96 REPORT— 1839. 



Scirrhoma, from the effects of which the patient was reduced to such 

 extreme emaciation as to resemble, or rather to surpass, that of " L'Ana- 

 tomie Vivante" Besides effusion in both cavities, and the usual effects of 

 intense peritoneal inflammation, the stomach, liver, pancreas, colon, 

 &c., being accreted into one mass of disease, — in the subserous cellular 

 tissue of the first, and of the large intestines especially, there Avas ex- 

 tensive ichthyoid deposit of semi-cartilaginous matter, by which the 

 calibre of the descending colon especially, was so much reduced, that, 

 when cut across, it appeared as if encircled by a broad ring (in some 

 places upwards of an inch in thickness), of a dull white, yet glistening, 

 fish-like substance, but fibriform, and by the interposition of which 

 the serous was so completely disconnected from the subjacent coats, 

 that large portions of the latter could be drawn out from the former, 

 with the utmost facility. Want of space precludes a more copious 

 detail of the morbid anatomy, or any further observations on the ex- 

 tent of this heterologous formation, and which was very abundant in 

 the great end of the stomach, intestines, and other viscera. Taken 

 altogether, the case is probably unique, and has no prototype on record. 



On the Treatment of Capsular Cataract. By R. Middlemore, Esq. 



The object of this communication was to introduce to the Section an 

 instrument to facilitate the operation of extraction, without interfering 

 with the transparent structures of tlie eye. The instrument consisted 

 of a needle, accompanied by a small forceps, the former capable of 

 being withdrawn, leaving the latter to be fixed on the opaque mem- 

 brane, and then withdrawn through the sclerotic, through which the 

 needle had been introduced. The author presented some general 

 views of the disease in question, and compared the methods of opera- 

 tion commonly used with that to be followed with his own instrument. 



On an Operation for Artificial Pupil. By R. Middlemore, Esq. 



About three years ago much injury was done to the face of J. S., 

 from an explosion of gunpowder. After recovery of the other parts, 

 the eyes were found to be in the following condition : — the right was 

 completely collapsed, the left was staphylomatous, the lens adhering to 

 the staphyloma, but transparent ; the lower half of the cornea was 

 opaque, the upper half transparent, but vision destroyed, from the closed 

 iris being opposite to the transparent portion of the cornea. The first 

 effort was to remove the staphyloma, which was done by repeated 

 puncturing of it with a fine needle. When the process of removal 

 was so far completed as to permit the operation for artificial pupil, the 

 iris was drawn through a small section of the cornea : it bled freely ; 

 but on the subsidence of the haemorrhage and irritation, a sufficient 

 and well-defined opening was found in the iris opposite the transparent 

 portion of the cornea. The external portion of the iris was allowed 

 to remain strangulated by the incision. The patient has already in a 



