Amblyopia potatorum / by Ed. M. Curtis.

  • Curtis, Ed. M. (Edward M.), 1840-1874.
Date:
1872
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Amblyopia potatorum / by Ed. M. Curtis. 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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    By ED. M. CUKTIS, M. D., or Sackamento. HaviDg been called upon to treat quite a number of eases of amblyopia potatorum, or alcoholic amaurosis, during my short residence on this coast, T have become convinced that such cases must frequently fall under the notice of general practi- tioners; and although their history does not show any miracu- lous recoveries brought about by skillful surgical operations, yet I have thought that their detail might be of quite as much practical and general benefit as that of cases which require delicate special manipulation, and come more exclusively under the domain of the ophthalmic surgeon. The advent of the ophthalmoscope destroyed that general application of the terms ‘‘amaurosis” and “amblyopia” to all post-lenticular troubles where the appearance of the eye was natural, and restricted them to those cases where the cause of loss of sight could not be found within the eye itself; and it gave the lie to that old facetious definition, that amaurosis was that disease in which neither the patient nor his physician could see anything; for sooner or later in the course of these affections, the ophthalmo8CO]3e does detect pathognomonic intra-ocular changes. That such losses of sight were frequent among the intempe- rate, was observed long before these afiPections were properly classified and distinguished from intra-ocular diseases; but until quite recently, it has been uncertain whether they were de- pendent on any direct toxical effect of the alcohol, or upon secondary changes brought about by that degeneration of the cerebro-spinal axis, so well known as one of the frequent con- comitants of chronic alcoholic toxsemia. But now, although the