AMAUROSIS. 129 



along with other changes induced by that inflammatory disease, and 

 in particular with that which we have regarded as glaucoma : con- 

 stituting what we may call glaucomatous amaurosis, and known 

 by the wide dilatation of the pupil through which the posterior 

 parts of the eye have a shining, glassy, amber, or amber-green 

 coloured aspect. This appears a case in which the retina has 

 suffered alteration of structure, and consequently one we stand 

 no chance of remedying, unless we were in possession of a cure 

 for the (periodic) ophthalmia itself. 



Symptomatic Amaurosis, which may take its rise either 

 within the brain or from one of the nerves proceeding from the 

 brain to the eye, may generally be referred to pressure : either a 

 tumour or something else is pressing upon one of the nerves, or, in 

 consequence of congestion or inflammation or effusion, the brain is 

 suffering compression. Sir Charles Bell, though he admits the 

 pathological condition of congestion, dissents from the doctrine of 

 supposed pressure being caused by it ; arguing, that pressure has the 

 effect of diminishing the supply of arterial blood to the sensorium, 

 and in this manner deranges its functions, and causes amaurosis, 

 and so forth. In the case of fracture of the skull, and consequent 

 depression from a blow or fall, it is clearly pressure that is opera- 

 tive in the cerebral and nervous derangement ; and the remedy as 

 clearly is, the removal of that pressure. Cases of this description 

 are by no means uncommon. The late Professor Coleman had a 

 horse of his own who, from falling backwards, became hemiplegic 

 and amaurotic on the opposite side of his body ; for, in conse- 

 quence of the decussation of the nerves, injury or disease of one 

 side of the brain, as we know, produces loss of motion or sensa- 

 tion of parts on the other side of the body. By blood-letting and 

 purging, and stimulants applied to ^the affected eye, the horse 

 recovered. 



Anaemia, Debility, or want of blood in the body, and conse- 

 quently in the brain, may prove the cause of amaurosis. M. Riss 

 mentions the case of a three-year-old colt that was castrated by an 

 itinerant gelder, and from secondary haemorrhage became amau- 

 rotic. At the time he was called in, finding the blood still flowing 

 from the wound in the scrotum, he had the colt cast afresh, and 



VOL. III. S 



