SUCCESSFUL OPTHALMIC OPERATION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 408, 5 July 1881, Page 2

SUCCESSFUL OPTHALMIC OPERATION.

During the meeting of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, held in Christchurch recently, the following letter from Dr Wilkins, oculist to the Institution, was read ; To the Chairman and Members of the Hospital Board. In accordance with the Irish of the Christchi'irch Hospital Board 1 beg to forward a report on the case of the patient, Wra. Hudson, who was treated for blindness. Wm. Hudson, from Patea, arrived in Christchurch Hospital, February 18th, 1881, where he was placed under my care for treatment. Upon examination, his age is twenty-three years and be was suffering from great debility and general illhealth as well as loss of sight, He was stone blind in his right eye, the eye itself having!! collapsed, its anterior portion being still in a very inflarfied and irritable

state. In his left eye he Bad very little useful sight. He could ouly see shadows and fingers when held towards the light. - The obstruction to vision in this eye was a dense while opacity of the cential part of the cornea in front of the pupil, as well as deeper mischief caused by inflammation _ami deep ulceration. Upon an opthalmascopic examination it was found that an artifical pupil carefully made behind the inner portion of the cornea, the only part of it which was moderately transparent, might give him a chance of useful sight. Before doing this operation, it was most essential to improve his health by tonic treatment for a few weeks, as in his state of health there would have been a very poor-chance of its being a success. Therefore the operation was delayed until the 25th of March, on which date it was done, and very successfully, the in the course of a fortnight, being able to tell the time accurately by looking at ray watch, and could see distant objects well also. The inflammation in the shrunken part of the right eye not subsiding, and keeping very irritable,it was deemed advisahle .to abscind the front of it (the diseased portion), to prevent sympathetic injury to his now good eye ; this admits too of the easy application of an artificial eye. This second operation was per~ formed on May 22ud. Hudson is now quite well, and ready to return home, having good general health and good use--ful vision iu his left eye, which is likely to improve still, unless a recurrence of his old attack sets in. As Hudson possesses na means to pay for an artificial eyefor the right side, one has been presented to him, which acts admirably, and altogether his appearance is much improved, and his sight now sufficiently restored to enable him to. work for his own living. Christchurch, June 10, 1881, It was decided to send a copy of this very satisfactory report to the Patea County Council.