g^o DISORDERED EYES* 



recourfe muft be had again to internal remedies. Some 

 of my doctors laid all the blame on an acrimony of the 

 blood ; and therefore nothing was administered for a 

 length of time, but detergent medicines and purifiers 

 of the blood. Others afcribed it to plethora ; and fo 

 we came round again to cupping and bleeding. At 

 the fame time I muft have leeches applied about the 

 eyes ; which occaftoned me greater uneafinefs. For, 

 when the leeches are fallen off, the blood by their 

 fucking having acquired fo itrong an impetus through 

 the wounds they have made, it cannot be flopped for 

 a confiderable while, and the patient muft confent to* 

 continue in a very uneafy. pofition to let it drop away 

 at leifure. Others again were of opinion that the com- 

 plaint in my eyes might perhaps proceed from a weak- 

 nefs of nerves : for which reafon I muft drink quin- 

 quina and chalybeate water ; but, after all thefe pre- 

 fcriptions, my eyes remained juft as they were. 



Meanwhile, my hair-dfeffer had told me of a do- 

 me flic application, which he and his brother-puffs^ 

 whofe eyes were fo frequently inflamed by the particles 

 of powder that flew into them, had habitually recourfe 

 to, and which was found fcarcely ever to fail. He 

 faid, I muft take a flice of new white bread ; and, 

 after cutting it in two, throw both the halves into cold 

 water, where they muft lie and foak for a couple of 

 minutes ; and then be put with the cut fide on the 

 eyes. This, added he, draws out all the heat* and 

 makes the eyes both clear and ftrongv 



Some of my phyftcians had before recommended to 

 me the ufe of cold water ; and advifed me to keep the 

 eye open in a glafs of water, or a china eye-bath, as 



, it 



