The treatment of recent trachoma / Thomas A. Woodruff.

  • Woodruff, Thomas Adams, 1865-
Date:
1907
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The treatment of recent trachoma / Thomas A. Woodruff. 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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    otliers liave obtained no satisfactory results from it in tbe treatment of this disease. When granulations are abundant their early removal is indicated. This is best accomplished by means of o.xpression with one of the several forceps made for the ])urpose. Great care should be exercised in performing this operation not to use too forcible pressure, so as to avoid laceration of the tissues. This procedure often gives excellent results, and is especially indicated in the early stages of the disease in which the granulations are large and exuberant, and fill the upper and lower culs- de-sac. Although of less value, it is not contraindicated in the later stages of the disease or when corneal compli- cations are present. The reaction produced by this pro- cedure is usually not very severe, and is readily over- come by the application of cold fomentations to the lids. This should be followed by applications of sul- phate of copper either in the form of the solid stick or in solution. In the early stages I think the best results are ob- tained from the copper in solution, the solid stick being more applicable to the later stages of trachoma, when the trachomatous bodies have invaded the deeper tissues and the more escharotic effect is desired. The solution should be as strong as can be comfortably borne by the patient and without setting up too severe a reaction. Tt should be brought in contact with all portions of the diseased area and applied well into the culs-de-sac by means of cotton twisted around a toothpick after com- plete exposure and thorough drying of the conjunctival surfaces, with a pledget of cotton or sterilized gauze. I'his procedure may be repeated as often as is considered desirable, care being taken io dry the conjunctiva before each a])plication. 1 use a saturated solution of sulphate of copper in glycerin (90 grains to the ounce), and from this 7uake a fresh solution with water each day by the addition of fifteen drops of distilled water to one drop of the glycerid of copper. The strength of this is gradually increased until the point of toleration is reached. Tf this treatment is carried out daily or every other day, much can be accomplished in the absorption of the granulations and in cutting .short the disease. .\ltcrnating with the copper solution, massage with an ointment made up of nitrate of mercury and cod-liver