The causes of loss of sight shortly stated and explained.

Date:
1832
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The causes of loss of sight shortly stated and explained. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    tules on the diseased surface. This disease, often called pustular ophthalmia, seldom attacks infants before the period of teeth¬ ing. From that time, till about eight years of age, is the period of life during which it is most prevalent. It is attended with an excessive aversion to light. Even when the complaint is but commencing, the child cannot bear to open his eyes, but shuts them instantly on the light being admitted, and seeks to hide himself in some dark corner. To such an extent does this symptom sometimes go, so great is the child’s dread of the light, that he will often for days, weeks, nay even months together, keep his hands over his eyes, or lie on his face, pressing his eyes against the pillow. It is in vain to ask a child affected in this way, to open his eyes, that their state may be examined. This he cannot, in general, do, how willing soever he may be. Child¬ ren are frequently met with, who have for many months been affected in the manner now described, the state of their eyes never having been ascertained, and nothing at¬ tempted for their relief, except perhaps the use of some eye water, often of a nature more likely to prove injurious than bene¬ ficial. At length, on a proper examination being made, they are found to have their eyes materially, perhaps irreparably, injured, from such neglect. The little pustules, which appear in this disease, are in many cases situated on the cornea, or transparent front of the eye \ and,