{"newspaper_name": "The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register.", "edition": "01", "page": "p4", "byline": ""}
We are every day hearing Of some new
effort of surgical skill-what would once
have been considered miracle, is now an
.iiair of every day occurrence. We have
often heard it remarked by foreigners, ltal-
ians in particular, that our physicians were
far inferior to those of Europe, and our sur
geons as far superior. The following ac-
count from the "Reading Chronicle of the
Times" will certainly set the last part Of
the assertion in creditablc light


Z. $. Ga.ette.


"Surgicai Oheration-On the first of this
month we witnessed, in common with sew
eral other spectators, at Mr.. Abraham Le
vans tavern, in this borough, an operation
for blindness, with a result so brilliant, and
in a case so interesting, that we Cannot deny
ourselves the pleasure of laying il before our
readers. The subject was boy aged a
bout years, from a remote part OF this
county, and a son of respectable farmer.
From the chld's mother who was present
we learned, that at the age Of or month,
when children usually begin to direct their
hanG to different objects, it was first obstr-
we'd that the bov was blind. Believing the
case ncurable, his parents were resigned t.
his fate. A few weeks ago, however, :.
medical gentleman, who has lately settled
in the neighbourhood, pronounced the case
CongeaHai CQtaract, and advised the par
cntS of the child to place him under the care
of DR.. Isaac Hester, Of Reading, who, he
told them, had repeatedly operated in Sim
liar cases with success. They did 50, and
were not disappointed. When we saw
the patient, the Doctor had already com
plettly succeeded in imparting vision to one
of the eyes, on which he had operated days
before. The effect of the operation We wit
nessed, like that of the other eye. as related
by the mother, was like ench ,1ment. To
see a fellow being excluded from the wcyld
as it were, Dy a state Of total blindness, sud
denly brought to life, to the enjoyment Of
vision, by sAilful direction of the human
hand, was spectacle truly delightful


1t was interesting to observe, when the
bandagc was removed, on the third day az
ter the operation, the readiness with which
the little fellow distinguished objects and
colours, and his ignorance, at the same time,
Of their names which he had, Of course yet
to learn. The only object he recognized Of
many that were presented to him, was pair
of scissors, whose name he recollccted, it
should seem, By reason of their peculiar
form, having been accustomed often to A.
muse himself, With this instrument, while ii,
q state Of blindness"