SURGEON'S REPORT. 



CXXl 



the World, tliat fractures become disunited under the ravages of this malady, I tliink it 

 proper to observe, that in this instance nothing of the kind occurred, although scorbutic 

 symptoms made their appearance so soon after the fractured bones had become conso- 

 lidated. The symptoms of his first attack, in 1830, were soon controlled; in 1833, 

 however, the disease assumed a more malignant and violent character, and rapidly 

 attained its worst and most deplorable form : the gums were absorbed almost to the 

 edge of the sockets of the teeth, and had become black and putrid, livid patches appeared 

 on the limbs, the legs became cedematous, and the powers of life were prostrated 

 even to repeated faintings. This melancholy state was rendered still more distress) n«r 

 from tlie bad quality of the lime juice which we had obtained from the stores of the 

 Fury, and which having become decomposed by time, was almost inefficient; yet, in 

 spite of the severity of the disease, and its protracted continuance during a period of 

 four months, I never discovered any indications of disunion in the broken limb. It 

 may, however, be observed, that Lord Anson's men were destitute of all kinds of 

 fresh provisions, and, therefore, not only could not cure, but were unable even to 

 mitigate the progress of the horrible malady which raged among them. 



July 24, 1831.— Anthony Buck, aged twenty-four. As this man's case, blindness 

 after epilepsy, is referred to in the Report of the Committee of the House of Commons, 

 it may be, perhaps, interesting to give a short outline of it. In May of this year, he 

 had suffered from snow blindness, which had probably left a disposition to cerebral 

 disease. On the day above mentioned, when on a fishing party seventeen miles 

 from the ship, he had his first attack of epilepsy, from which he recovered with im- 

 paired vision of the left eye. On the eleventh of October, he had a second attack 

 still more violent, causing nearly total blindness of both eyes. The fits recurred at 

 irregular inteiTals for two months, and eventually disappeared, leaving him, however, 

 nearly blind. It cannot be of much interest to trace the various remedies used in this 

 case; but it may be reasonably hoped tliat the sight may be eventually though 

 gradually recovered ; since it is most probable that the blindness depends only on a 

 loss of nervous energy in the retina, from the violence of the fits, a degree of impaired 

 vision being a common consequence of such cases.* 



* Since writing the above, I have been told that Buck has partially recovered his sight. Such cases arc 

 sometimes fairly referred to organic lesion, but are more usually functional diseases simply. 



*Q 



