The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-04-19 00:00:00

LIVERPOOL EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY,

The report of the Eye and Ear Infirmary for the past year
has been before us for the last fortnight, and we beg to call
the attention of our readers and the public to its beneficent
operations. It is a charity conducted with much liberality,
not confining its benefits to this town or the immediate dis-
trict, but extending them in every direction. Indeed, the
only qualification for the benefits of the institution is afflic-
tion of the eye and ear—a truly Samaritan principle, as every
one must admit. . .

We are sorry to perceive by the report, that the committee
by which this valuable institution is conducted have com-
menced the present year with a debt of £l6, together with
bills yet to be rendered amounting to £3O or £4O additional.
This amount, although not great, must, we fear, suggest to
the committee the propriety, if not the necessity, of not re-
ceiving as in-patients every case requiring an operation.
When the fact becomes known, we are not without a hope
that the debt will be swept away, and the committee sup-
plied with means to extend the usefulness of the charity.
Being aware that Saturday last was what is called an
" operating day," we visited the institution, and there saw
more than enough to justify us in appealing to the pub-
lic in behalf of its funds. Mr. Neil, the able sur-
geon to the institution, assisted by Dr. Edwards, ope-
rated in six cases, in every one of which we are happy
to say he succeeded in restoring to the afflicted the
invaluable blessing of sight. One was on an old man,
named Robert Tyrer, aged 65, residing at Bickerstaff : he
had artificial pupil, the sight of both eyes having been lost
by ap unsuccessful operation by a country surgeon. The first
operation was performed by Mr. Neill a week ago : by the
present, sight was immediately so restored that he could dis-
tinguish objects across the street. Joseph Catterell, aged
67, of Neston, and Ellen Wood, aged 23, from Walton, eaeh
afflicted with cataract in both eyes, were next operated upon
and their sight restored. Two infants, one aged six months
and the other two and a half months, were the next subjects;
they were afflicted with purulent opthalmia, and sight ap-
peared to be immediately restored. The last subject we shall
mention was John Fevey, aged 22, from some place in the
county Down. He had entirely lost one eye by the bursting
of a pistol, and from sympathy the other became blind, cata-
ract having formed which destroyed the sight. In two or
three seconds the cataract was removed and sight restored.
These cases, which came under our own observation, illus-
trate the utility of the charity far more powerfully than any
lengthened eulogium. All the patients were poor and desti-
tute, and their poverty and destitution constituted their sole
claim upon the institution.

In closing this brief notice of this excellent charity we
must not omit to mention how much it is indebted for its
success and efficiency to the zeal and ability of its medical
officers, Dr. Edwards and Mr. Neill. They are unwearied in
their efforts ; they act together with the greatest cordiality :
and when circumstances call upon them to perform operations
they discharge their most responsible duty with a skill and
consideration for the patient that has most materially contri-
buted to the extensive reputation of the charity.
We have only to add that the treasurer of the Eye and Ear
Infirmary is Mr. John Crossfield, who will be happy to en-
large the list of subscribers.

CORRESPONDENCE.

FOUR AND SIX:WHEELED ENGINES

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD,

Stit,—ln your account of a late meeting of the Polytechnic
Society, at which one of its members read a paper " On the
comparative merits of four and six-wheeled carriages," ano-
ther member, whose leaning was in favour of carriages with
six wheels, on account of the unsteadiness of those having
four only, is reported to have said, that " the defect of un-
steadiness more than counteracted all the advantages to be
derived from the saving in friction of the two wheels." I
beg leave to ask, whether friction is really increased by two
additional wheels,—whether it be not a fact, that weight
(surface, velocity, and everything else being alike) deter-
mines the amount of friction,—and whether, when the
weight of a carriage and its contents is thrown upon six
wheels instead of four, matters are not balanced, by the
weight on each wheel being proportionably lessened ? There
appears to be a very common misapprehension on this point.
With similar views many practical mechanics reduce axles
to a minimum, believing that, by a decrease
of their diame-
ters, they also diminish friction ; and mischief is sometimes
the consequence of this error. It should be remembered
that a brick is as easily moved on its side as on its edge.
Resistance may no doubt be increased by enlarging an axle—
by diminishing leverage in some cases, and the effect of mo-
mentum in others ; but this is an obstruction requiring se-
parate consideration. If my view be erroneous, I shall be
glad to be set right, and kiss the rod ; if correct, I shall flat-
ter myself that I have deserved well of my country.—l am,
sir, yours obediently, M. A.
Liverpool, April 15, 1842.