Accommodation. Decidedly tight feeling, referable pretty accurately to the ciliary region of the eye, as if something were creeping about in it (after minutes); this continued with occasional rather sharp pains in the ciliary region (after ten minutes); an attempt to read with both eyes instantly increased this pain, and the type was confused, as if by a disturbance of the power of accommodation. The near point of the left eye (Jaeger, No. 1) was at six inches and three-quarters, that of the right eye being fifteen inches, thus indicating a spasm of accommodation in the left, and a diminished power in the right eye; with this change, the effort to look at the type or optometer with either eye, or with both, much aggravated the sense of distress in the left eye; the type looked smaller with the right eye than with the left; the far point seemed the same as before in both eyes (after thirteen minutes). I could see Jaeger 17 at fifteen feet, but with the left eye with a remarkable oscillation in the distinctness, so that the type came and went, at one instant quite clear, then indistinct, which coincided with the sensations present in the ciliary region, as if the ciliary muscles was undergoing irregular contractions; the left pupil was not observed to have become rather suddenly contracted to the size of a large pin’s head (after twenty minutes); and to avoid repetition, I may state that this contraction continued to the full amount for eighteen hours, then gradually relaxed during about three days, after which it was like its fellow; as it gradually dilated, it also resumed gradually its mobility under light, whether falling on its own or the opposite retina, or on both; with the sudden contraction of the pupil came also a sudden twilight gloom, as of an eclipse of the sun, much more marked when the left eye only was open; but this gloom soon lessened, owing, probably, to the retina, by continuance, becoming accustomed to the quantity of light admitted, and on the next day it was hardly noticeable. The pupil being extremely small, we noted astigmatism; the vertical bars of a window were seen clear and sharp at from six to ten feet, the horizontal bars within the same range having thin edges, slightly hazy, but rendered clear by a concave cylindrical glass of fourteen inches focus suitably placed; distant objects seen by the left eye through a concave spherical glass of fifty inches focus were very decidedly diminished in size (after twenty-five minutes). The near point by No. 1 Jaeger was for the left eye at six and a half inches, for the right eye only at ten and a half inches, not nearer or farther off, and even at this distance indistinct, whereas with the left eye the letters were crisp and clear; to this better sight of the left eye two causes contributed, and larger size of the retinal image, from the greater nearness of the type of the eye, and the smallness of the pupillary aperture; with the left eye the near point for vertical lines was at eight and a half inches, for horizontal lines at six and a half inches;; with the right eye the near point for vertical lines was at eleven and a half inches, for horizontal lines at seven and a half inches (after thirty hours). The strained feeling of the eye was less after half an hour, but did not quite cease until the next morning; the attempt to read continued painful all the evening, and even next day both eyes were somewhat uneasy in sustained vision of near objects with both eyes or either of them. Both eyes alike as to accommodation, and in both the near point for vertical and horizontal lines was one inch nearer the eye than natural, viz., for horizontal lines near point seven inches, vertical lines near point for vertical and horizontal lines was one inch nearer the eye than natural, viz., for horizontal lines near point seven inches, vertical lines near point nine inches; and at twenty-four feet each eye could read No. 18 of Jaeger, only the letters were more sharply defined with the left, and looked rather smaller. By way of comparison I accurately examined the accommodation for horizontal and vertical lines with each eye, and found both eyes alike; the near point for horizontal lines being nine inches, for vertical lines ten inches for each, one inch more remote from the eye than after eighteen hours from the instillation of the solution of the bean (tenth day). The action on accommodation consists in the approximation of the far point (myopia), and also of the near point; this contraction does not usually progress steadily, but by spasms or jerks (just as the pupil contracts); the far point is approximated sooner than the near point. Daturin paralyzes accommodation and dilates the pupil like Atropin, but Physostigma introduced after Daturin restores the accommodation and produces strong myopia, while the pupil is still widely dilated. The accommodation recovers before the pupil. The phenomena of the accommodation lasts much shorter than does the myosis. The approximation of the near point lasts longer than that of the far point. Vision. Can see farther than usual (is naturally myopic), (second day). Double vision. Vision 1/2, with the use of a positive cylindrical glass 1/24 (hyperopic astigmatisms); range of accommodation 1/5, 5 (before the experiment); myopia 1/30; near point remains at 5 1/2 inches, though accommodation is reduced 1/6, 3/4 (after nine minutes). From this time the myopia gradually increases, and soon a slight nearing of the near point begins, with no trace of pain. Myopia 1/10; near point 5 inches; accommodation only 1/10; visual acuteness diminished to 2/3 (after twenty-two minutes). (* This diminution of visual acuteness in this case is not dependent on contracted pupil, as had been supposed in other cases.-T.F.A. *) Myopia 1/7, 1/2; near point, 43/4 inches; accommodation only 1/13; vision very indistinct at a distance, on account of large dispersion circles (after thirty-two minutes). Accommodation same; myopia begins to diminish (after forty- four minutes). Accommodation 1/9; myopia 1/10; near point the same (after forty-seven minutes).
