Treatise on the Diseases of the Eye, 205 



by other causes besides exposure to the fierce glare of the sun ; such 

 as the excessive indulgence of appetite ; the unvaried meal of rice ; 

 indigestible vegetable diet ; and the habitual use of narcotics and 

 other noxious drugs, which increase the predisposition to this distres- 

 sing malady." 



Glaucoma : (p. 105.) — 



" This disease is of very frequent occurrence in Bengal, among 

 those who have passed the middle period of life. The unhealthy 

 climate, the bad habit of body, the frequent irregularities in an 

 arthritic diathesis, and dissipated habits, and the exposure to the 

 influence of a burning sun, seem to act in producing the disposition 

 to the attacks of Glaucoma. " 



Nyctalopia: (p. 113.) — 



" The same effect is produced, though more slowly, by the debility 

 caused by the poor and indigestible food of the natives, particularly 

 when combined with other privations. In such cases the person first 

 notices his vision becoming weak until he can only see during the 

 bright light of the sun, and at last he becomes quite blind. As 

 numbers are often exposed to these exciting causes, such an affection 

 of the eyes sometimes takes on an epidemic form. Thus Lascars, or 

 native seamen, who often live on food of a slightly nourishing nature, 

 and are exposed to the weather and great transitions of temperature, 

 in small uncomfortable ships, are not unfrequently affected in this 

 manner. Numerous cases of the same disease appeared among the 

 sepoys in the expedition to Java, in consequence of their being fed 

 on rice alone. The Lascars are so well aware of this, that they 

 complain loudly when their diet is confined to rice, "because it 

 makes them blind." By these causes such a weakness of the retina 

 is produced, that objects become indistinct as soon as the sun disap- 

 pears, as less of the stimulus of light is present than is necessary in 

 the blunted state of the retina for distinct vision. This forms the 

 disease called Hemeralopia.* The symptoms of the disease are a 



* " I use this term to designate " Night Blindness," as generally adopted, 

 although not the correct term. Nyctalopia, " Day Blindness," I consider as 

 merely a symptom, and as such I shall consider it." 



