On the changes in the colour of the iris produced by inflammation / [James Hunter].

  • Hunter, James, M.D.
Date:
1841
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the changes in the colour of the iris produced by inflammation / [James Hunter]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    may be often cured by leeching, colchicum, and sudorifics, which fre¬ quently require to be used for sometime before they remove-the dis¬ ease. But, whenever there occurs a change in the colour of the iris, indicative of the commencing effusion of lymph, mercury (unless most specially contra-indicated by some other circumstances in the condition of the patient) must be administered, and speedily too, or else the mobility of the iris will be permanently impaired, or ex¬ tensive adhesions and even closure of the pupil be almost inevi¬ table. (&)In chronic cases, the progressive restoration of the natural colour of the iris is a good test of the efficacy of the means employed, whether mercury, iodine, or oil of turpentine; and for deciding on the propriety of continuing their use. (c)Whenever the change of colour in the iris indicates the recent and extensive effusion of lymph into its interstices, there is great danger of a slow and gradual clo¬ sure of the pupil taking place for some weeks or months after all in¬ flammatory action has subsided, and the cure apparently complete. In such cases, the daily use of belladonna, or hyosciamus, to keep the pupil moderately dilated, becomes an essential point of treat¬ ment. (d)When the pupil is closed, either by lymph, or by en¬ tanglement of the edges of the iris in a penetrating ulcer of the cor¬ nea, or in the cicatrix, after the extraction of a cataract, or from other causes, and jm operation for an artificial pupil is contemplated, any change in colour, indicating the matting together of the iridal fibres with lymph, should be carefully noted. In such cases, the prognosis as to the probable utility of any operation, such as 44 inci¬ sion,” (iridotomia,) or 66 simple ciliary separation,” (iridodialysis,) the success of which depends on the contraction of the liberated por¬ tion of the iris, should be extremely dubious, and a preference given to t£ excision,” {iridectomia,) or to 44 compound ciliary separation,” the separated portion being either drawn out and cut off, (iridtcto- me dialysis,) or left strangulated in the wound of the cornea, (iriden- cleisis.) Article IV.—Remarkable Case of Aneurism of the Aorta, with Remarks. By David Ure, Esq., Surgeon, Dundee. The following case appears to me deserving of notice for several rea¬ sons-—1st, The absence of any symptoms which could have led to the suspicion of the existence of such a serious disease, previous to, and even after, the bursting of the aneurism into the lung ;—2d, The complete cure of the rupture into the lung, as effected by na¬ ture ;—and, 3d, The length of the time the patient lived, after a direct communication had been formed between the cavity of the an- eurismal sac, and the canal of the oesophagus. The wonder being,
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