VOL. XLIX.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 3(jl 



ly. A Remarkable Case of a Morbid Eye. By Mr. Edward Spry, Surgeon, 

 at Plymouth, in Devonshire, p. 18. 



The wife of Thos. Smaldridge, a mariner of Plymouth, complained to Mr. S. 

 of a violent pain in her left eye, and sometimes of very acute pains in the temple 

 of the same side, with some defect in her sight. She also imagined that her eye 

 was larger than ordinary ; but on inspection it did not appear so. The cornea 

 however became less transparent, and the pupil greatly dilated : but though the 

 pain of her eye was so great, yet the blood-vessels of the conjunctiva were uo way 

 enlarged, nor in the least redder than that and the sclerotica were before ; and, 

 from its whiteness, it appeared no more morbid than the other. 



Having resorted to bleeding, blistering, mercurial purges, &c. without any 

 good effect. Dr. Martyne of Plymouth was consulted, but with no better success, 

 her pain increasing, rather than diminishing. And as the pupil became enlarged, 

 and the cornea more opaque, with great inflammation of the conjunctiva and 

 sclerotica, and an apparent prominence of the whole eye, when every thing 

 hitherto failed, Mr. S. tried '2 or 3 drastic purges; but these disagreeing very 

 much, he was forced to return to his former method. He then cut a seton in 

 her neck, which run very much ; but all to no purpose, and she became still 

 more miserable. The conjunctiva became greatly inflamed, with an eversion of 

 the upper lid, attended with great pain. He often made incisions with his lancet 

 on this coat, which bled plentifully, and gave her ease for a day or two, and 

 even took 8 oz. of blood from the temporal artery. But the eye being greatly 

 enlarged, and of so terrible an appearance, after all endeavours for 8 or 10 

 months, he judged her disease to be a carcinoma, and therefore proposed cutting 

 out the whole eye as the only remedy. 



Several skilful surgeons were consulted, and it was agreed to defer the opera- 

 tion, and trust to nature ; though she was in that miserable condition ; but at 

 length her eye becoming much greater, and her pain being increased, he re 

 solved on the operation, lest the bones of the orbit might become carious. 



Thus, having called in Dr. Huxham, with some of the most skilful surgeons 

 of Plymouth, he performed the operation in the following manner ; viz. the tu- 

 mor was so very large, and the upper lid so distended, that he was obliged first 

 to divide the orbicular muscle at the inner canthus ; and there began the incision 

 round the upper part of the tumor, for the more convenient use of the knife. 

 He had not cut deep when a great quantity of pus, like lymph, flowed out with 

 great force, like a fountain, and the tumor subsided a good deal; but pursuing 

 the operation, he found a large cist, which filled the whole orbit behind the eye ; 

 and so part of the cist was left to slough oft' with the dressings. The whole eye 



VOL. X. 4 C 



