DEP/DUA/1/33/04 (Transcript version)

Lewis Baine

(1783-1784)

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Lewis Baine Novr 22

Of case of this patient unnecss to make many observ.

For while case not in its nature very highly import. reason to presume [from] absence during two success. weeks that will see nothing more of him in this place.

And shall therfore be disapp of opport of that trial which intend.

Disease you will obs. when came under our care an obv one.

Consisted almost entirely of affect of left Eye

And these princip of inflam nature

Could have little doubt therfore in consid it to be an ex of Ophthalm

This affect by nosol divided into diff. species

Mr Sauv. from disting affect not only from nature & situat but also from remote causes has ranked under this genus 24 diff. spec.

Dr Cullen however has in my opin done better in referring idiopath spec to two only.

Ophthalm. Membran & Ophthal. [illegible]

And have no doubt that more useful in pract than more num divis.

From case before us however app. that even this distinct liab. to object.

For here evid an affect both of Tarsus & memb of eye.

While at same time from intoller of light may concl. that not merely in extern memb. but intern also.

Or at least may inferr that sensib of retina augm.

And indeed in cases of most simple, & strictly idiopath opth more freq happens that thus extended, than that exactly limited.

But besides Ophthalm anoth effect of this eye also ment in hist of case

An opaque speck viz of Cornea by which sight in some degr. impaird.

These offuscat. to which nosol. & pract writers, have given name of Leucoma, very gener. the conseq of inflam

And after repeated inflamm. not unfreq. so much extended, [that] [vision] very consid impaird.

Hence then with these before subj to the affect, became always an obj of attent.

And was here, full more with view to this part of disease than to Ophthalm itself that select as sub of Pr & Lec

The Ophthalm which but of recent date & by no means very severe, would I trusted by prop means soon be overcom

And was afterwards my intent to attempt remov of Leucom by a remedy which have oftener than once before empl, in such cases, with success.

A powder viz to which in shop of the the shop of Dispen we give name of Pulv. Opthalm.

This powder consists of equal parts of Cr. of Tart and Sugar.

A little gently introd into eye every night at bed time.

And have often seen from it good effect as tend to remove sever specks.

Probab. from operat on mechan prin.

For although Cream of Tart solub. in fluids of eye, yet slowly so.

To use of this powder first led on recomm of Dr Balding of Goetting.

Receipt indeed which he has publ. a very compl. one cont. [Armen] [bole] & a variety of other artic

Was inclind to think, that from simplif it, to two ingred mentioned would suffer no dimin of activ

While at same time, more safe from both artic being solub. which not the case with earths

Accordingly have often used it not only with safety but with manif advant.

And after repeated trials must own that consid it as prefer to eye ointm of Sir H. Sloane or any other I have before used with same intent

While however opthalm remains every irritat to eye to be avoided.

Before having here recourse to it therfore, wishd that Opthalm should first be compl. removed.

And for this purpose, had recourse to Saturn solut exter. applied, & to Cream of Tart intern as a Cathart

From use of these remed affect soon consid allev.

And to me seems very probab. that by contin inflam entirely [remov].

And that disert has proceeded from having no farther occas for assisst

But of this can conj only.

At same time whatever may be cause has precluded us from intend trial, for removal of Leucom

With him indeed degree not so consid, as to occas. much inconv.

And not improb, that even without aid of any med, may grad. dimin.

For unless supported, & encreased, by repeated inflamm, this not unfreq obs. to happen.