ALBUGO. Dele the marginal note.
Some distinguish this disorder by nucleus, when its seat is superficial; and albugo, when it is deep. Others make the following distinctions, viz. when the speck appears of a shining white, and without pain, it is called a cicatrice; when of an opaque whiteness, an albugo. Seated superficially, it hath been termed a speck; and more deeply, a dragon. If an abscess was the cause, its contents hardening between the laminae of the cornea, causes it to project a little; and then it is called a pearl.
The causes are various; as inflammation in the eye, abscess in the cornea, erosion, measles, small-pox, wounds, burns, &c.
When deep, the cure is difficult; when the consequence of a wound or ulcer, they are rarely cured; when caused by an imprudent use of vitriolic collyriums, and when they alter the natural shape of the eye, the prognostic is as unfavourable. Those which follow an inflammation, generally disappear spontaneously.
Happening after the small-pox, measles, or other inflammatory causes, the utmost haste should be made to relieve, by bleeding, purging, blistering, diuretics, and an abstemious diet. Avoid cold and astringent collyriums; but the fumes of coffee, or of the decoction of the woods, may be useful. When these specks Materby, Med. Diss. are very small, they often ulcerate; but these ulcerations are soon healed by the application of the pulv. rad. irid. paucul. suc. chrysol. or, as is justly preferred by many, the aq. sapph. If the disorder hath been of long standing, the cure is very difficult; however, the following methods may be attempted: expose the diseased part of the eye to the fumes of camphorated spirit of wine directed through a quill: this, by a continued use, may abrade the speck. This method seldom fails to excite some degree of inflammation, by which the cure is effected; though when the inflammation is thus produced, it must be removed by the common methods with all possible speed. To this end, the following have been also applied with some degree of success, viz. the juice of celandine, the gall of cels, or of the pike, or of a partridge, and the oil of box: if these prove too sharp, let them be diluted with water, or with a thin solution of gum dragon: apply any of these once in 24 hours; and half an hour after the application, wash it off with a little brandy and water. The aq. sapph. alone sometimes succeeds. When the film is very tough, and the eye not inflamed, common glass finely levigated may be blown upon it through a quill, and repeated once in a day or two.