Directory_and_Chronicle_1841 — Page 479

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Report of M. M. S. Hospital at Chusan.

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of the eye itself, for though the eyes of the Chinese are small, arıd the eyelids drawn inwards and downwards, in many cases, so as tʊ make a distinct fold at the inner angle, as is especially seen in many of the females, still this is the natural condition of the eye throughout the whole nation, and it is difficult to understand how the natural state of

any organ can make it liable to disease. It is true that sorne individuals are born with such a conformation of body, that they are more prone than others to disease, but this is altogether an abnormal condition: whereas the form of the eye in this people is, as before mentioned, perfectly natural. And how can it be supposed that al- snost one third of the human race should be thus predisposed to a diseased condition of so important an organ! It would appear, as the result of observation, that the more frequent occurrence of the above nained diseases, arises in a great measure from two causes.

1st. The severe inflammation of the organ, which comes on at the commencement of the northerly and northeasterly winds in October; November, and December: this being permitted to run its course without relief being obtained, leaves as its consequences, various changes in the tissues, of a more or less injurious nature according to the intensity of the primary inflammation of the eye and its append- ages, and the healthy or unhealthy condition of the sufferer.

2d. The injurious effects of a practice which is commonly followed by the Chinese barbers of everting the lower lid, and rubbing its in- ner surface gently with an ivory or bamboo instrument, shaped like a small scoop, which they also pass under the lid and deep into the iuner and outer canthi; this they call washing the eye,' and the declared intention is the removal of any portion of mucus that may be lodging on its surface. This is a very common habit and may be seen daily in the barber's shops, where, after the head has been shaved, the man sits composed as if enjoying exquisite delight, while the barber is thus operating on his eyes. If the person's eyes be examined after this process, they will be found to be very red and in a state of consi- derable irritation, and in process of time chronic conjunctivitis supervenes, and this being considered as the result of the eye not being sufficiently cleansed, the practice is persisted in, and the con- junctiva of the lid becomes covered with granulations. In other cases, the conjunctiva becomes indurated like thin parchment, the tarsal cartilages contract and induce entropium. Other diseases also result in process of time, variously modified according to circum- stances; as for instance, exposure to the cold wind inducing an attack of acute inflammation of the organ.

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