Diseases > Domestic medicine

448 BUCHAN'S
by the use of bracing and strengthening medicines,
as the Peruvian bark, with other bitters ; the prepa¬
rations of steel; the elixir of vitriol, &c.
CHAP. XLIV.
DISORDERS OF THE SENSES.
We do not mean to treat of the nature of our sen¬
sations, or to give a minute description of the various
organs by which they are performed; but to point
out some of the diseases to which these organs are
most liable, and to shew how they may be p;evented
or remedied.
No organ of the body is subject to more diseases
than the eye ; nor is there any one of which the dis
eases are more difficult to cure. Though more
ignorant persons pretend to cure these than any
other class of diseases ; yet a very superficial ac¬
quaintance with the structure of the eye, and the
nature of vision, will be sufficient to convince any one
of the danger of trusting to them. These diseases
often exceed the skill of the most learned physician ;
hence we may easily infer the danger of trusting
them to ignorant quacks, who without all peradven-
ture, put out more eyes than they cure. But, though
the diseases of the eye can seldom be cured, they
might often, by due care, be prevented ; and even
where the sight is totally lost, many things might be
done, which are generally neglected, to render the
unhappy person both more useful to himself and to
society.
The eyes are hurt by viewing bright or luminous
objects j keeping the head too long in a hanging