Travels in Turkey, Asia Minor, Syria, and across the desert into Egypt ...

396
ON OPHTHALMIA.
speedily effected a cure. But in neglected, and in obstinate casei,
opacities of the cornea frequently ensued, which reduced die patient
to a temporary, partial, qr absolute blindness. Some melan-
choly cases happened, in which the eye completely suppurated, and
wasted away. In recent opacities, the ointment and laudanum
were verv useful, Although
I found these remedies the most effi-
cacious in removing the disease, yet I could not employ them very
generally among the Ottomans, who do not comprehend the utilitv
of remedies which give pain. It is true that there were exceptions
to this remark among such of the Turks as entertained fewer
prejudices, and who, possessing a greater degree of confidence, submitted
to the stimulants, and profited by them.
The collyrjum, composed of the acetite of lead, water and vi-
negar, alone cured great numbers of the Ottomans : indeed, this
wash became so celebrated among them, that I was obliged to
furnish the interpreter of the Vizier with a quantity of the acetite
of lead, with directions to make the collyrium for the use of his
Highness and others, on their return to
Constantinople from Cairo.
In the
early part of my practice I hesitated to apply the stimulants
until the primary symptoms were sensibly alleviated ; after three,
four, 01 six days, when observing a peculiar fulness and relaxed
state of the internal membrane of the eye-lids, from the distended
state of the vessels, and which was in many cases accompanied with
small ulcerations of the tarsi, this condition of the parts constituting
the secondary stage of the disease, indicated and prompted me to
apply stimulants earlier, and with much benefit.
A gaping, or an inversion of the eye-lids, occasionally occurred
in some violent, tedious, and obstinate cases of ophthalmy, pro-
ducing deformity, and a temporary deprivation of sight, from, the
great relaxation and elongation of the internal surface of the pal-
pebra. The most remarkable case of it which I saw, happened
to a soldier at Gaza, belonging to the Indian army. The inter-
nal membrane of the upper' lid formed a flap of at least two-thirds
of an inch in depth, hanging down, and completely closing the
eye. Various astringent coliyriums were used to diminish and restrain
its growth.
Irritability and weakness of the eye were relieved by astringent
coliyriums of vitriohted zinc, alum, &c. Frequent ablutions withcold
water, and vinegar and water, and
protecting
the
eye from
strong: lic;ht, were found of advantage.