Two cases of quinine amaurosis, from the practice of Dr. C.R. Agnew and Dr. D. Webster / by David Webster.

  • Webster, David, 1842-1923.
Date:
[1883?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Two cases of quinine amaurosis, from the practice of Dr. C.R. Agnew and Dr. D. Webster / by David Webster. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    til finally, on the early morning of Friday, July 25th, she had a very severe attack of the same, beginning at two o’clock, with se¬ vere discharges, running into watery evacuations, until seven o’clock, when she had violent cramps in the lower leg, ankles, and feet. The feet were placed in hot water—almost boiling :— she was covered with mustard poultices over the whole chest and abdomen, and over the whole length of the spine, for over twelve hours. These were then removed and fly blisters were placed on the chest and stomach, and her legs and arms were rubbed con¬ tinuously. The doctors said that her kidneys, liver, bowels, and brain were congested. After twelve o’clock (noon) on Friday quinine was administered per rectum in doses of fifteen grains every three hours. Her stomach refused every thing with des¬ perate nausea until the following Sunday afternoon. The quinine was given in enemas of milk and water, thin starch water, and beef tea, which also gave nourishment. In this way one hundred and five grains of quinine were given, when, on Satur¬ day at noon, the physicians said that her pulse indicated that the quinine might be suspended. From the commencement of the attack until Sunday was passed (three days) she lay in a semi¬ unconscious state ; intelligent when roused, but relapsing into quiet resting that was not sleep. The quinine was resumed in five-grain doses every three hours until twenty-five grains had been taken whenever there seemed to be any threatening of a return of the chill. She also has taken, ever since, a tonic, which gives five grains of quinine daily. On Sunday morning, the third day of the attack, she first became aware that she was blind. She was also very deaf, but the deafness passed away in a few days, as in other cases of deafness from quinine. On Monday evening she dimly discerned that there were five persons in her room, but only for a few moments. After this there was total “ blankness ” until the first week in Sep¬ tember, when she dimly discovered a small spot of yellow on the window. After three or four weeks this assumed the form of a right angle, the outlines being lines of yellow light, apparently on a black background. And so from that time to the present the same process has been going on, more objects being outlined in lines of golden light, as on a black-board. She sees a circle of light, about a yard in diameter, when she looks at a lighted lamp or the sun, as if light were struggling to shine through a thick fog. She first saw only through the extreme outer corners of her eyes, and not at all in front. Gradually she has been discerning out-