and Carcinoma of the Eye. 303 



clernblc ; and the less the eye is examined afterwards, the 

 less danger will there be of pain and inflammation. A 

 compress wet with a salnri.ine lolion shonid be applied over 

 the eye, and it should be moistened with this liquor, with- 

 out being; removed, as often as it becomes dry ; but no lint 

 or any other application should be put within the lids, since 

 this has been known to give great pain, and in one instance 

 to occasion alarming symptoms. An anodyne should 

 be given after the operation, of greater or less strength ac- 

 cording to the ace of the patient; but it is seldom necessary 

 to repeat this medicine, since the patient has usually more 

 sound and quiet sleep after the operation than he had for a 

 long time previous to its performance. At the end of about 

 a fortnight, that part of the sclerotica which remained in the 

 orbit will be found to have collapsed, and sometimes a small 

 fungous substance will then protrude through the wound. 

 This in the course of time woidd subside of itself; but, as 

 the delay niav be irksome, the fungus may be easily re- 

 moved, and with very little pain, by snipping it off with a 

 pair of sharp scissars. The fungus is usually smaller in its 

 neck where it joins the sclerotica than in its lop; in conse- 

 quence of which Its rcmo\aI is effected with very little diffi- 

 culty ; and though it sc^nelimcs reappears, itmav be snipped 

 off again and again, until at length the wound will com- 

 pletely close, the inflammation cease, and the orbit become 

 fit to receive an artificial eye. This, however, ought not to 

 be introduced until the inHanimation be perfectly removed; 

 and when such an eye is vised, it i.s advisable to withdraw 

 it eveiy night and replace it in the morning, which may be 

 effected wiih ease by the patient himself, after a short ex- 

 perience. In the choice of the artificial eye, it is not only 

 important that the colour of the iris resemble accurately 

 that of the sound eye, but the size of the eye should be well 

 adapted to that of the orbit, and the dimensii)ns of the cor- 

 nea be rather smaller than ih.it of the natural eye. If these 

 rules be not regarded, the artificial eye will give an unsightly 

 etare to the countenance; it will not move, as it ought to 

 do, in unison with the sound eye; and it will be liable to 

 occasion both pain and inflanunation. It is of consequence 

 also to know that an artificial eye is apt to irritate after it 

 has been used about a year and a half or two years, and 

 must then be either disused entirely, or its place be supplied 

 by a new one : and it may not be improper to remark, that 

 when an eye has been sunk, if an artificial eye be not intro- 

 duced, the appearance of the countenance may be much 

 improved by wearing a pair of spectacles with eitlicr plain 



window 



