Notes to a synopsis of the diseases of the eye / by Benjamin Travers.

  • Benjamin Travers
Date:
1821
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Notes to a synopsis of the diseases of the eye / by Benjamin Travers. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    often described the horrible sensation of passing under an archway, with the fear of being cruslied by its falling*. His Jiabit was plethoric, and he was apparently in the full vigor of health. As these symptoms, together with much lethargy, was considered to threaten apoplexy, he was freely and repeatedly blooded, and in other respects treated accordingly. He be- came totally blind and soon afterwards dark. His eyes were perfect in appearance. They had the unmeaning roll characteristic of the disease in its last stage. Pupils a good deal dilated and motionless. A full course of mercury and electricity were employed without any effect. The latter was persisted in for six months. In the progress of the case he was attacked with fits of a mixed kind, partly apoplectic, with temporary hemiplegia, and in part epileptic ; his mind and speech failed him. Great torpor of bowels and indigestion, scantiness of urine and pain in voiding it, coldness and cedematous swelling of the lower extremities, with frequent and severe convulsions of his wholeframe, were the symptoms most remarkable towards the close of his life. On inspection of the head, the ventricles of the brain were found greatly surcharged with serous fluid, and the optic nerves to and from the ganglion opticum shrunk, or rather absoi-bed ; so that they appeared flat instead of cylin- drical, and of a straw color instead of a silvery whiteness. In slitting, and cutting them across, it was evident that only the sheath of the nerve remained, the medullary substance had entirely disappeared. The eyes nevertheless were in all respects sound, and had the plumpness and clearness of health. There was no vestige of an apoplectic effusion. The following case exemplifies the exclusive paralysis of the nervi motores referred to in the paragraph to which this note belongs. • Another morbid l\orror, somewhat resembling; this, I have heard de- scribed, \ \z. iho approximation of the walls of the apartment, so as lo give the ])atirnt the impression of being in a closet just large enough to contain his person. I scarcely need observe that all such delusions have their orijjin in the scnsorium.