Last week the RCSI Heritage Collections were involved in the recording of the brilliant The Book Show on RTÉ Radio 1 which will be aired this Saturday 20th December.
The show is about the rise of Gothic novels and ghost stories. Sinead Gleeson, The Book Show presenter, discusses Edith Wharton's novel The Eyes with Dr. Ian Flitcroft, an eye surgeon at Temple Street Hospital and author of the short-listed People's Book Prize 2013 The Reluctant Cannibals.
To set the scene for The Eyes the RCSI Heritage Collections pulled out a number of antique eye instruments and gave a brief description on how they were used.
The instrument on the left is an eye retractor (RCSI/MI/964). This would have been used to pull and hold the overlying tissue out of the operating field.
RCSI/MI/942 is an eye scoop. This would have been used after the removal of an eye to scoop out any of the remaining tissue.
The instrument below is an eye speculum (RCSI/MI/937). It does a similar job to the retractor, keep the eyelids out of the way of the surgeon. This instrument featured in the film A Clockwork Orange, which illustrates it's creepiness!
These instruments or a variation of are still in use today. But one of the main differences between eye patients today and those back in the time of Gothic novels was the lack of anaesthetic. Yes....patients went through eye removals and cataracts operations without any anaesthetic!
How does a surgeon carry out an operation in the 1700s and early 1800s if the patient is not under anaesthetic? They are restrained by any means necessary. This was to give the surgeon the best chance of carrying out the operation without the patient thrashing around and causing more harm than good. The image below gives you an idea of how a patient was prepared for an operation; tied to the chair by the elbows, the wrists, the waist, the knees and the ankles. How glad are you to live in the time of anaesthetic?! Very, I bet.
To hear more about these eye instruments, Gothic novels and a fable around Sir William Wilde losing a patient's eyeballs get your favourite armchair in position, have the candles and fire ready to be lit and listen to tales about eyes with your ears on Saturday 20th December.
- Researched and written by Meadhbh Murphy
The show is about the rise of Gothic novels and ghost stories. Sinead Gleeson, The Book Show presenter, discusses Edith Wharton's novel The Eyes with Dr. Ian Flitcroft, an eye surgeon at Temple Street Hospital and author of the short-listed People's Book Prize 2013 The Reluctant Cannibals.
To set the scene for The Eyes the RCSI Heritage Collections pulled out a number of antique eye instruments and gave a brief description on how they were used.
 |
| RCSI/MI/964 |
The instrument on the left is an eye retractor (RCSI/MI/964). This would have been used to pull and hold the overlying tissue out of the operating field.
RCSI/MI/942 is an eye scoop. This would have been used after the removal of an eye to scoop out any of the remaining tissue.
The instrument below is an eye speculum (RCSI/MI/937). It does a similar job to the retractor, keep the eyelids out of the way of the surgeon. This instrument featured in the film A Clockwork Orange, which illustrates it's creepiness!
 |
| RCSI/MI/937 |
 |
| RCSI/MI/942 |
These instruments or a variation of are still in use today. But one of the main differences between eye patients today and those back in the time of Gothic novels was the lack of anaesthetic. Yes....patients went through eye removals and cataracts operations without any anaesthetic!
How does a surgeon carry out an operation in the 1700s and early 1800s if the patient is not under anaesthetic? They are restrained by any means necessary. This was to give the surgeon the best chance of carrying out the operation without the patient thrashing around and causing more harm than good. The image below gives you an idea of how a patient was prepared for an operation; tied to the chair by the elbows, the wrists, the waist, the knees and the ankles. How glad are you to live in the time of anaesthetic?! Very, I bet.
 |
| The History of Ophthalmology by ed. Daniel M. Albert, Diane D. Edwards; USA, 1996 pg.244 |
To hear more about these eye instruments, Gothic novels and a fable around Sir William Wilde losing a patient's eyeballs get your favourite armchair in position, have the candles and fire ready to be lit and listen to tales about eyes with your ears on Saturday 20th December.
- Researched and written by Meadhbh Murphy