On Certain Functional Diseases of the Retina
Authors: J. Z. Laurence
Journal: BMJ (1865)

pilula hydrargyri, with hyoseyaiimus and extract of colocynth, ato of great service, especially where there ate 6hemosis of the c(m,j'unctiva and tendency to opacity or sloughinrg of the cornea.In such cases, bleeding, whether locdal or general, yiolcnt purging,.and local applicationg of a stimiulating and astrin- geut cha.rarter, (1o considerable iis6hief; 'whilst, on the other hand, I have commonly sen the happiest results from mild alterative apefi-ents-bark and auimonia or qulinine, With or without opium, accor4ing to the amount of pain; with warmnand soothing local applications.'' 'That the disease, even in its mi-ost severe form, will yield, and yield rapidly, to constitutional remledies alonle, i aiiiply provOd by the cases her subjoined.CASE I. J. E. F., aged s months, wras brought on Octolber 10th, 1864, to the I6oy1l WdVstniinster Oph- thalihnic Hospital, sufferiing fironm catrirhal ophthahlluia of bsoth eye5, of one week'sduration.The conjune- tivie Irere chemlosed, ainTd dischTrged pipofuisely,; ani the eyeiids were so mucli s*olldn th'at the child could not open his eyes.A3 Aimonie' sesquicarb..gr.v; tinctllimv cinchonu 5i; d&cocti ejulsdem ad dij.M. Sutmat ij teir qiiotidie.The-'efes ind forehead oPer fhd fr6ntal' sinus were ordered to be frequentaly fomenited with warm wate.Oct.' I"'th.He wa0 very mu6,hJimp;roved.Th4er was less dliscllarre; a:nd the sNelTinig of te lids wivas so-itieli redulced th.at'he 'cohil'dlin pSitartially open hi"' eyes,.iT ydrariyri cunm cret(4 gr.iij; pulveri;s rhei gr.Pf. Fiat plvis h6rd s6mni' sumendus.The Imlixtutre was, repeated, and the warm water continuied.Oct. 14tth.The patient *As 6ing on 1'ell.The me&idine wivs repeatedl.Oct. 21st.He w,as now cltred.C'A$E IT.J. M., aged 3, was br6i,cht in October 10th,':S64-, witlh catarrhal ophthaltnia of both eyes, of one *6ekI's dulration.The syiiiptoilns *ete similar to those of the last case.rTllhiee drachms of the mixtureJ of aimbAiPa andt cInchona (dS hi CSe I)' 0 were given tht6e tinmes a dLay, arid: an alteratlve pbowder at bed- timne and `%arm Wntei was applied as:in the'Ibrer case.Oct. 12th."The child was much better: The mii- tuto aad warma water were contjhed Oct. l1th.-Allpain and dischirge were gonb.Tho cho6nio.i of the conjunctiva inid 9*4Vingo of the eye- lids hidf entirely disappearedl.The patient was ordered to continue the treatmient fot two or three days louger.The child w'as ftinally dismiied cutred.CASE III.B. H. aged 16, aprdmed Ottoher 12th 184', with catarrhal' ophthalniia 6f both ce es of four (laysi d ration.She saidl sBhe caiuht the complaint from 'a little brother.'ITherewas conisiderable con-.gestion of the conjunctiva of both eyes, with the (haracteristic patches of extravasatod blood.The dlischarg,e wias bht scanty.Shd stated that the attack camne on suddenly; that she becauhc worse to-wards nigit; and she complained of paini aid.weight in her head and foirehead, esflpeciallly over thie friontal sinuis, a1ccodmpanied with sonie intolerangb of !ight.The tonIrLe was foul.-Pilulk hydrargyri, extracti hiyoniyami, extracti coloc.cQmp., sing.gr.iij.IN.Fiat pilula hora sowni slumnendt.She was ordered to takle an ounice of the ainmonia an(d cinehona mixtiiro three times a day, a;nd to apply wvar-mii water frequently to the eyes and forehead.Oct. 14th.Slie was; better.r1There was less con- gostion, little or nlo disclharge, and less pain anid in- toi'lance of light.The miiixtur-?e was repeated.This patient (lidl not apply ag.ain.CASE IV. H. B., aged 38, applied to Mr. Hancock 'I'his-so to say-vital etiology of disease played, in (lALys gone by, an important ptart ini the doctrines of the age; so miiuch so, as to have even originated a distinet school of medicine-Vase Belmont 's school of Vitalism-a lrinciple suppo`ed to preside o-er * Strictlv, for the word " re!in.",I should have substiuteed all ho nervous structures concerned in visioui.