Facts and documents relating to the establishment of the Ophthalmic Hospital.

Date:
1821
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Facts and documents relating to the establishment of the Ophthalmic Hospital. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    •w o A copy of this official report was immediately forwarded to the War Offi ce, with a letter from the Commander in Chief, of which the following is a copy: MY LORD, Horse Guards, July 12, 1S15. In reference to your lordship’s letter of the 12th of April last, with its inclosure from Sir W. Adams, I have now to transmit to you the inclosed copy of a letter from the Director General of the Army Medical Department, which appears to me quite conclusive as to the expediency of creating any establishment for the Ophthalmic Disease. I am, my Lord, Yours, FREDERICK, (C. inC.) To the Right Hon. the Secretary at War, tyc. §e. But the Secretary at War, upon the receipt of these documents, called for the monthly returns of ail Ophthalmic Diseases treated in Army Hospitals since 1810; when it appeared by them, that so far from the Ophthalmia being (as the Director General had reported) confined to a 66 few cases in the neighbourhood of Plymouth,” and its being (as he hoped it would be) u soon eradicated from the army,” on the contrary, the malady was then extensively prevailing in the army—that it had so prevailed since 1810—and that the very month in which the above report was made, 550 patients had been treated in Military Hospitals! while the disease continued progressively to in¬ crease, and in the November following, broke out with such violence in the Army of Occupation in France, that by the Director Gene¬ ral’s letter of April 1817 (Doc. I.) it appears that 2422 soldiers be¬ longing to that army alone were treated for Ophthalmic Diseases, between 21st November, 1815, and 20th November, 1816!!! Upon the opinion expressed by the Director General respecting “ the proper treatment of the disease being now very generally pro¬ mulgated,” and the competenc}^ of certain Army Surgeons to be c: selected for the cure of the disease,” three years after Sir W. Adams had in the most open and candid manner communicated his opinions and practice to Army Practitioners, no remark will he made. But for the accuracy of the facts stated in an official communication to the Commander in Chief, it must be admitted he was deeply responsible. His duty was not discharged by forbearing to make incorrect or co¬ lourable representations, but it is conceived no excuse can be offered, for not ascertaining, by all practicable means, the truth and accura- cyT of every matter of fact stated by him, which was calculated to influence the judgment and decision of the Commander in Chief upon so important a subject.