View report page

114
should never be used in this connection—have helped materially
the School Medical Officers. I watch the starting of this class
with the greatest interest and hope to be able to report upon its
progress next year.
I pass now to some cases of defective vision following upon
injury or disease of the eye.
A boy of 12 presented himself with the history of having
gone blind in his left eye after a blow received in school. On
reference to the records it was found that, previously to the date
of the blow, the eye had had very defective vision, for the investigation
of which an appointment had been made. A left cataract
limited his field of vision for 30 degrees to the left, being besides
a very conspicuous visual defect. I admitted this case to the
Royal Westminster Ophthalmic Hospital and removed the
cataract. He now appears perfectly normal, has regained his
visual field to the left, and can read the last line but one on the
test card, and small print when the eye is corrected by glasses.
Before the operation he could merely distinguish the light from
the dark.
Last year we had two cases of severe corneal ulceration which,
in spite of energetic treatment, carefully and skilfully carried out
by the school nurses, continued to spread. These cases were both
admitted into hospital under me. In the first the eye was in
serious danger and actually perforated. Recovery gradually took
place. The iris remains adherent to the base of the ulcer at one
point, but scarring is not excessive and the eye can see halfway
down the test card without the aid of glasses. The second case
also recovered with useful vision without having passed through
so dangerous a phase. They were both under treatment for
months, and had several spells at a special Ophthalmic Convalescent
Home—Miss Hudson's at Bushey Park. Only untiring
attention on the part of those who undertook the treatment retained
useful sight to these eyes.
Interstitial keratitis—a deep inflammation of the clear part of
the eye occurring in children between 5 and 15 and lasting about
six months, occasionally attacks both eyes in the school child.
At the height of the attack there is extreme pain and the victim's
general health is often seriously impaired. The cornea becomes