Early pain-free days

Eye surgery carried particular risks. Unless the patient was deeply anaesthetised, the eye would move on the slightest touch, making surgery difficult. To suppress this reflex required high doses of ether or chloroform which irritated the lungs to the extent that the patient would cough and vomit for 24 hours after the operation. This would raise the pressure in the eye ball so high that the surgeon's fine stitches would tear out, with disastrous consequences.