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Report of the Medical Missionary Society.
DEC
simple Chinese characters, &c. The same remedies were continued as before, with the addition of strychnine to the blistered surface, but whether this was useful or not I cannot say. In two months and a half after admission, he was discharged cured; being able to dis- tinguish near and distant objects readily when assisted by concave glasses.
The other case of complete amaurosis, was a respectable school- master, who had been so untiring in his zeal and unceasing in his labors both night and day, as to destroy his sight. He was besides an opium-smoker of 23 years' standing, which no doubt helped on the paralysis. Blisters were constantly applied to the temples, and behind the ears, and the muriated tincture of iron, adding a drop each dose, with mild aperients were exhibited; but he could not remain in the house long enough to give the remedies a satisfactory trial. We decreased the opium, but dared not entirely relinquish its use.
The number of patients, with single or double cataracts that have been operated upon, has been twenty-five; of this number eleven have recovered their vision; of the remainder, two lost their sight from destructive inflammation arising from exposure to cold air; and the rest had their sight only partially restored, either from not return- ing for a second operation, or from the disease being complicated with amaurosis or glaucoma. The mode of operation, and the one which is sufficient in most if not in all cases, is that either of depres- sion or division. Inflammation and that is conjunctival, rarely supervenes after such operations in the lymphatic temperament of the Chinese, if care is observed to keep the patient from light and wind.
complete, is a disease Thirty cases of entro-
Inversion of the eyelids, either partial or that will always require remedying in China. pium have been thus preserved from blindness by an operation, and each year will add to the number. A great number of children and grown up persons, have been presented with total staphyloma, rupture and adhesion of the cornea, dense leucoma, &c., with the hope that something might be done for them; and when interesting children quite blind, have been dismissed as incurable, who might if other circumstances had been favorable, enjoyed the light of day, it has often excited the deepest pity for the distressed parents, and the poor child, perhaps unconscious of its loss, who is thus doomed to grope its way in darkness.
Phthisis has its victims in China, but it is slower in its pro- gress and less frequent than with us I apprehend that as our know-