at the doubling of the conjunctiva, at its

lower part.

In this state it may remain for twelve hours, or perhaps longer, before it invades the conjunctiva covering the eye. The progress of the inflammation, when it extends from the conjunctiva of the eye-lid to that covering the globe of the eyes, is often so rapid as to elude any distinct observation; but frequently it advances more gradually, preserving a defined line, till it extends over the whole membrane, as far as the cornea. "The disease is often thus far advanced, before the attention of the patient is so much excited as to make him complain; a certain degree of stiffness being sometimes the only sensation which accompanies it. The first, and chief uneasiness in this stage of the disease, is described as arising from the feeling of sand or dirt rolling in the eye. This sensation.

is not constant, as it comes on suddenly, and as suddenly departs, confirming to the patient the idea of something extraneous being lodged in the eye."

A swelling of the eye-lids coming on as the disease advances, reduces the patient to a state of great uneasiness from the irritation it causes, and by its confining the discharge, he begins now to suffer attacks of excruciating pain. The description of Dr. Frank, who thus characteristically expresses himself, forcibly depicts the painfulness of this disease. "I have seen," says he, "the bravest soldiers cry like children for a whole night, and they would readily allow the affected eye to be torn from its socket if they could hereby get rid of the pain."(1)

The swelling of the eye-lids, and accompanying pain, are the symptoms which

(1) De Peste, Dysenteria, et Opthalmia Ægyptiaca.

chiefly indicate the mischief that is going on, and from which the patient must be immediately rescued, in order to save the organ; for the disease now soon attacks the cornea, which, if not prevented, ulcerates and sloughs, so that not only the function, but the form of the eye is destroyed.

On the remaining diseases that are mentioned in this chapter (1), I shall not dwell long:--they are enumerated chiefly in the twenty-second and twenty-seventh verses, which in our version run thus: "The Lord will smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword (drought), and with blasting, and with mildew, and they shall pursue thee until thou perish." (2)

(1) Deuteronomy, chap. xxviii.

(2) Πατάξαι σε Κύριος ἐν ἀπορίᾳ, καὶ πυρετῷ, καὶ δἴγει, καὶ ερεθισμῷ, καὶ ἀνεμοφθορίᾳ, καὶτῇ ὤχρᾳ, καὶ καταδιώξονται σε ἕως ἂν απολέσωσί σε.

"The Lord will smite thee......with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed.”(') Scheuzer esteems the whole of the diseases enumerated in the twenty-second verse, as referable to an inflammatory class; and that which is rendered in our text, by consumption, he assumes to be the true plague, with its characteristic bubo, to which, a few former pages since, we addressed ourselves. For my own part, I can see neither grounds for assent, nor dissent to this opinion of the above-named commentator consumption, by which it is anglicised, is certainly a very different disorder, so that, if Scheuzer be right in his conclusions, our rendering must be exceedingly incorrect.

(1) Πατάξαι σε κύριος ἕλκει Αἰγυπτίῳ εἰς τὴν ἕδραν, καὶ ψώρα ἀγρίᾳ, καὶ κνήφη, ὥστε μὴ δύνασθαί σε ἰαθῆναι.

The second disease enumerated in this verse, is interpreted, by Sarchi and Aben Ezra, to refer to that species of erisepelatous inflammation of the face, commonly known by the term of St. Anthony's fire; the generality of commentators, however, are rather inclined to suppose, that it refers to the common continued fever.

There can be no doubt, at least there is none in my mind, that the " inflammation" of our version, which is the next disease named, refers to the ague. Saadias in very distinct terms assumes it to be a quartan fever, and an argument in support of such a conclusion may be offered, (when we take into consideration, how conventional the meaning of the Hebrew words is, and how very much a just interpretation depends on the understanding the radicals and corresponding words of the languages

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