80 - REPORT — 1841. 



performs the operation with only two, one held in each hand, viz. forceps with bjunt 

 hook appended, and scissors *. 



He gave full credit to the Germans for their inventions, and spoke highly of their 

 medical and surgical attainments. He also briefly alluded to Mr. Tyrrell's most 

 excellent work on the Eye, and considered it very unfortunate for the author that this 

 discovery should have been coeval with his book, which brings our knowledge of oph- 

 thalmic diseases well up to the present period, but does " not recommend surgical in- 

 terference in such cases " as squinting. The only wonder is, why this simple ope- 

 ration, which requires about one minute in performing, should not have been sooner 

 discovered. On the whole, the author considered it to be the most satisfactory and 

 successful of all operations which he ever performed or witnessed. 



Facts as yet unnoticed in the Treating of Squinting. By J. V. Solomon. 

 The author related certain facts on this subject which had come within his obser- 

 vations. 



Obsei'vations on tico new Fascia connected with theMuscles of the HmnanEye. 



By P. Bennett Lucas. 



In a treatise on the cure of strabismus by operation, published a year and a half 

 ago by the author of this communication, a description of these fascise was given. 

 Mr. Beimett Lucas's present object is to place on the records of the British Associa- 

 tion the existence of these new structures ; and to inquire into their physiological uses 

 and vital properties,—" points," as the author remarked, " of great moment, as bear- 

 ing on the actions of a group of muscles which has at all times been looked upon 

 with the liveliest interest by the physiologist, and which now possesses additional 

 importance on account of the new operation for the cure of strabismus." From the 

 positions which these fascise hold to the conjunctiva and the muscles of the eye, the 

 author designated them by the names of " suh-conjunctival" and " sub-muscidar " ; 

 and having demonstrated their existence by preparations of the human eye, to the 

 satisfaction of the Medical Section, he next proceeded to explain their uses, and to in- 

 quire into their practical bearings on the cure of strabismus by operation. On the 

 first of these points Mr. Bennett Lucas observed, that the sub-conjunctival fascia, like 

 the sub-cutaneous fasciae of the neck, the groin, and other region^, presented many 

 degrees of density in the different subjects in which it was examined. That it was 

 present in all subjects and at all ages, but that in the young subject it was very de- 

 licate. That it was composed of condensed cellular tissue, and possessed elasticity ; 

 and that its use was to keep in an expanded condition, and to support the long and 

 delicate muscles destined for producing the motions of the eye-ball ; without which 

 provision the eye-ball would he abrupth' pulled about in its orbit, and that steady, 

 uniform, delicate and perfect movement which it enjoys would be impossible. 

 Amongst the instances of other delicate muscles being similarly disposed as to 

 fasciae, the author mentioned the omo-hyoid, the sterno- and thyro-hyoid, the sarto- 

 rius, &c. In operating for the cure of strabismus, when the sections of the tunica 

 conjunctiva and the sub-conjunctival fascia are made, the author remarked, that one 

 might be confounded with the other, on account of both retracting to the same ex- 

 tent on being divided, and presenting almost identical appearances ; but that, in or- 

 der to distinguish one from the other, the test of their different degrees of sensibility 

 sufficed, the conjunctiva being exquisitely sensible when grasped in a pair of forceps, 

 and the sub-conjunctival fascia being perfectly insensible when thus treated, — points 

 of practical importance, as it is injurious to remove any portion of the tunica con- 

 junctiva in the operation for strabismus, whilst it is often necessary to remove por- 

 tions of the sub-conjunctival fascia. 



The sub-muscular fascia was demonstrated as highly elastic, and attached to the 

 neurilema of the optic nerve behind, and to the sclerotica, at the points of insertion 

 of the recti muscles, in front ; and that it also was in intimate connexion with the 

 muscles of the eye, at the very situations where the section of them was made in 

 operating for the cure of strabismus. 



Observations on Asthma. By Mr. Rumball. 

 * Invented by himself, and made by Mr. Smith, in the Borough. 



