A manual of the diseases of the eye, or, Treatise on ophthalmology / by S. Littell ; revised and enlarged, by Hugh Houston.

Date:
1838
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A manual of the diseases of the eye, or, Treatise on ophthalmology / by S. Littell ; revised and enlarged, by Hugh Houston. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    complication of inflammation of the lachrymal gland or caruncle.] Inflammation of the cellular tissue within the orbit is characterized by severe^ deeply seated^ and progressively increasing pain^ [as if the posterior part of the globe of the eye was compressed^] headachy immobility of the globe and a feeling of distension^ arising from the swelling of the inflamed parts^ which gradually protrude the eye, so as to give it an unnatural prominence. There is also more or less tumefaction of the palpebrce^ \jhe eye is not inflamed^] the patient is annoyed by intolerance of light [photophobia J and frequent scintillations [photopsie^] the lachrymal secretion is increased^ the slightest motion of the eyeball is attended with acute pain^ and vision is always more or less impaired—sometimes speedily lost altogether. In violent cases, the eye becomes protuberant^ and in- flamed, the lids enormously swollen, and the cornea ulti- mately gives way. The constitutional disturbance is pro- portionate to the severity of the local symptoms, fever and delirium are a common occurrence, [especially when the inflammation extends to the membranes of the brain. If the inflammation be not prevented,] suppuration at length takes place, generally indicated by the usual symp- toms, rigors, throbbing, &:c., but is followed by no abate- ment of the pain; fluctuation may often be perceived, and the abscess approaches the surface at some point around the margin of the orbit, or between the palpebrae and the eyeball. [In some cases the abscess bursts, and discharges an unhealthy pus, mixed with blood; w^hich is very rarely followed by a marked remission of the symptoms^ because