260 



tlie liquid may be inverted over tbe eye so tliat its contents may dilute 

 and remove the irritant. If the suffering is very severe a lotion with 

 a few grains of extract of belladonna or of morphia in an ounce of 

 water may be applied, or if it is available a few drops of 4 j)er cent, 

 solution of cocaine may be instilled into the eye. 



In strong, vigorous patients benefit will usually be obtained from a 

 laxative, such as 2 tablespoonfuls of Glauber's salts daily, and if the 

 fever runs high from a daily dose of half an ounce of saltpeter. As 

 local applications astringent solutions are usually the best, as 30 grains 

 of borax or of sulphate of zinc in a quart of water, to be applied con- 

 stantly on a cloth, as advised, under inflammation of the eyelids. In 

 the absence of anything better cold water may serve every purpose. 

 Above all, adhesive and oily agents (molasses, sugar, fats) are to be 

 avoided, as only adding to the irritation. By way of suggesting agents 

 that may be used with good effect, salt and sulphate of soda may be 

 named, in solutions double the strength of sulphate of zinc, or 7 grains 

 of nitrate of silver may be added to a quart of distilled water, and 

 will be found especially applicable in granular conjunctivitis, diph- 

 theria, or commencing ulceration. A cantharides blister (I j)art of 

 Spanish fly to 4 parts lard) may be rubbed on the side of the face 3 

 inches below the eye, and washed off next morning with soap-suds and 

 oiled daily till the scabs are dropped. 



WHITE SPECKS AND CLOUDINESS OF THE CORNEA. 



As a result of external ophthalmia, opaque specks, clouds, or haziness 

 are too often left on the cornea and require for their removal that 

 they be daily touched with a soft feather dipped in a solution of 3 

 grains nitrate of silver in 1 ounce distilled water. This should be 

 applied until all inflammation has subsided, and until its contact is 

 comparatively painless. It is rarely successful with an old thick scar 

 following an ulcer, nor with an opacity having red blood-vessels running 

 across it. 



ULCERS OF THE CORNEA. 



These may be treated with nitrate of silver lotion of twice the strength 

 used for opacities. Powdered gentian, one half ounce, and sulphate of 

 iron, one-fourth ounce daily, may improve the general health and increase 

 the reparatory power. 



INTERNAL OPHTHALMIA — IRITIS — CHOROIDITIS — RETINITIS. 



Although inflammations of the iris, choroid, and retina, the inner vas- 

 cular and nervous coats of the eye occur to a certain extent independ- 

 ently of each other, yet one usually supervenes upon the other, and 

 as the symptoms are thus made to coincide it will be best for our pres- 

 ent purposes to treat the three as one disease. 



