HOW TO DIAGNOSE DISEASE FROM THE EYE


THE iris shows not only the signs of different diseases and injuries, but demonstrates also the existence of harmful substances in the body. There are many other drugs which alter the colour of the iris, such as bromide, carbolic acid, boracic, digitalis, etc. All these leave a peculiar mark on the coloured portion of the eye.


INDICATIONS OF POISONS AND IMPURITIES.

THE iris shows not only the signs of different diseases and injuries, but demonstrates also the existence of harmful substances in the body. Certain substances are injurious to the body because they are not in harmony with it and the body refuses to utilize them. Of course such substances should not be given. It is difficult for a beginner to read the different signs in the iris of a person who has taken much medicine. The disease picture is obscured by the evidence of the medicine taken.

MERCURY is used not only for syphilitics, but also for the treatment of ordinary skin diseases and it is contained in countless laxatives and purgatives, especially in calomel. Mercury always leaves its mark on the iris and the fact that it does so proclaims that it is harmful to the constitution.

Whether used internally or externally, the mark is there in the form of a grey metallic-looking ring in the outer part of the iris of blue eyes. In brown eyes the typical mercury ring looks not grey, but appears blue. If only a small portion of mercury has been taken, it forms not a ring, but a crescent in the upper part of the iris.

Iris diagnosis discloses the curious fact that harmful substances have a tendency to be deposited in certain parts of the body. If mercury is taken by the mouth, it does not stay in the stomach, but travels to the brain, where it remains until the brain is thoroughly saturated with it, and then it goes to the bones and by degrees to the extremities of the body. Even if mercury is applied to the feet it goes to the brain and settles there. This is shown by the mercury crescent which is found in the upper part of the iris, the brain part.

At this stage mercury is not deadly, but sooner or later the sufferer will complain of sharp pains in the head, in the whole of the body, and he will suffer from a feeling of coldness in all parts where the mercury has settled. Mercury attacks the sexual organs as well as the brain. A complaint of the sexual organs is always accompanied by some trouble of the brain and vice versa. Mercury also injures the ear nerve and causes hardness of hearing.

ARSENIC, which is much used as a tonic, and which is contained in many skin lotions and ointments leaves its mark in the form of small white patches or spots, resembling fluffy snow flakes, and these spots are to be found in the outer third part of the iris. Arsenic has a tendency to settle in the joints, muscles, brain and tear ducts. When Arsenic is taken it shows first in the iris in the place of the stomach, but it does not remain long in that site. By degrees it moves to its destination.

Some people, such as the Styrian mountaineers, are Arsenic eaters. Arsenic acts on them as a tonic and gives them a good complexion, but when they have started taking Arsenic regularly, they must continue the practice. If they leave off, they will suffer from burning pains in all the joints. Arsenic causes not only burning pains in the joints but tenderness and soreness of the muscles and watering of the eyes, and pains resembling those of rheumatism are often felt by people who have had Mercury or Arsenic introduced into their systems.

If taken in strong doses, or for any length of time, Arsenic makes people depressed, nervous and anxious for no reason at all, and many of them “get ideas into their heads” which leave them no peace and cause them to worry and brood continually.

STRYCHNINE, which is contained in Nux vomica and countless tonics and stomachics causes inflammation of all the nerves of the body and it attacks particularly the stomach nerves. The symptoms of Strychnine absorption may be seen in the iris in the form of white or yellow lines in the border of the site which indicates the stomach.

If these lines spread round the whole of the iris like the cogs of a wheel, one knows that the patient is suffering from the poison being settled in the whole of the body and the victim will complain of pain in the pit of the stomach, oppression of the chest, and of general nervousness if all the nerves have been attacked by the poison.

QUININE, which is given in large quantities for fever and which is contained in numerous tonics and pick-me-ups, is indicated in the iris by a vividly yellow colour. Small quantities of quinine show themselves in the place of the stomach, but large quantities affect the whole of the iris and give to a blue iris a greenish look. Sufferers from quinine absorption complain often about a feeling of heaviness over the eyes and a rushing sound in the ears.

IODOFORM Produces red and reddish-yellow spots in the iris which are often found in the place around the pupil which denotes the stomach and in the upper part of the iris which denotes the brain, but Iodoform signs may be seen in any part of the body where it has been deposited.

IRON is not a poison inasmuch as the body contains a considerable amount of iron. However, if more iron is taken than the body can utilize, it acts as a poison and it is then shown by a red-brown discoloration resembling the colour of rust.

Large quantities make the whole of the place of the iris where stomach symptoms are to be found a reddish-brown, and the patient who has this reddish-brown discoloration of the stomach field often complains of a feeling of heaviness in the pit of the stomach. Both these marks and the symptoms of discomfort in the stomach disappear after a time when the iron is no longer taken and has been eliminated from the body.

LEAD POISONING shows itself in the iris by a grey or leaden colour in the place around the pupil which indicates the stomach.

SULPHUR, like iron, is contained in the body. It acts as a poison when it is taken in too large a quantity and then it shows its presence by greenish-yellowish marks in the iris which, however, disappear when sulphur is no longer taken in excess and has been eliminated.

ANTIPYRINE leaves a dull yellow colour, often on top of the Strychnine marks found in the iris. If the patient has had quinine, sulphur and antipyrine, which cause very similar discolorations, there is great difficulty in distinguishing one drug from another.

KREOSOTE produces a kind of mist over the whole eye, and gives to the iris a peculiar appearance, reminding one of the whipped white of egg. The absorption of Kreosote, which is frequently given for cough, causes a feeling of great tiredness.

SALICYLATES are given frequently for rheumatism and for pain. Aspirin belongs to the salicylate group. The salicylates give to the whole of the iris a greyish appearance, suggesting that the whole of the body is poisoned. People who have taken these drugs for some considerable time in large quantities complain of a chilly feeling and sudden pains, sometimes in one part of the body, sometimes in another and they feel well in warm weather only.

OPIUM is given to relieve pain, give sleep, relieve diarrhoea, etc. Absorption of this drug shows itself by a whitish-grey colour round the pupil. This sign is often very hard to detect, especially if the patient has taken many other medicines, confusing the symptom picture.

There are many other drugs which alter the colour of the iris, such as bromide, carbolic acid, boracic, digitalis, etc. All these leave a peculiar mark on the coloured portion of the eye. The fact that drugs leave a more or less permanent impression on the iris shows that, although they may be helpful in some directions, they are harmful in some other direction.

It is extremely important to learn to recognize the marks produced in the iris by the various medicinal poisons. They will explain much to the prescriber and will help him to make the right diagnosis. Patients rarely scan their prescriptions. They do not know whether they have been given much Arsenic, Strychnine or some other dangerous drug. A doctor may have given them a prescription which was intended to be used only for weeks and it has been used for years.

The expert iris diagnostician will immediately recognize the existence of drug poisoning, whereas the orthodox physician will grope in the dark, endeavouring to discover an organ, or organs, the deterioration of which will explain the patients symptoms.

E H Bredenberg