from external causes, as a blow, fall, and the like; or from internal, as the defluxion of humours into the eys. The Ʋngula which is inveterate, and that hath acquired much thick∣ness and bredth, and besides doth difficultly adhere to the Adnata, is difficultly taken away; neither may it be helped by medicines whereby scars in the eyes are extenuated. But that which covereth the whole pupil must not be touched by the Surgeon, for being cut away, the scar which is left by its densitie hindereth the entrance of objects to the crystalline hu∣mour, and the egress of the animal spirit to them. But oftentimes it is accompanied with an inflammation of the eyes, a burning, itching, weeping defluxion, and swelling of the eye-lids. That the cure may rightly and happily proceed, he must first use a spare diet, purgeing medicines shall be given, and blood taken away by opening a vein, especially if there be great inflamation. For particular remedies, this excrescence shall be eaten away, or at least kept from growth, by dropping into the eye collyrium of vitriol described in wounds of the eyes. But if that we profit nothing by this means, it remaineth, that we take it a way with the hand after the following manner.
You shall set the Patient upon a form or stool, and make him lean much back, and be held so firmly, that he may not fall nor stir, then must you open his sore eye, putting there∣in a speculum oculi formerly described in treating of the wounds of this part, and then must you lift up the web it self with a sharp little hook, with the point turned a little in, and put under the midst of the web; when you have lifted it a little up, thrust a needle threded with a smooth thred between it and the Adnata, then taking hold of the hook, and the two ends of the thred drawn through with the needle, and lifting up the web by them, you shall gently begin to separate it from the substance of the eye lying thereunder, beginning at the original thereof with a crooked incision-knife, and so prosecute it even to the end, yet so as you hurt no part of the Adnata nor Cornea.
Then must it be cut off with a pair of scissers, and the white of an egg beaten with some Rose water laid thereon, and often renewed. Afterwards the eye must every day be opened, left coming to cicatrization, the eye-lids shall be glewed together in that part where as the web is taken a way, which also shall be hindered by putting of common salt, sage and cum∣min seeds into the eye, being first champed and chawed in the mouth. There are some who in stead of the crooked knife separate the web from the Adnata with a horses hair, others do it with a goose quill made ready for the same purpose, taking heed that they hurt not the caruncle at the corner by the nose, for it will follow if that you draw the web away too violently; and if it be cut, there will remain a hole, through which during the rest of the life a weeping humour will continually flow; a disease by the Greeks termed Rhyas. If af∣ter the cutting there be fear of inflammation, linnen rags moistned in repelling medicines, formerly prescribed in wounds of the eye, shall be laid thereupon.