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XXVlI. On the Restoration of Vision, when injured or destroyed 

 in consequence of the Cornea having assumed a conical Form, 

 By Sir William Adams. 



To Mr. Tilloch. 



Sir, — JjLaving written and sent the subjoined paper almost 

 too late for insertion in the last number of the Journal of Science 

 and the Arts, and being disappointed in the expectation of seeing 

 a proof sheet, in which it was my intention to have made some 

 important corrections and additions, 1 now take the liberty of 

 requesting that you will insert it in the next number of your 

 valuable Magazine ; by which you will probably prevent a mis" 

 conception of some of my opinions, and much oblige 



Your obedient humble servant^ 

 2G, Albemiirle-street, Jan. 10, 1817. Wm. Adams. 



On the Restoration of Vision, 6^c.* 



Among the causes producing short sight, is a morbid thickening 

 of the transparent cornea, which has been usually termed conical 

 cornea. One of the first, and, I may add, the best descriptions 

 vet given of it, hiis been by Dr. Leveille, an eminent French 

 physician, and translator of Professor Scarpa's work on diseases 

 of the eye, into the French language. 



The conical cornea, although a disease not so frequently met 

 with as many other morbid affections of the eye, is yet by no 

 means of rare occurrence; and any curative effort which is ca- 

 pable of being successfully exerted, becomes the more interesting, 

 the advanced stage of the disease (as far as I have been able to 

 learn) having been hitherto considered l)y authors as incurable. 



It is, therefore, highly gratifying, that the resources of art are 

 found competent to afford effectual relief even in this apparently 

 hopeless case, in which, although it is impossible to remove the 

 disease itself, when thus fully formed, yet, by taking away one 

 of the healthy parts of the eye, whose use is similar to that of 

 ihe diseased growth of the cornea (which does not admit of re* 

 moval), vision, it will be shown, may be restored nearly to per- 

 fection. 



The malady in question commences by a morbid growth of 

 the whole substance of the cornea, but more particularly its cen- 

 tral part, situated opposite to the pupil, and the patient's de- 

 gree of short-sight increases in exact proportion to this growth, 

 which takes place without inflammation, and in general without 



* The corrections and additions alluded to in Sir William's Note are in- 

 corpoialcJ in the subjoined copy.— Enir. 



opacity. 



