A treatise on the management of female complaints, and of children in early infancy / by Alexander Hamilton, M.D. ... ; revised and enlarged by his son, Dr. James Hamilton.

  • Hamilton, Alexander, 1739-1802.
Date:
1818
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A treatise on the management of female complaints, and of children in early infancy / by Alexander Hamilton, M.D. ... ; revised and enlarged by his son, Dr. James Hamilton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    At the opposite corner, under the eye-lash, the small body is placed that furnishes the tears. The eye-lids, besides defending the eye, serve to prevent the tears from being constantly poured over the cheeks. Each bye is constructed in such a manner, that the picture of the object seen, is represented in miniature on the inside of its bottom ; for the light entering at the Pufiil, passes through a thin watery fluid, then through a small transparent body like chrystal, and lastly through a viscid glairy substance, like the white of an eg^ by which means it is collected in a small space, at the bottom of the eye. These Humours., as they are called, are contained within a strong covering, composed of three layers principally, which have been named Coats,. The outer layer is almost round, projecting a little at the forepart, which is quite transparent; in every other part this layer is of a milky white colour. To this outer covering the eye-lids and the apparatus for moving the eye are attached. The second layer is of a dusky colour ; it lines the whole inside of the outer one, except at its transparent part, where it is turned back, and forms a ring of dif- ferent colours in different persons. This ring surrounds the pupil, and being very irrita- ble, and possessing a very active power of enlarging and diminishing the pupil, it serves as a curtain to pre- vent too great a quantity of light from passing into the eye. The third or inner layer is that en which objects are represented; it lines only somewhat more than the posterior half of the internal surface of the eye ; it is of a white colour, and when accurately examined, it is found to be formed by the branches of a large nerve, disposed in the form of net-work. This nerve, which b called Optic, passes in from the brain to the bottom of the eve.