[ 5*9 3 
LXXXII. An Account of the Succefs of Monf 
Daviel’s Method of extracting CataraEls : 
In a Letter to James Parfons, M. D . 
F. R. S. from Andrew Cantwell, M. ZX 
S I R, 
Read April i , A S my laft public courfe of operations 
XjL made in the amphitheatre of our 
fchools, efpecially the Ieffions I pronounced there on 
the diftempers of the eyes, procured me, fince that 
time, frequent occafions of feeing all our famous 
occulifts extraCt the cataraCt, and making with them 
feveral remarks on that diforder, I take the liberty to 
communicate them to the Royal Society, if they have 
not as yet come to your knowledge. 
The extraction of the cryftalline from the pofterior 
chamber, by an incifion made in the cornea, with a 
defign to cure the cataraCt, feems to have been firft: 
attempted by Mr. Daviel. ’Tis true, Surgeon Petit, 
and the Oculift St. Ives, extracted it out of the an- 
terior chamber in 1708, and the following years* 
but that operation was defigned only to rid this cham- 
ber of an accidental burden fallen into it, in couching 
the cataraCt ; and ’tis very reafonable to believe, ’twas 
only the examples of thefe two operators, led Daviel 
into this new method, which has wonderfully facili- 
tated the cure of that diforder, and cleared up the 
many difficulties that appeared in it hitherto. 
The Greeks and Arabians looked on the glaucoma 
as an incurable cataraCt j and the moderns pretended, 
Vol. LIT. Xxjc thaf 
