pointed out, and he had
examined them, he seemed to know them; but when the opposite
surface of the same card, which was yellow, was placed before
him, he could not tell whether it had corners or not, so that he
had not acquired any correct knowledge of them, since he could
not apply it to the next colored surface, whose form was exactly
the same with that, the outline of which the eye had just been
taught to trace....

"2. John Salter, seven years of age, was admitted into St.
George's Hospital on the 1st of October, 1806, with cataracts in
both eyes, which, according to the accounts of his relations,
had existed from his birth. The pupils contracted considerably
when a lighted candle was placed before him, and dilated as soon
as it was withdrawn. He was capable of distinguishing colors
with tolerable accuracy, particularly the more bright and vivid
ones. On the 6th of October the left eye was couched. The eye
was allowed ten minutes to recover itself; a round piece of
card, of a yellow color, one inch in diameter, was then placed
about six inches from it. He said immediately that it was
yellow, and, on being asked its shape, said, 'Let me touch it,
and I will tell you.' Being told that he must not touch it,
after looking for some time, he said it was round. A square,
blue card, nearly the same size, being put before him, he said
it was blue and round. A triangular piece he also called round.
The different colors of the objects placed before him he
instantly decided on with great correctness, but had no idea of
their form. He saw best at a distance of six or seven inches. He
was asked whether the object seemed to touch his eye; he said,
'No,' but when desired to say at what distance it was, he could
not tell. The eye was covered, and he was put to bed and told to
keep himself quiet; but upon the house-surgeon going to him half
an hour afterward, his eye was found uncovered, and he was
looking at his bed-curtains, which were close drawn. The bandage
was replaced, but so delighted was the boy with seeing, that he
again immediately removed it. The house-surgeon could not
enforce his instructions, and repeated the experiment about two
hours after the operation. Upon being shown a square, and asked
if he could find any corners to it, the boy was very desirous of
touching i