612 
Hydrochlorate  of  Cocaine. 
Am.  Jour.  Phnrm. 
Dec,  1884. 
enucleation  of  the  eyeball  has  been  performed  without  discomfort  to  the 
patient,  by  the  liberal  use  of  cocaine.   This  is  to  me  very  surprising." 
"  3.  In  painful  diseases  of  the  cornea  this  drug  is  of  much  benefit. 
It  is  especially  useful  in  phlyctenular  keratitis  with  great  photophobia. 
The  attendant  blepharospasm  is  completely  relieved,  and  the  child's 
eyes  may  be  examined  without  its  screaming  or  struggling.  In  the 
severe  cases  of  irido  keratitis,  of  constitutional  origin,  cocaine  will 
relieve  the  intense  photophobia  after  all  other  measures  have  failed. 
I  have  not  observed,  however,  that  the  drug  has  any  curative  effect 
upon  the  morbid  processes." 
The  following  observations  and  conclusions  are  quoted  in  full  from  a 
communication  to  me  under  date  of  November  12th,  from  Dr.  Charles 
A.  Oliver,  one  of  the  Ophthalmic  and  Aural  Surgeons  to  St.  Mary's 
Hospital,  of  this  city,  who  for  some  time  has  been  making  personal 
use  of  the  drug,  besides  having  access  to  the  current  literature  upon 
the  subject.  He  therein  furnishes  me  wTith  a  few  data  of  its  use  and 
value  in  ophthalmic  practice,  which  he  has  kindly  tabulated  in  a  series 
of  definite  observations  and  conclusions  : 
"  With  varying  quantities  of  three  to  eight  drops  of  a  two  per  cent, 
solution  instilled  into  healthy  eyes  twice  or  three  times,  at  five  minute 
intervals,  the  following  observations  were  made : 
"  1.  Almost  ad  maximum  pupillary  dilatations  occurred  in  forty-five 
minutes  to  an  hour,  the  pupil  returning  to  normal  size  in  four  to  six 
hours.  This  length  of  time  could  not  be  considered  as  normal,  as  it 
merely  represents  the  invividual  muscular  tonus  and  amount  of  endos- 
mosis. 
"2.  During  the  time  of  dilatation,  the  pupillary  rim  of  the  iris 
assumed  various  irregularities  in  outline  of  the  same  character  as  may 
be  seen  in  the  action  of  Duboisia  and  Homatropine  upon  the  iris. 
"  3.  At  the  time  of  instillation,  no  more  local  inconvenience  or  pain 
was  complained  of  than  during  the  use  of  the  solution  of  the  neutral 
salts  of  the  other  mydriatics. 
"4.  In  some  instances,  in  a  few  moments  following  the  use  of  the 
drug,  there  was  a  complaint  of  a  saltish  taste,  which  quickly  passed 
away. 
"5.  In  no  instance  was  there  the  least  constitutional  manifestation 
of  the  drug. 
"  6.  In  every  case,  accommodative  range  was  lessened,  but  to  what 
