of it with her hand, and could walk round the table when the left eyewas shut. She continued the vapour four or five times weekly for the space of six weeks.
When she left me the eye was so far recovered as to answer all ordinary purposes of vision, although not quite equal to the other.
I have examined her to-day (Jan. 20, 1843), and find the improvement continues.
Amaurosis.
Frances Read, aged 14, daughter of —— Read, 71, Fetter Lane, and one of the scholars at the Blind School, Queen Square. Her mother said that she took her daughter to an Ophthalmic Institution until she was tired. No good was effected. The parents of this case were unable to say when the blindness first developed itself. She has always been able to see a little with the right eye.
I was first consulted in this case in July, 1842, when the right eye appeared to have somevision. The pupil acted under a strong light, but very sluggishly. She could observe objects very indistinctly with the left eye.
The prussic acid was employed almost daily, for three months, to both eyes. The right eye recovered so that she can now thread her needle. She is also learning to read.
Upon the pupil of the left eye the prussic acid does not appear to have the least effect.
As a general rule, I have found that when prussic acid does not dilate the eye, in amaurosis, much good is not to be expected from its use. In such cases I am inclined to believe that the disease is caused by pressure upon the optic nerve.
It is my intention to persevere in the application of the vapour to the left eye, with the view of ascertaining whether the sight may not be restored. I do not despair of success.
Congenital Amaurosis.
George Pritchard, aged 7 years, son of Edward Pritchard, cab-driver, Black Bull Yard, Gray's Inn Lane, and one of the scholars at the Blind School, Queen Square.
This patient has been totally blind from birth. His case has been examined by almost all the eminent oculists of London, and has been taken to several hospitals; but all the medical men, without one exception, stated that they would not prescribe for him, as they could do nothing for him.
He was brought to me in May, 1840, at which time the eye appeared more than half sunk in each orbit, and the pupil, when exposed to the action of strong light, was fixed and immoveable. In fact, he had not the slightest perception of light.
Two drops of castor oil were put into his eye daily, for the space of three months, before thepupil manifested a disposition to act. At each successive month there was a visible change in the size of the eye. When he left me, in Dec., 1840, he was not able to discern more than light from darkness.
He has visited me since the month of April, 1842, and has had, once or twice a week, the vapour of the prussic acid applied to his eye. He is now so improved that he is beginning to distinguish one object from another, and the eye is assuming a healthy appearance. From the progress that this boy has made the last two months, I think it probable that the medicine may ultimately effect much greater good.