DEP/DUA/1/40/40 (Transcript version)

Nelly McKay

(1786-1787)

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Nelly McKay. Novr 24^th

Obv. affect of eye.

But very diff disease from last.

There disease hardly obv to [imp.]

Here complic very manif.

Greatest pain from Opth.

But not cause of imp. vision.

For then only intoll. of light.

Here however case very diff.

No doubt that dim of vis in part from opaque crystal.

And this even with some change in [figure] of eye.

From which may concl. aff of other [illegible]

But besides haem memb. also dis.

And evid remark effuscat of cornea.

Hence no doubt in consid it as being chiefly an ex of caligo.

Prognos with respect to diff pat var.

Inflam or pres Opth but temp & occa

Might concl. therfore that soon [rem]

At least for time.

But to be obs. that [where] const. irrit great tend to return.

This however by prop caut if not prev. at least soon remed.

Opacit of lens much more unfavo.

When accomp. with change in fig seld. curab. even by operat.

And oper. then seld advis.

But here opac. not very great.

For vision by no means entir dest.

And no doubt that dimin consid from state of Cornea.

For condit such as not to [illegible].

And prob that vision prin from parts to which opacity does not extend.

Hence then from removal or dimin of this some benef.

And with view to treatm of Caligo selected this pat.

Offuscat sometimes such as to admit of remov. even by operat.

This however but rarely case.

And when attempt often inconv.

More freq. attemp. therfore by more gentle means.

Partic by corros or attrit.

With view to this selected pat.

When first came under care state of eye such that could form no judgem.

But when inflam dimin app. more unfav.

Then distinct. discov opacit of lens & alter. in shape of ball.

This led on Sat. last to expres great appreh as to any restor of vis.

Still much that opin.

Yet from second view more fav.

When inflam entirely gone change of shape less consid.

And state of [illegible] not such as entirely to prev. vision.

Hence by change in cornea may at least do some good.

And not without hopes, that may in part be affected by meas already begun.

In treatm as already remarkd two object

1 Combat Ophthalm.

2. Removal or dimin of Caligo

Is with these intent that have used remed empl.

Began with Solut Saturn.

Sal. Plumb. ℥ i. Ag. [Elbi]

No applic more effect for allay action of vessels.

Of this strength [head] applic.

Both as lotion & colyr.

For introd Goulard. Extr. Saturn

But from this all advant.

To obt effects freq. applic.

Bot extern applic & inject.

Where can be had long contin.

Hence advant of poultic.

Besides freq. colyr this dur. night.

For often dep. of effects from want of due applic.

Here soon effect of dimin pain.

But not entire remov of inflam.

This however hoped from contin.

Belly however at this time bound.

A circum always unfav in Opth.

Often best effect from purgat.

Here therfore something more than obv. [co]

With this view Cream of Tart.

One of best of refrig cathart.

Where large evac. wantd some add.

Pulv. Jallap Gamb.

But in [Opthlm] stim in gen to be av.

And for slight cath. Crem Tart of itself suff.

Espec. at early period. pat at 10.

Here to extent of three tea spoonf.

Even from ℥p to Jii.

Had effect of gently open belly.

Prob. of tend to dimin inflam.

For at succeed. report less.

And that with contin of ease.

At least joint effect of Solut & Cr. T.

Still however not in condit for [othr] app.

Hence merely directed contin

And at succeed report effect still encr. or rather fully answered

Then thought might attempt second obj. remov. or dimin of Caligo.

For this diff pract.

Here [most] gentle prefer.

For even from these danger of return of Ophthalm

Still more from acrid.

Here pulvis Ophthalm.

Mixt of p. ae Crem Tart & Sach Alb.

For introd Dr Balding of Gottin.

Edition of Ednr. Pharm.

Has added select formula.

Among other extols highly P. Opth.

His formul. diff from what here empl.

P. [aeg.] Sach. Crem Tart & Bol. [Alb] [illegible]

Derivd first knowl. from Empyr.

Used as [illegible] long before knew comp.

And bestow on it highest compl.

His words are Sancil artissume continuato usu, admir acculum sane, oculum panno orassion ob. Scieratum Vidi, plusguam centies effectus epis salutares anteguam innolesceret mitri ejus composition

Consid as in no case excit inflam.

On contrar. tells us allays it.

[Especil] if gently introd.

For never to be blown into eye.

But app. merly by point of finger.

Cannot join in all praises.

But have seen best effect from use.

And that too in cases where excit no benef.

But in some inst inflam.

Hence obliged to desist from use.

But this less, since altern formul.

By reject viz [bole]

From this incl. to think no advant.

Is subst. insolub. & at same [tim] [safe.]

Advant of other. that adm of [illegible] solut.

Partic [enem] Tart.

And from this prob. alone, all affect.

For in all prob. action from [attent.]

But from whatevr cause, often great benef.

And seldom any inconv.

Here hopes of some benef. even in pres inst.

Only however to be exp. from consid contin.

Is intent. therefore to persist [regul] in use

At least as far as circum will admit.

And for this purp. direct contin of both solut Saturn & Pulv. Cr. Tart.

For chief [interrup] from recurr of inflam.

And unquest better even to prev. than [remov]

For every fresh inflam [adv] to [effus].

Hence undoes what before accomp.

At least therfore better chance of success from contin than [singly].

Must howev obs hopes not sangn

For from other affect of eye restor of vis may be prev.

Though fails therfore little against med.

And If succeeds strong inst of effic.

And at any rate if [applied] without inconven, will merit fair & full trial.