INFLAMMATION OF THE EYES.

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fresh butter, may be applied to them, at least all night ; andthey may be bathed with lukewarm milk and water everymorning.

If the patient cannot sleep, which is sometimes the case,he must take fifteen or twenty drops of laudanum, or twospoonfuls of the syrup of poppies, over night, more or less,according to his age or the violence of the symptoms.

After the inflammation is gone off, if the eyes still remainweak and tender, they may be bathed every night and morn-ing with cold water and a little brandy, six parts of theformer to one of the latter. A method should be contrivedby which the eye can be quite immersed in the brandy andwater, where it should be kept for some time. I have gene-rally found this, or cold water and vinegar, as good astrengthener of the eyes as any of the most celebrated colly-riums.

When an inflammation of the eyes proceeds from a scro-fulous habit, it generally proves very obstinate. In this*case the patient's diet must not be too low, and he may beallowed to drink small negas, or now and then a glass ofwine. The most proper medicine is the Peruvian bark, whichmay either be given in substance, or prepared in the followingmanner :—

Take an ounce of bark, in powder, with two drams ofWinter's bark, and boil them in an English quart of waterto a pint ; when it has boiled nearly long enough, add halfan ounce of liquorice-root sliced. Let the liquor be strained.Two, three, or four table-spoonfuls, according to the age ofthe patient, may be taken three or four times a day. It isimpossible to say how long this medicine should be continued,as the cure is sooner performed in some than others ; but ingeneral it requires a considerable time to produce any lastingeffects.

Dr. Cheyne says " that aethiops mineral never fails in ob-stinate inflammations of the eyes, even scrofulous ones, ifgiven in a sufficient dose, and duly persisted in." There isno doubt but this and other preparations of mercury may beof singular service in ophthalmies of long continuance, butthey ought always to be administered with the greatest cau-tion, or by persons of skill in physic.

It will be proper frequently to look into the eyes, to see ifany hairs be turned inwards, or pressing upon them, in orderthat they may be cut off without delay.

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