An experimental inquiry into the functions of the ophthalmic ganglion / by C. Radclyffe Hall.

  • Hall, Charles Radclyffe, 1820-1879.
Date:
[1846]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An experimental inquiry into the functions of the ophthalmic ganglion / by C. Radclyffe Hall. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    lently for half a minute and died. Both eyes were watched. The left pupil immediately attained its maximum size, so that nothing more than the narrowest rim of iris could be discerned. In the right (punctured) eye, the anterior chamber instantly became partly filled with blood, probably from the scratch previously made in the iris ; but as far as could be ascertained, the size of the pupil remained the same. The sudden effusion of blood from the scratch in the iris, which did not bleed at the time it was in- flicted, was owing to the vascular congestion of the eye during the violent struggles produced by the poison. ]05. The left orbit was then opened. Mechanical irritation of the optic and third nerves caused no effect. 106. Both eyeballs were removed. The blood in the right eye had coagulated and obscured the iris. In the left eye, twenty hours after death, the pupil was elliptical and of one-third its maximum size. In forty-eight hours, when the tunics had be- come dry and shrivelled, the pupil was unaltered. Experiment XIX.—Divided, as I supposed, the left optic nerve within the orbit in a rabbit. 107. The left eye became more prominent and the pupil con- tracted at first, but in a few minutes it dilated and afterwards so remained. Right eye unaltered. 108. On the day following there was a slight secretion of mucus and subsequently of purulent matter. The cornea next became opaque. In six weeks the cornea had become nearly as clear as ever; but the crystalline lens was pushed forwards partly through the pupil, and was opaque. The rabbit lived for five months, and was quite blind of the left eye. 109. On dissection the left optic nerve within the orbit was found closely surrounded by firm lymph, but had not been divided. External, inferior, and closely applied to the optic nerve was a red coagulum in a cyst of fine cellular membrane the size of a hazelnut. The globe of the eye had evidently sustained pres- sure from this coagulum, and was atrophied to less than half the size of the other eyeball; yet its shape was normal, though it was scarcely larger than was sufficient to inclose the lens. . I he changes of size in the pupil were referable at first to irritation, and su - sequently to palsy either of the optic or ciliary nerves, or o i. The experiment was undertaken with the view of ascertaining the influence of the ciliary nerves on the nutrition of the eye. Un con- sideration it proves but little, since the atrophy mig it e ue loss of vascular power from division of the blood-vesse s, o pies sure from the clot of extravasated blood, or to want of functional exercise from injury done to the optic nerve. It was pio a y owing to all these conditions conjoined. Experiment XX.—Some prussic acid was introduced into the nostril of a young rabbit.