VOL. L.l PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 275 



inflammation of the eye gradually decreased; the suppuration of the wound in 

 a few days was good, the distended eye-lids contracted, and a cure was soon ex- 

 pected. 



But on Nov. the 7th the lad went to open the street-door, and it being a cold 

 and rainy evening, he quickly felt the bad effects of the cold wind, which drove 

 the rain in upon him. That night the wound became again very painful, the 

 eye-lids puffed up, and next day appeared much inflamed, as were all the con- 

 tents of the orbit. Fungous excrescences soon followed, and an intermittent 

 fever. An emetic being improper, he was purged with rhubarb, and afterwards 

 took the bark infused in red wine. The fever was removed after some time; but 

 the contents of the orbit continued increasing, and the fungous excrescences be- 

 came so large and spongy, as to be of equal bulk with the diseased eye before 

 extirpation. All topical applications, to contract this fungus, were ineffectual, 

 and the application of caustics or escharotics was prudently avoided, lest they 

 should produce a carcinomatous ulcer. The discharge was chiefly a purulent 

 serum: on which account, ever since the beginning of November he was kept 

 on a dry diet. In February 1757^ the remaining coats of the eye began to ap- 

 pear at the most prominent parts of the excrescence, and seemed white like a 

 part of the conjunctiva. On touching it with the finger, a distinct fluctuation 

 was felt, and an hydrophthalmia perfectly discovered; but neither the thickness 

 of the coats, nor the sensibility of the parts, would permit a puncture to be 

 made, till the cyst, which appeared formed by the distension of one of the coats 

 of the eye, was more free from the fungus. 



The cyst continued daily to extend itself, and to separate the fungous edges ; 

 the fluctuation became more manifest, and the membranes thinner. At length 

 on the 15th of June, Mr. Hopkins opened the cyst with the point of a lancet, 

 and let out a large cup-full of limpid serum, without smell or taste. The boy 

 felt very little pain in this operation. The cavity was filled with dry lint, and 

 compresses dipped in warm red wine and water were applied over it. All the 

 night following, and several days after, a great discharge of serum came away. 

 On the IQth the fungus was considerably lessened. Mr. Hopkins then dressed 

 the wound with warm unguentum e gummi elemi, and washed the fungus with 

 a lotion of aq. calcis, ros. et tinct. myrrhae. On the 23d, on his removing the 

 dressings, he saw the cyst loose and collapsed; which he extracted with his for- 

 ceps, without the least difficulty or pain to the patient. The fungus daily wasted 

 afterwards, the wound digested well, and the lad was entirely cured on the 7 th 

 of August, 



The right eye became perfectly strong, and he continued free from complaint 

 The remainder of the coats of the eye, and of the muscles, bore up the eye-lids, 

 that when uncovered he only seemed to have closed the left e^e : however, he 



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