1837.] Phenomena on restoring sight to the blind. 47 



Mr. John Glass, the Surgeon of Baglipur, sent, in the beginning 

 of this century, some of the Arrindy silk home, and he wrote : 



" I understand that some manufacturers to whom it was shown seem- 

 ed to think that we had been deceiving them by our accounts of the 

 shawls being made from the wool of a goat, and that this silk if sent 

 home would be made into shawls equal to any manufactured in 

 India." 



This will be sufficient to show the importance of this article, and 

 that it merits highly the attention of the paternal Government of 

 India, and of all patriotic institutions, particularly of the Asiatic 

 Society in Calcutta, which has done hitherto so much for the promo- 

 tion of science and knowledge, and consequently for the welfare of 

 all nations. 



V. — Concerning certain interesting Phenomena manifested in individuals 



born blind, and in those having little or no recollection of that sense, 



on their being restored to sight at various periods of life. By 



F. H. Brett, Esq. Med. Serv. 



When the profound and discerning Mr. Locke in his Essay on the 

 Human Understanding asserted that ideas were not innate, he meant, 

 no doubt, that so far as the mind's intercourse, in its present condition, 

 with all objects submitted to it was concerned, its noble faculties were 

 destined to be educated only by its legitimate objects of excitation 

 through the medium of the senses appointed for that purpose. His 

 eccentric comparisons of the mind to a dark room, a blank sheet of 

 paper, &c, meant in reality nothing further. 



It occasionally happens that in the course of very extensive prac- 

 tice we have opportunities of illustrating this, in cases of restoration 

 to sight of persons born blind, and also in cases of individuals who 

 have known and distinguished colors ; and " then (as Mr. Locke 

 expresses it) cataracts shut the windows," and if restored to sight many 

 years afterwards, they are in precisely the same situation as though 

 they had never seen before, having not the slightest recollection or 

 idea of colors any more than the individuals born blind. All is to be 

 acquired " de novo." 



I will particularize the following from amongst several which have 

 occurred to me, as they may probably appear interesting to the Society 

 when divested of all purely professional or surgical detail, which have 

 already indeed been communicated to the profession. 



No. 1 . — The following is illustrative of the fact of all ideas of objects 

 and colors having to be acquired, as well as a verification of the problem 



