326 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



feme time a common couching needle C, 

 "(Fig. 5.) thro' the pupil, to open the dapjuia 

 of the eryftalline kns^ that the latter nlay 

 come the more eafily out. A fmall aper- 

 ture generally ferves this purpofe ; if the 

 Im^ is of a firm confidence, it often flick& 

 to the point of the needle, fo that when the 

 inftrument is withdrawn the cryftalline comes' 

 along with it ; if it does not, a very gentle 

 preiTure upon the eye forces it out. The 

 operation may be frequently performed with 

 the knife alone, i the capfula oi the cryftal- 

 line being fometimes fo thin, that, after the 

 cornea is cut, a fmall prefTure on the eye 

 makes the lens come away. 

 fcTnis method of operating is much the 

 fame with that pradlifed byM. Daviel, which 

 you'll find at large in the Memoirs of the A- 

 cademy of ^ Surgery, i;o/. i\. p. 337. I have 

 followed the example of the famous Mr. 

 Sharpy and fliunned the great multiplicity of 

 inftruments M. Dainel makes ufe of, which 

 renders this operation more fimple, lefs tedi- 

 ous, and lefs dangerous. 

 • I fhall next mention the fuccefs of each 

 operation in the. order they were performed. 

 , ■...:; I. Robert 



