The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1884-04-19
AN EYE FOR AN EYE.
Transplanting a Rabbits Conjunctiva
Into n Human Eye.

From the Omaha Bee.
In surgery, no less than in medical
science, wonderful progress has been
made in the last score of years. The
knife in the hands of the skillful sur
geon is made to perform for the benefit
of humanity cures and changes which
quarter of century ago would have
been considered entirely beyond the
power of man. This was strongly ex-
emplifed in difficult but neatly exc
cuted case of surgery performed by
Dr. Grady, the oculist, of this city, a
few days ago. The reporter had been
invited to witness the transplanting
of piece of rabbits eye to the
eye of a young man. Anxious
to witness an operation rare in opthal-
mic surgery, he was promptly on hand.
All the preparations had been made for
the event. Glittering surgical instru-
ments lay open on the secretary, and
DR.. Grady was explaining the peculiar
features OF the operation about to be
performed to several medical gentle
men who were present as assistants.
81 am about to transplant portion
of the conjunctiva of that rabbit, in the
right eye of this boy" said the doctor,
in reply to question, as he pointed to
a young man some nineteen years of
age. "The conjunctiva is the mucuous
membrane which lines the interior of
the eyelids and exterior of the eyeball.
The lad is nearly blind from partial
blepharophimosis or partial closure of
the lids. He has been under treatment
for some lime and have made good
progress with his left eye by drawing
new membrane into the corner and
holding it in place until it became at
tached, but all my efforts to produce
the same effect in the right eye have
failed on account of the friable nature
of that portion of the .conjunctiva
which remains. / now propose to re-
place it with new tissue taken from the
eye of that rabbit and let it grow in
place of his own"
A few moments only were necessary
to etherlze the patient. A pair of del
icate scissors, in DR.. Graddy's skillful
hand, quickly prepared the diseased
eye for the reception of the new mem
brane by the removal of the old
cicatrices or scars, which dis6gured
the inside of the corner of the eyelIds
of the unconscious patient, and left
them raw and bleeding.
"New 1 am ready for the rabbit"
said the doctor. A cloth was quickly
thrown over Bunny's head, and in a
trice he was as unconscious of pain as
the patient whose eyes he was to assist
in restoring TO health. Scissors and
forceps and scalpel were now called
into requisition, and the doctor began
the difficult work of dissecting from
around the rabbits eye the deli
cate membrane which was to be trans
planted to the human eye. Deity,
bit by bit, it was disengaged from the
adhering tissues and held by slender
curved needles, through whose eyes
were drawn silken threads, which were
to attach it to its new home. Five
minutes of rapid work only were nee
essary to complete the dissection, when
the conjunctiva, thin and delicate
membrane, was lifted from the rabbit
by the threads and carried over to the
patient, who had recovered from the
effects of the ether. The eyelids we're
lifted and the quivering membrane
carefully dropped into the corner, trim
lieu untll IL uIIeu PreclSely Ine dDrdueu
surface and then deity sewn by three
or four stitches to the place. The pa
TENTS eyes were then bandaged and he
was dismissed with the injunction to
remain quietly in bed for four days.
DR.. Grady stated that it was not par
rare operation, but one not
frequently performed outside of the
large eastern cities. The disease is
congenital, but in the pres
ent case he thought must be the result
of either inflammation at an early age or |
acute and long continued granulation
of the lids. The patients skin was
of puffy character, contain
ing good deal of fat under it, and this
the difficulty.
A medical gentleman who, like the
reporter, was present as spectator,
that the operation was sp'en-
1idly performed, and the reporter fully
with this opinion.