Headache and ocular treatment / by Freeland Fergus.

  • Fergus, A. Freeland (Andrew Freeland), 1858-1932.
Date:
1908
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Headache and ocular treatment / by Freeland Fergus. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    said correction. He happened to be personally acquainted with the late Sir William Bowman, and he strongly advised me to see Bowman. I journeyed from Marlborough to London and saw Sir William, who at once said I had got in each eye a dioptre of astigmatism against the rule, and prescribed glasses accordingly. After Sir William had fitted me it was at least two months before I was thoroughly well. My visit to Sir William took place about the middle of July of that year, and I wrote to him about a month afterwards to say that, although I was greatly better, I still suffered slightly from headache. His reply was that he was to be in Edinburgh on a certain day in the following month, and that he wished me to come through and see him there. He was satisfied with my con¬ dition, and told me that if I persevered in wearing the glasses the headaches would ultimately disappear, which they very soon did. Since then I have been entirely free of headache. The following cases have been investigated since- the conversation referred to above. They are only a small portion of those which I have seen, but I think they are fairly satisfactory. Unfortunately, a large clinic is productive of anything but accurate work. There is no man living who can investigate more than a very few cases thoroughly per day, and I always estimate that a proper testing will take about an hour. So, in an institution like the Glasgow Eye Infirmary, where there are a large number of patients to deal with, the testing must be rough, and unfortunately the surgeons in charge have little time to critically examine their own work. I myself have been able to do so only at one or two points, and particularly as regards the influence of bacteria in operation work. Therefore, for the present purpose, I have not drawn at all from the infirmary records, but merely submit a few cases from my private clinic. Case II.—The next case that I would mention is that of a doctor practising in a town in Dumbartonshire. Three or four years ago he suffered very constantly from headache while endeavouriug to read or write. At that time I fitted him with sphero-cylinders. I saw him on 14th June of this year, when he assured me that since he got these glasses headaches have been to him entirely unknown. He is able to read and to write and to conduct his business without the slightest trouble. He attributed his recovery from headache entirely to the wearing of the glasses, and the proof is that while wearing them he never has any trouble, but should he be without them, even for a short time, the headache at once begins.