86 Mr. Home's Account of tzvo Children 
nued so contracted and irregular, and the eye so imperfect in 
its powers, that it became necessary a second time to postpone 
any experiments. 
On the 16th of September the right eye was couched. 
This operation was preferred after what had happened to the 
other eye, in the hope that there would not be the same 
degree of inflammation, and as the former cataract was fluid, 
there was every reason to believe that couching would in this 
instance be most efficacious. 
The operation gave pain, and the light was so distressing 
to his eye that the lids were closed as soon as it was over, 
and he was put to bed. The consequent inflammation was 
not severe, but as soon as the fluid cataract, which had been x 
diffused through the aqueous humour was absorbed, the cap- 
sule of the lens was found to be opaque, and the sight conse- 
quently imperfect. The eyes were not examined with respect 
to their vision till the 13th of October, during which period 
the boy remained quiet in the hospital. On that day the 
upper part of the pupil of the left eye had in some measure 
recovered its natural state, and had become transparent, but 
the cicatrix in the cornea was more extensively opaque than 
before. The light now was not distressing to either eye, and 
when strong, he could readily discern a white, red, or yel- 
low colour, particularly when bright and shining. The sun 
and other objects did not now seem to touch his eyes as 
before, they appeared to be at a short distance from him. 
The eye, which had been couched, had the most distinct 
vision of the two, but in both it was imperfect. The distance 
at which he saw best was five inches. 
When the object was of a bright colour, and illuminated 
