Dr.  darwin  on  a 
9° 
tience  enough  to  perfevere  in  thefe  efforts,  but  he  will 
in  the  courfe  of  fome  months  overcome  this  unlightly 
habit. 
I fhall  conclude  the  account  of  this  cafe  by  adding, 
that  all  the  other  fquinting  people  I have  had  occalion 
to  attend  to,  have  had  one  eye  much  lefs  perfect  than  the 
other,  according  to  the  obfervations  of  Mr.  buffon  and 
Dr.  reid.  Thefe  patients,  where  the  difeafed  eye  is  not 
too  bad,  are  certainly  curable  by  covering  the  belt  eye 
many  hours  in  a day ; as,  by  a more  frequent  ufe  of  the 
weak  eye,  it  not  only  acquires  a habit  of  turning  to  the 
objects  which  the  patient  wilhes  to  fee,  but  gains  at  the 
fame  time  a more  diftindt  vilion ; and  the  better  eye  at 
the  fame  time  feems  to  lofe  fomewhat  in  both  thefe 
refpedts,  which  alfo  facilitates  the  cure. 
This  evinces  the  abfurdity  of  the  practice  of  prohibit- 
ing thofe  who  have  weak  eyes  from  uling  them ; lince 
the  eye,  as  well  as  every  other  part  of  the  body,  acquires 
ftrength  from  that  degree  of  exercife  which  is  not  ac- 
companied with  pain  or  fatigue;  and  I am  induced  to 
believe,  that  the  moll  general  caufe  of  fquinting  in  chil- 
dren originates  from  the  cuftom  of  covering  the  weak 
eye,  which  has  been  difeafed  by  any  accidental  caufe, 
before  the  habit  of  obferving  objedts  with  both  eyes  was 
perfedtly  eftabliflied. 
7 • 
The 
