Diseases of the Eye. 181 
membrane will be found highly injected, and the eye pain- 
fully susceptible to touch or exposure. 
Unless the inflammation be checked it rapidly extends, 
other and deeper-seated structures become involved, and 
the vision dangerously impaired. The cornea is traversed 
with engorged vessels, the pupillary opening blocked by an 
Opaque mass of exudation (lymph); and quickly upon 
this we get ulceration of the cornea, followed by fungoid 
granulations. 
Treatment.—The lids should be carefully separated, and 
examination made for the presence of any foreign matter, 
which, should it exist, is to be gently removed. So long as 
inflammatory action is present, the avoidance of light, warm 
fomentations, and, at the onset, a mild dose of aperient 
medicine, is generally all that is requisite. 
In cases where the disease will not yield to these 
~ simple measures, where the inflammation increases, and 
there is considerable distension of the corneal vessels, 
local bleeding is attended with much benefit; this 
may be produced by pricking the skin immediately 
under the lower lid, and applying a leech or two 
or puncturing the lachrymal vein with a lance, and 
placing the finger on the vessel beneath the opening. I 
shall probably be accused of being antiquated in advocating 
the latter measure (blood-letting), but experience in in- 
flammatory eye diseases in the lower animals has taught 
me that, however old the doctrine, it still holds good in local 
inflammations, particularly in vascular parts, and in none 
more so than theeye. With regard to other measures---the 
avoidance of light, and warm fomentations, should still be 
maintained. Bathing the eye with an infusion of poppy- 
heads is sedative to the inflamed part, and therefore useful, 
A low and unstimulating diet is absolutely necessary. 
Chronic or constitutional ophthalmia is denoted by the 
eyes being always watery, but more so on exposure to light 
