Master W. the son of a respectable clergyman, at Castlecary, in Somersetshire, was born in the year 1793; and, for many months, appeared to be a healthy perfect child: his eyes, in particular, were large and rather prominent. When about six months old, he began to cut his teeth; which was attended with great pain, and frequently with violent convulsive fits. About the end of his first year, a number of persons passing in procession near his father's house, accompanied with music and flags, the child was taken to see them; but, instead of looking at the procession, it was observed that, though he was evidently much pleased with the music, his eyes were never directed to the place from whence the sound came. His mother, alarmed by this discovery, was naturally led to try whether he could see silver spoons, and other glaring objects, which she held before him at different distances; and she was soon convinced, that he was unable to perceive any of them. A surgeon in the country was consulted, who, on examining the child's eyes, discovered an opacity in the pupils, which was so considerable, that he did not hesitate to pronounce there was a complete cataract in each. A description of the child’s situation was then sent to me, with a request that I would point out those steps which its parents should pursue. The case was so evident, that I could not hesitate in saying, that the removal of the opaque crystalline humour, from the place it occupied behind the pupil, was the only method by which the child could obtain his sight; and, attached as I was, at that time, in all cases, to the operation of extracting the cataract, in preference to that of depressing it, I added, that I did not think he would be fit for the operation, until he was at least thirteen or fourteen years old. This advice being approved, all thoughts of assisting his sight were, for the present, relinquished. He soon discovered a great fondness for music; his memory was very retentive of the little stories that were read or recited to him; and, in every way, it became evident that he had a mind capable of receiving information. As soon as he could speak, it was also observed, that when an object was held close to his eyes, he was able to distinguish its colour, if strongly marked; but, on no occasion, did he ever notice its outline or figure. In November, 1800, his parents took him to Bristol; whither they went for the purpose of seeing the works carried on in the school for the indigent blind in that city, and in order that they might ascertain whether their son, who was then arrived to his seventh year, could be taught any thing that would be useful or amusing. Here he very quickly learnt the art of making laces. But his parents, having brought him so far from home, thought it adviseable to extend their plan, and make a visit to the metropolis, for the sake of giving me an opportunity of inspecting his eyes, and of hearing whether my opinion continued the same as that which I had written to them six years before. About a month previous to the time of their arrival, a Portuguese boy, fourteen years old, had been put under my care, who was in a similar situation; and, in this case, notwithstanding all the efforts I could use, I found it impossible to fix the eye, in order to extract the cataract, without employing a degree of force which might have been highly injurious. I therefore relinquished my intention of performing the operation in that way, and determined to make use of the couching needle; being prepared, either to depress the cataract with this instrument, if it was sufficiently solid for the purpose, or, if it was soft or fluid, (which I rather expected,) to puncture its capsule largely, so as to bring the opaque crystalline into free contact with the aqueous and vitreous humours. In order to fix the eye for this operation, I was not afraid to make use of a speculum oculi; since a pressure; which would have been highly dangerous in extracting the cataract, might be applied on the present occasion with perfect safety. Conformably to my expectation, the cataract was of a soft consistence; in consequence of which, I was not able to depress it, and contented myself with making a large aperture through the capsule, by means of which the crystalline was brought into contact with the other humours, a considerable part of it coming forwards, and shewing itself directly under the cornea.
XIX. Case of a young gentleman, who recovered his sight when seven years of age, after having been deprived of it by cataracts, before he was a year old; with remarks
