The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-11-24
From the Cincinnati Chronicle.
FEMALE FORTITUDE.

/ 4
Miss Z. H., an interesting girl, seven
teen years of age, was brought from one of
the interior towns of our State, in Nav last.
and placed under the care of Doctor Drake.
the surgeon Of the Cincinnati Eye Infirma-
~. Her malady was case, in the lam
guage OF the profession, of Erophthatmos, or
protruded eye-ball, which commenced in
April, 1929. The whole eye was so far
protruded as to occasion and unpleasant de-
formity, and at times, the spasmodc action
of the parts, projected the globe so Far out
OF the socket upon the cheek, that the lids
contracted behind 1t. This protrusion of
the eye arose from tumor which occupied
part of the entire concave of the upper
portion of the socket. The operation con-
sisted in the removal Of the tumor, and that,
II possible, without causing the destruction
ofthe eye.
"With a pair Of curved scissors SAYS
the surgeon, 81 separated its adhesion
with the socket to considerable depth,
when hooking it with a tenaculum, | en-
deavored to bring it forward; but it was
found to adhere firmly at or towards the
bottom of the socket, and the pulling gave
pain. On applying greater force to the
hook, IL tore out, and there escaped with the
blood, considerable quantity of gslatinous
fluid, part of which was transparent, and the
rest semi-opake land more indurated Bv this
discharge, the tumor was sensibly dimin-
ished towards the outer canthus, but retain
ed its figure towards the inner, where /
then inserted the tenaculum, and again re-
sorted to the scissors, carrying them as deep
into the socket as could be done without in
juring the optic nerve, at it's entrance
through the foramen. On again applying
force to the hook, it tore out, and a fresh
discharge of the contents occurred. A fn-
ger could now be introduced into the cyst,
and carried nearly to the bottom of the or
bit. Employing it as a director, | seized
different parts of the sack, and tore them
of, but its posterior attachments remained,
and pulling at them gave pain as before.
With finger, and the handle of scalpel,
removed an additional quantity of the semi
fluid contents. The cord of nerves and
muscles could now be distinctly felt, and
the globe of the eye, which retained all its
movement, could he pressed into the socket,
but no return of sight was the consequence.
In this state of things, the question arose,
whether, should finish the operation by
the extirpatien of the eye, and the entire
contents of the orbit or leave the remnants
of the sack to slough away, or shrink up
and remain subject to absorption in the adj
pose substance of the socket. AS the pa
tient was young female, it seemed desir-
able, if possible, to retain the sclerotic ball,
that she might he supplied with an artif-
cial eye, having movements in harmony
with the other, and determined on finishing
the operation as it then was"
We have quoted this much of the case
that the reader may better judge of the
fortitude of this youthful female. She was
fully informed of the nature ofthe operation
that it would be highly painful, and most
probably result in the entire loss of her eye.
She had no mother or female friends pres
ent to sustain her, but calmly took her seat
in the In6rmary, amidst the array of instru-
rounded by some half dozen physicians,
entire strangers to her, who had been in
Vited TO be present on the occasion. She
manifested the utmost ccmposure, spoke
cheerfClly just as the surgeon was COM
mencing his laboIs, and without being con-
lined to her chair, sat with surprising forti
tude and silence until the operation was
fully completed.
1t gives US pleasure to state, that although
the sight is not restored, the eye is saved,
and the great deformity avoided, that would
have been consequently upon its removal.
The parts are restored to healthy state,
and the young patient has returned to her
friends.