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structure or figure of the eye, therefore admit of no cure. Theinconveniences arising from them may however be in some meas-ure remedied by the help of proper glasses. The former requiresthe aid of a concave, and the latter of a convex glass.
Strabismus, or squinting, depends upon an irregular contractionof the muscles of the eye from a spasm, palsy, epilepsy, or an illhabit. Children often contract this disorder by having their eyesunequally exposed to the light. They may likewise acquire it byimitation from a squinting nurse, or playfellow, &c. As this dis-order can hardly be cured, parents ought to be careful to preventit. Almost the only thing which can be done for it is to contrive amask for the child to wear, which will only permit him to see in astraight direction.
In most cases of squinting we shall be enabled to afford essen-tial relief, by the simple process of binding up the sound eye eve-ry day, for two or three hours, so as to oblige the patient to makeuse of the debilitated organ, and according as it is more or less in-disposed, to keep the other more or less veiled, and continuingthese means until the diseased eye is enabled fully and properly toperform its functions.
Spots or Specks on the eyes are generally the effect of infla'n-mation, and often appear after the small-pox, the measles, or vio-lent ophthalmias. They are very difficult to cure, and often occa-sion total blmdness. If the specks are soft and thin, they maysometimes be taken off by gentle caustics and discutients ; as vit-riol, the juice of celandine, &c. When these do not succeed, asurgical operation may be tried : the success of this, however, isalways very doubtful.
The Blood-shot Eye may be occasioned by a stroke, a fall,retching, vomiting, violent coughing, &c. 1 have frequently knownit happen to children in the hooping-cough. It appears at firstlike a bit of scarlet, and is afterwards of a livid or blackish colour.This disorder generally goes off without medicine. Should itprove obstinate, the patient may be bled, and have his eyes foment-ed with a decoction of comphry roots and elder flowers. A softpoultice may be applied to the eyes ; and the body should be keptopen by gentle purgatives.
The Watery or Weeping Eye is generally occasioned by a re-laxation or weakness of the glandular parts of that organ. Thesemay be braced and strengthened by bathing the eye with brandyand water, Hungary water, rose water, with white vitriol dissolv-ed in it, &c. Medicines which make a revulsion are likewiseproper ; as mild purgatives, perpetual blisters on the neck, bath-ing the feet frequently in lukewarm water, &c.
When this disease proceeds from an obstruction of the lachrymalduct, or natural passage of the tears, it is called a. fistula lachryma-lis, and can only be cured by a surgical operation.*
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* A weeping or watery eye is often the mark of a scrofulous habit.