CIRCUMCORNEAL TRANSPLANTATION OF BUCCAL MUCOUS MEMBRANE AS A CURATIVE MEASURE IN DISEASES OF THE EYE

In a paper read before the Section on Ophthalmology of the New York Academy of Medicine, on Feb. 20, 1911, I 1 recommended circumcorneal transplantation of mucous membrane from the mouth as a curative measure in diseases of the eye. Since then, I have performed this operation in a large number of cases, not only for trachomatous pannus, but also for scrofulous pannus, for torpid and dystrophic processes of the cornea, the character of which is often obscure, and also for herpes. An excellent field for grafting is presented by burns of the conjunctiva and cornea. In analyzing the curative effect of a graft on a diseased cornea, it seems to me that the important point is the improved nutrition of the cornea, diseased mucous membrane of the eye being removed and replaced by healthy mucous membrane from the mouth. However, not only will the nutrition of the cornea