The union Democrat., 1871-03-25
Wound. and Injuries OF she Eye.

DR.. Williams writes in the Atlantic Month
~: Travellers, especially by railroad, are
liable to the Judgement of small particles ot
dust or cinder inside the lid or upon the front
of the eyeball, causing great suffering.
These should be removed as soon as possible,
before they give rise to Inflammation. Some
times these foreign bodies are TO be seen. on
close inspection, lodged 10 the front of the
cornea, where they are not felt when the eve
is open though every movement of the lid
over them causes much pain. If not firmly
imhed6ed they may be removed by means OF
hit of wood, say toothpick, sharpened to
fat point, or even by camels heir brush (:
but when forcibly implanted they are some
times so firmly held in place that their ex-
traction requires skillful hand. When fixed
in the centre Of the cornea, with dark pupils
as back ground, they are frequently over
looked at first inspection. If the foreign
body is not found in this situation, it will be
discovered, in nine cases out of ten, inside
the upper eyeid, and generally at about the
centre of the lid near its border. Thus
placed. it scratches the cornea at each motion
| of the lid or eyeball, and causes great irrita-
t;on. Such particles once slightly imhedded
ir the membrane lining the lid may remain
there long time before being expelled by
natural efforts.
If the eyelids are closed for few minutes,
soon after tho entrance of the foreign body.
so as to allow the tears to accumulate, and
the skin at the centre of the upper lid is then
taken hold of with the thumb and finger and
drawn forward so as to lift the lid from the
eyeball, the inrruding particle is often wash
ed away with the outflow of tears.
IL relief is no: obtained after two or three
trials of this plan, and no physician is at
hand. it will be best To ask n travelling COM
panion to turn the lid and remove the Offend
ing Substance. But if this should be grain
of light-colored dust or sand, good eyes or
eyeglasses will be needed to detect it.
The upper eyeiid may be easily turned by
taking hold of the eyelashes aud edge of the
lid with the thumb and finger of the left
hand and drawing the lid outward, and n.y.
wards, while at the same time a small pencil.
a knit,ins-needle, or some similar thing, held
in the right is placed against the centre of the
lid, pressing it backwards ard downwards
towards the eyeball. The person should Look
down, as this greatly facilitates the everson
of the lid. which may be easily accomplished
if these directions are followed. The cinder
or dust may then be wiped of with a hand
kerchef or the finger.
Smoothly worn bits of shell from the beach
are sometimes inserted as ''eyestones, the
popular idea being that they pursue the for
eign body and bring it out, ri ct armis. But
these generally only add to the sufferers dis
comfort; and in the few instances where
their introduction is followed, after more or
less delay. by the escape of the original in
trnding substance they merely serve by their
bulk TO separate the eyelid from close contact
with the globe, and thus allow the sand or
cinder to be washed from its position by the
abundant tears. Much Farm is often done
by their presence, the remedy proving even
worse than the disease.
| Grains Of powder are frequently driven in
| to the eye by premature explosions, etc. II
near the centre of the cornea and of some
size, they should be carefully picked out, as
far as may be. soon after the accident. But
small particles may remain even in the cor
nea. without doing harm and if they have
been some time in the eve, they become in
corporated in the surrounding tissues, and
should not he disturbed unless they cause
conspicuous defnrmity.
| Burns, or injuries from acids or other
chernical substances. or freezing of the cornea
during exposure to intense cold, are usually
followed by dangerous alterations or even
by complete loss of vitality in the cornea.
Such cases should never be neglected.