Accommodation 1/7; myopia 1/16; near point a little farther (after fifty-two minutes). Accommodation 1/6; myopia 1/24; near point 5 inches (after one hour and fourteen minutes).
Accommodation 1/5, 1/2 (nearly normal); near point 5 inches; myopia only 1/50 (after one hour and fifty-two minutes). The action on the ciliary muscle seems entirely independent of the presence of the iris. Slight biting in the conjunctiva, which passed off in a minute. When Atropin was first dropped into the eye (using a solution 4 grains to the ounce), in an hour and a half the nearest point was, left eight inches, right twelve inches; then Physostigma was used, and in half an hour could only see distinctly between six and a half and nine inches; after this Physostigma gradually predominated, and near vision became distinct. Visual acuteness often sinks to one-half the normal under its use. Objects distant more than one foot seem dim and indistinct; all objects seemed nearer and larger; pupils unchanged (after ten minutes); pupils contracted to one line in diameter (normal size, two lines); objects distant more than nine inches are dim; all objects seem one-half larger and nearer (after twenty minutes); pupil two-thirds of a line (the other pupil two and half lines in diameter); no distinct vision beyond eight inches (after thirty minutes); pupil one-half line (other pupil normal); on reading, heaviness and fatigue of the eye; dull aching and heaviness on using the eyes; eyes feel strained (after seventy minutes). In a subsequent experiment, concave eight enabled him to see at a distance, but not nearer than five inches. One observer could bring his vision with perfect clearness to the normal, but only with very great and painful exertion. Dimness of vision (after sixty minutes). Sight bad at all times; rather dull; clouds passing over the sun interrupt his walking (second day). For the last three days he has had attacks of partial blindness; on attempting to write he was unable to see the line (sixth day). Letters seem in constant motion, and can only be seen at a large visual contracted field of vision. Vision seemed hazy or misty, while walking; better at once by keeping quiet (fourth day). Bright marks when looking at an object; dark- yellowish spots on book when reading, covering one or two of the letters. Muscae volitantes, both black and white (tenth day). Had muscae volitantes very much (fourteenth day).
Ear.
Pressure on the tympanum of each ear, which is painful (second day). Uncomfortable sensation in right ear; felt inclined to bore in with the finger; picked the ear and removed some wax, after which slight pain (after one hour and a half); with eructation, a sudden pain running from the throat along the Eustachian tube to the middle, leaving a transient stabbing pain in the middle ear; the pain to the ear repeated; the uncomfortable sensation (desire to bore) occurred repeatedly for several successive evenings.
Born in 1837in Westminster, Vermont. . He was an orthodox doctor who converted to homeopathy
Dr. Allen compiled the Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica over the course of 10 years.
In 1881 Allen published A Critical Revision of the Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica.