The anatomy and diseases of the lachrymal passages / by W. Spencer Watson.

  • Watson, W. Spencer (William Spencer), 1836-1906.
Date:
1892
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The anatomy and diseases of the lachrymal passages / by W. Spencer Watson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    39/106 (page 25)
    Treatment.—Topical medication of the sac by the use of lotions, boric acid, zinc and peroxide of hydrogen, either by instillation or the use of Anel's syringe, and the improvement of the general health by general medication and change of air will often bring about an improvement in the quality of the secretion, and a cessation of overflow of tears. If, however, after a month or six weeks, no improvement takes place, me- chanical measures will become necessary, and the lower canaliculus should be laid open by means of the Weber's or Fig. 4.—Bowman's canaliculus knife. Bowman's knife. This little operation, first devised and sys- tem atised by Sir W. Bowman, leaves a freer aperture, and lotions can then be applied more directly to the lining mem- brane of the sac, and the subsequent progress of the case will Fig. 5. as a rule be very satisfactory, provided the general health can be carefully attended to. Where there is an obstinate scrofulous diathesis, and in some cases of gouty dyscrasia, the course of the local disease resists treatment for months, and in severe secondary syphilitic cases the nasal complications will require separate treatment for the cure of ulcerations or removal of necrosed bone from the nasal passages. Whenever there is reason to suspect tertiary syphilis, the treatment by probing of the duct or sac should be carefully avoided, until the constitutional malady has been cured by specific remedies. In one such case in which probing was used before the constitutional dyscrasia had been overcome, extensive necrosis of a portion of the upper jaw supervened, and a sequestrum had to be removed through the mouth. In the following case, which may be regarded as a typical one, the local treatment was preceded and accompanied by a systematic course of general specifics and with the best results.