g06 On the 'Removal of Impediments to tJie Acquirement 



copy of his observations on the subject, for insertion in 

 your Journal, believing they will be perused with much 

 interest, and I think it not impiob.ible that Mr. Adams 

 may be assisted by some one of the nKuiv ingenious readers 

 of your valuable publication, in his laudable endeavours 

 to establish a system for the cducaiion of persons of the 

 description he mentions. 



I am the more sanguine in this expectation, when I con- 

 sider what has been accomplished by the benevolent and 

 indefatigable exertions of the Abbe de L'Epee, on subjects 

 who at the commencement of his experiments must have 

 atforded very different prospects of success. 



I have the honour to be. Sec. 



W. B.. 



Extract. 

 **Thc advantages of an early operation in patients affected 

 with congenital cataract have been slightly noticed. This 

 is a subject of the highest importance ; for those who have 

 had the disease removed at an advanced age, are equally 

 destitute of a knowledge of visual objects as the merest in- 

 fant, while at the same time they are placed in circum-* 

 stances far more unfavourable for its acquisition. The 

 healthy infant examines every object with the eagernes.'; 

 natural to its age ; while the more aged congenital patient, 

 from long-continued habit, has contracted a disinclinatioii 

 to the exercise of the eyes, which he is seldom able enlirelv 

 to overcome. The rolling motion of the eye, dependins^ 

 on an involuntary action of the muscles, is thereby ex- 

 tremely difficult to be corrected, when the removal of the 

 cataract has been delayed, and it affords another obstacle to 

 improvement in vision : this points out the necer.sity of an 

 early operation. My own experience as well as that of 

 Mr. Saunders, and my late colleague Mr. C. T. Johnson, 

 sufficiently demonstrate that it may be performed as soon 

 after birth as the defect is discovered, with the most per- 

 fect ease and safety*. Were it practicable, I would not 

 suffer an infant's eyes to be exposed to the liglit till the ca- 

 taracts were removed; by which means I conceive the in- 

 voluntary action of the muscles of the eye-ball might be 

 in a great measure, if not wholly, prevented. Most authoia 

 who have written on the suljjcct of congenital cataract, 

 ( 



* Mr Saunders cured an infant of conj^enital cataracts by the posterior 

 operation, at two n;onths old ; Mr. C.T. Johnson performed the same ope- 

 ration with success at iix ; and I liavc been eciually fortunate on a child 

 St teu months o!d< 



mention 



