Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-11-17

Case of LAZY born blind, pho yeceipeJ
sight Ia her forty -Seuenh year.--I In The PhiIo-
sophical Transactions which have just been pub
li5hed there is an interesting case recorded of
lady who had been born blind, receiving her sigh,
after she had entered on her i7th year. When
about 6 months old she placed under Pari-
sian oculist who performed operation on both
her eyes, with view TO afford her sight The
operation proved unsuccessful, the right eve was
attacked with inflammation aud completely de-
suoye,i, and in the left the vision not restored
The lady contlnued In this situation till after she
Rad reached her forty sixth year, when she app,ied
10 NJ. Wartirop. This gentleman found the riph,
eve ball collapsed but the left possessing it's nau-
ral globular form, with a transparent cornea but
obi Grated pupil. The lady could distinguish
very dark from very light room, but was not
able in he latter case 20 perceive the situation OF
tie window from which the light came From
this circumstance Mr.. Wardrop conceived thar
the retina was in 1T state lo receiving the i'm
preston OF light, if the obstruction TO its adnis
sion int the eye removed, and consequently
,,eterpi c on he PEI Torrance of an operation with
this view. GA the 20 h OF January he operated
on this lady, after which she could perceive more
light although she unable to distinguish either
forms OF COLOURS. The result Of the first ATTEMPT
i,istiel the favourable views entertained of the
S, tie of the reiiua, aud the property of second
operation was determined on. GA the 9Th OF Fe-
b uary, Mr.. w repeated the operation, alter
v hich he power of vision was not much in
creased. The operation again PERFORMED on
tie I7ih, with complete success. She returned
home ia a carriage from the house in which the
cDefaton was performed, with her eve covered
with loose piece of silk. Tie first thing she
noticed was hackney coach passing, when she
exclaimed, 90 what Is that large thing that has
passed by So In The course of the evening she
requested her brother 10 sho.y her his watch, con-
cefnng which she expressed much curiosity, and
she locked at it considerable time, holding il
lose to her eye. She asked what she saw.
and she said there dark and bright side;
she pointed to the hour of twelve and smiled Her
brother asked her if she any thing uiore3 She
replied "Yes," and pointed TO the hour six ana
10 the bands OF the watch She then looked at
the chain and seals and observed that one of the
seals was bright W hicb the case il bring solid
piece of rock chyrstal. The next day Mr. VYardrou
asked her 10 look again at the watch which she
refused do, saying that The igh, was offensive
to her eye, and that she felt very stupid; meaning
that she was much confused by the visible world,
thus for the first time opened TO her. On the third
day she observed the doors on the opposite side vi
the street, aud asked If they were red but they
were in fact of oak colour. In the evening
sine looked a, her brother IS face and said that che
saN his nose; he asked her 10 touch IL, which she
did; he then slipped handkerchief over his face
and asked her to look again, when she playiully
uulled NJ of. aud asked " What is that2'
On the sixth day she told us that she saw better
than she had on any preceding day; " but cannot
tell what / do see; | am quite stupid. She
seemed indeed bewidered from not being able 10
combine the knowledge acquired by The senses OF
touch and sight and felt disappointed in not hav-
ing the power Of distinguishing at once by her eye
objects rhicb she could so readily distinguish from
one another by feeling them.
On the seventh day she took notice OF the mis-
tfes~ OF the house in which she lodged, and oh.
served tina: she was tall. She asked what Che
colour of her gown was TO which sire was an
syered that 1t was blue, -" 80 is that thing on
your beId," Size then observed, which was the
case; ' and your handkerchief, that is different
COLOUR" which was also correct. Shs added, " /
see YOU pretty v ell, think" The teacups and
ssucers underwent an examination: " What are
tbey nke?" Ter brother asked her. 90 don't
know" she replied; they look very queer to
me; blt can tell IS bat they are in minute when
/ touch them 4" She Distinguished orange on the
,bitnney piece, bat could form no notion of what
J.. vas oil she touched it. She seemed now 10
nave become moro cheerful and entertained
greater expectation Of comfort from her admission
intotle visible world, and she was very ssnguins
that he would End hsrnewly acquired facaliy oil
more use 70 her when she returned home, Is here
every hing was familiar TO her.
On the eighth day she asked her brother, when
a. dianer, what be was helping himself to9 and (
she was told 4 was a glass Of port wine, she re-
piled, a" port wine is dark, and looks to me very
ugly" She observed, when cindles were brought
into ;be room, her brokers face IN the mirror, a.
walked, for the 6T,t time without assistance, from
a chair 10 sofa which the opposite side oil
the room, and back again TO the chair. when al
tea she took notice OF the tray, observed the shin
ing OF the Japan work. and asked what the colour
~ roopi ne eye! She wn tc'a il was yellow |