62 Dr Gillies on a peculiar modification of Vision, 
ing objects, without their being stedfastly or exclusively direct- 
ed to any one of them. 
Having remarked those circumstances under which I seemed 
to be exempt from these accessions, it occurred to me, that the 
employment of similar means might prove effectual in accom- 
plishing its removal, when it had already made its appearance. 
Accordingly, at different times, while under the influence of 
this affection, I tried the effects of reading, writing, and the em- 
ployment of magnifying glasses of different degrees of power. 
All of these seemed, on ^some occasions, to remove the affection, 
while at other times they failed in doing so ; which induces me 
to think that, on the former of these occasions, my eyes were of 
themselves about to resume their natural condition, and were 
httle influenced by these external agencies. 
On reading, when I held the book at the usual distance from 
my eyes, I saw the words as distinctly as usual, though they ap- 
peared smaller and more distant than ordinary ; but the exer- 
tion used in reading on such occasions, generally soon brought 
on such uneasiness of the eye, as to oblige me to desist. 
The magnifying glasses, which I employed of various degrees 
of power, produced no other alteration in my sensations of vision 
than I should have expected of them, had the objects viewed 
been actually at the same distance, and of the same magnitude 
as they appeared to be to my vision at the time. No alteration 
was produced in my eyes, while in this state, from bathing them 
in cold water, and rolling them about in it for some time. 
To determine whether these peculiar sensations were confined 
to one of my eyes, or extended to both of them in common, I 
alternately covered one eye and used the other, and uniformly 
found that the appearance of surrounding objects was precisely 
the same as when both eyes were uncovered. 
At one time I supposed that this modiflcation of vision might 
be somewhat connected with an increased fulness and determi- 
nation of blood to the eyes, and frequently imagined I felt them 
more tense and uneasy during the time of its continuance, and 
after it had disappeared, than at other times ; but after making 
repeated observations on the subject, I was induced to rehn- 
quish my first opinion, since I did not remark any unusual 
sense of fulness in those cases where I had used but little exer- 
