360 DISEASES OF THE EYES. 



rule, are rare. This form, however, must not be mistaken for 

 ulcerative keratitis. 



The course of this disease is generally favorable. After several 

 weeks the dulness disappears and the new vessels become thinner, 

 disappearing entirely in a short time. 



Therapeutics. We remove the irritation to a certain extent 

 by applications of compresses. Also irrigate with warm water or 

 boric acid, and drop atropia into the eyes. If the inflammatory 

 symptoms are reduced, we then follow it up by stimulant irritants, 

 such as calomel powder or ointments of red oxide of mercury. 



(3) Abscesses of the Sclerotic Membrane. "When there is 

 intense dread of light and great increase of tears, and when we see a 

 pericorneal injection and the cornea colored a gray, yellow, or straw 

 yellow, and a certain spot on that part which is sharply defined 

 from the tissue of the normal sclerotic membrane, or may be sur- 

 rounded by a more or less dull zone, we then can safely conclude 

 that it is the formation of an abscess. Its location varies; some- 

 times it is on the edge of the cornea, at other times in the centre; 

 then, again, we may find it close to the surface of the membrane 

 or deep in the centre of it. It may be very small in dimension, 

 such as the size of a pin-head, or it may even include the whole 

 sclerotic membrane. 



The course varies also. In small abscesses it may disappear by 

 simple absorption, while in large ones the acute inflammation sub- 

 sides, frequently leaving an intensely white spot, or it may break 

 out externally, forming an open ulcer. This latter conclusion, or 

 termination, is the most common, and in rare instances it may 

 break in a posterior direction toward the anterior chamber of the 

 eye, causing an accumulation of pus in it, and producing further 

 inflammatory processes in the internal part of the eyeball. 



Etiology. Abscesses of the sclerotic membrane appear after 

 some traumatism, especially contusions or bruises of the mem- 

 brane, also after non-aseptic operations, in connection with blennor- 

 rhoea or conjunctivitis, or during distemper, and very frequently 

 appear without any^ appreciable cause. 



Therapeutics. This is closely related to that of ulcerations 

 of the sclerotic membrane — that is, to incise the abscess after using 

 cocaine in the cornea, make a broad cut and turn up the borders 

 of the wound. This has to be done to expose the bottom of the 



