Extirpation of chronically inflamed tear sacs / by Fred T. Tooke.

  • Tooke, Fred T.
Date:
[1906]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Extirpation of chronically inflamed tear sacs / by Fred T. Tooke. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by UCL Library Services. The original may be consulted at UCL (University College London)

    1/8 (page 1)
    EXTIRPATION OF CHEONICALLY INFLAMED TEAR SACS. A PROPHYLACTIC MEASURE AGAINST DISEASED CONDITIONS OP THE CORNEA. BT Fred. T. Tooke, B.A., M.D., Clinical Assistant, Department of Ophthalmology. Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal. The practice of excising the lacrimal sac has been followed by ophthalmic surgeons for a number of years, but generally only to remove diseased conditions in this structure. This procedure has, however, also been adopted to advantage as a prophylactic course against the infection of corneal incisions and other serious sequelae in intraocular operations, when the tear sac has been found to be unhealthy. But the routine practice of removing this source of infection as a preventa- tive measure against ulcers and other pathological conditions of the cornea, which produce partial or complete blindaess, has only been fully appreciated comparatively recently. Axenfeld with an experience of many hundred excisions states that nearly eighty percent of these belong to members of the working classes. Such people can least afford the loss of sight, which, unfortunately, occurs in nearly thirty-five per cent of these cases of dacryocystitis by the f ormation of permanent dense opacities of the cornea resulting in blindness. These statistics cannot but impress one with the serious handicap, placed upon these unfortunates, as wage earners, in the struggle for existence. The tax, which they must sooner or later become to the community is another serious consideration which cannot be overlooked. Such facts show, beyond all doubt, that an individual suffering from chronic dacryocystitis, is constantly menaced by severe ulceration in the cornea, resulting in complete or partial loss of sight, a condition which, in a very great many cases, can be avoided. Ricchi working on this subject, classifies the results of his bac- teriological exjaminations as follows. ■ The micro-organism by far the most frequently found is the staphylococcus albus. In addition to this