William H. Wilder

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE FOR THE STUDY OF THE RELATION OF TUBERCULOSIS TO DISEASES OF THE EYE

This committee was formed for the purpose of studying in a cooperative way the relation of tuberculosis to certain diseases of the eye, the etiology of which is often obscure. As was stated in the preliminary report, it was thought that a number of observers might accumulate enough data to draw conclusions that might not be warranted by the limited observations of a single individual. Those who were interested in this work agreed to study their cases acording to a plan that was prearranged, and to keep records on blanks prepared for the purpose, so as to facilitate compilation. This plan of study contemplated a thorough physical examination of the body to determine, if possible, the etiology of the eye disease. If, in this examination, no reasonable etiology could be determined, other than that the patient gave evidence of having either active or quiescent tuberculosis in some part of the

COOPERATIVE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION.: ADDRESS OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SECTION ON OPHTHALMOLOGY, AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, JUNE 2-5, 1908.

I wish to express my appreciation of the high honor the Section on Ophthalmology of the American Medical Association conferred on me by electing me chairman for the present year. The Association is the largest medical organization in the world, and the Section on Ophthalmology has long been recognized as the best organized and most active and progressive of any of its numerous sections, and to be its chairman is an honor of which any ophthalmologist might well be proud. My illustrious predecessors in this office have set a standard of efficiency that is difficult to attain, and the steady improvement in the work of the section can be ascribed to the stimulus of the officers to induce the members to put into the section the results of their best work. THE PRESESSIONAL PAMPHLET. The officers of this year have thought it wise to follow the progressive precedent established two

PARAFFIN PLATES AS AN AID IN OPERATIONS FOR EXTENSIVE SYMBLEPHARON: AND FOR THE RESTORATION OF CUL-DE-SACS FOR PROTHESIS.

Symblepharon of severe degree, because of extensive destruction of the conjunctiva, has long been abete noirfor the ophthalmic surgeon. I do not intend to consider in this paper those simpler cases in which there is a limited destruction of the conjunctiva and slight band-like adhesions between the eyelid and the ball, for these can easily be relieved by the exercise of some ingenuity on the part of the surgeon and the transplantation of flaps of conjunctiva by one of the many methods that have been devised by different operators. I propose, however, to consider those severe cases in which, from injury, burn or ulceration, there has been extensive destruction of the conjunctiva, and a great part or the whole of one or both lids has become firmly adherent to the eyeball. My subject also includes those more difficult cases of atrophy of the conjunctiva, sometimes almost total, resulting

CASES OF HEREDITARY ECTOPIA LENTIS.

The following interesting cases came under my observation in October, 1894, at the Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary. Mrs. John H., brought her daughter Maggie, aged 10 years, to the clinic because of poor eyesight, saying the child could not see well at school. R.V.= 5/200, L.V.=10/200, only slightly improved with a strong convex glass, + 12 D. No concave glass was found that improved the sight. Examination revealed congenital dislocation of both crystalline lenses (Fig. 2), the right being displaced directly outward to such an extent that its inner edge did not reach the center of the pupil, while the left was displaced outward and upward to nearly the same degree. There was no opacity of the lenses and the details of the fundus could be seen either through the margin of the lens or through the aphakic pupil. No sign of coloboma could be observed in any part of

TUMORS OF THE EYEBALL.(EXHIBITION OF SPECIMENS).

The study of tumors of the eye is of the greatest importance to the general practitioner, as well as to the specialist, for the reason that not only is the special sense endangered, but the life of the patient frequently depends upon the early recognition and prompt treatment of a neoplasm of this part. Our time will not allow a consideration of the tumors affecting the lids, lacrymal glands and other adnexa of the eye, but it is the purpose of this paper to discuss briefly the most frequent growths that attack the eyeball. Tumors affecting the cornea primarily are, from the nature of this structure, exceedingly rare. Usually they spring from the edge of it where the conjunctiva passes over into the epithelial layer of the cornea. Of the benign growths may be mentioned dermoid, which is usually situated at the limbus, involving both conjunctiva and cornea. Rarely it