McKeown gives the
history of a blind fiddler of sixty-three, who, when one and a
half years old, had lost the sight of both eyes after an attack
of small-pox. Iridectomy was performed, and after over sixty
years of total blindness his sight was restored; color-perception
was good. Berncastle mentions a case of extraction of double
cataract and double iridectomy for occluded pupils, which, after
thirty years of blindness, resulted in the recovery of good
sight. The patient was a blind beggar of Sydney.
To those interested in this subject, Jauffret has a most
interesting description of a man by the name of Garin, who was
born blind, who talked at eight or nine months, showed great
intelligence, and who was educated at a blind asylum. At the age
of twenty-four he entered the hospital of Forlenze, to be
operated upon by that famous oculist. Garin had never seen, but
could distinguish night or darkness by one eye only, and
recognized orange and red when placed close to that eye. He could
tell at once the sex and age of a person approximately by the
voice and tread, and formed his conclusions more rapidly in
regard to females than males. Forlenze diagnosed cataract, and,
in the presence of a distinguished gathering, operated with the
happiest result.
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