TRANSPLANTATION OF A RABBIT'S EYE 
INTO THE HUMAN ORBIT 
BY 
CHARLES H. MAY, M.D. 
[Reprinted from the Archives of Ophthalmology, Vol. xvi., No. i, 1887] TRANSPLANTATION OF A RABBIT’S RYE INTO 
THE HUMAN ORBIT. 
By CHARLES H. MAY, M.D., 
INSTRUCTOR IN OPHTHALMOLOGY, NEW YORK POLYCLINIC. 
IN the Medical Record of May 29, 1886, I reported a 
series of experiments, consisting of the transplantation 
of the eyes of rabbits. Previous to an account of the 
operation upon the human being, it may be of interest 
to give an abstract of the contents of the paper just al- 
luded to: 
Twenty-four rabbits were used in the experiments; in eigh- 
teen of these, the cornea either sloughed or became sclerosed 
and shrivelled so that the operation was considered a 
failure. In six, however, very favorable results were ob- 
tained. The failures in the first eighteen cases were 
attributed to imperfect technique and inability to keep the 
eyes properly bandaged. In the six successful cases, these 
difficulties were overcome, and gratifying results ensued ; 
the transplanted organs became attached and preserved 
their vitality. Blood-vessels could be seen to pass from the 
orbital conjunctiva to the transplanted globe as early as the 
fifth day; muscles seemed to form some attachment as 
early as the third or fourth day. The favorable cases were 
watched for ten weeks, and at the end of that time the fol- 
lowing had taken place : The transplanted organ had pre- 
served its shape and consistence, though it had become a 
trifle smaller; vascularity was good; muscular action in 
all directions perfect; the cornea, which immediately after 
the operations had become opaque, had cleared consid- 
Reprinted from the Archives of Ophthalmology. Vol. xvi., No. i, 1887. 48 
Charles H. May. 
erably, so that, although still hazy, the iris was distinctly 
visible. In all the cases there was neither implication of 
the healthy eye in any way, nor interference with the gen- 
eral health of the animals, so far as could be ascertained by 
the temperature and other means. 
These favorable results upon rabbits’ eyes led me to 
believe the operation a feasible one in man, notwithstand- 
ing that five cases had been reported, all of which were 
failures. The first case was that of M. Chibret (Revue Gdn- 
trale d'Ophthalmologic, May 31, 1885); the second that of 
M. Terrier; the third that of M. Rohmer; the fourth that 
of Dr. H. W. Bradford {Boston Medical and Surgical Journal, 
September 17, 1885)—I classify this case as among the 
failures, notwithstanding that it is reported as a success 
after eighteen days’ observation, since this is the general 
belief among ophthalmologists, and since no answer was 
obtained to the writer’s letter to the gentleman asking for 
further information about his case; also because the state- 
ment in the writer’s report of these experiments doubting 
the success of Dr. Bradford’s case has never been chal- 
lenged. The fifth case is reported by M. Terrier, October 
19, 1885. The results, therefore, were not promising as 
far as the transplantation of the eyes of rabbits into the 
orbit of the human being was concerned; my hope of being 
more successful than previous operators was based upon 
perfected technique and extensive experience with the 
operation upon the twenty-four cases alluded to. It 
seemed reasonable to infer, that if success had attended the 
last six of the series of experiments in rabbits, in whom 
the transplanted organ could not be kept absolutely quiet, 
and who were difficult subjects in other ways, that at least 
equally favorable results could be hoped for in man, where 
the patient would himself aid in the chances of the pro- 
cedure by absolute rest to the organ, cleanliness, and local 
applications of heat and moisture to facilitate and hasten 
the process of union between the attached surfaces. 
Not long after I received a communication from Mr. W., 
the editor of a prominent Western paper, in which he in- 
quired whether I would be willing to perform the operation Transplantation of a Rabbit's Eye. 
49 
upon him ; he had lost the sight in one eye, and had been 
advised to have it removed so as to avoid implication of 
the fellow; he described himself as of good physique, of 
good habits, indulging considerably in athletic sports, and 
as being desirous of having the experiment tried upon him 
without any other promise as to results than that even 
though the experiment failed there would still be sufficient 
tissue remaining to form a serviceable stump for an 
artificial eye. This assurance I gave him, and, coming on 
to New York, he furnished the basis for the following 
report: 
Mr. C. A. W., aet. twenty-nine. Seventeen years ago right eye 
was injured by an explosion on the 4th of July, a piece of metal 
perforating the upper lid and injuring the eyeball, but not lod- 
ging in it ; severe inflammation followed for four weeks, then sub- 
sided, leaving the eye completely blind. The blind eye has never 
troubled him ; the sound eye, after wearing a glass which cor- 
rected his astigmatism, never gave him much trouble. He wishes 
the right eye removed because it is unsightly, and because oculists 
at his home have told him it ought to be removed on account of 
a possible future effect upon the sound eye. 
Present condition : 
O. S. V. §-§• : Hypermetropic astigmatism corrected by 
-5*5-cyl. ax. 90°. Ophthalmoscopic examination negative. No 
ciliary tenderness. Lids normal. Conjunctiva normal. 
O. D. : No perception of light. Cornea thinned, opaque, and 
staphalomatous. No ciliary tenderness. T. -f- 1. Eyeball 
slightly smaller than fellow. Conjunctiva normal. Upper lid 
presents double scar. Movement of eyeball good. 
Operation Feb. 1, 1887. 
A very large-sized brown buck of the kind known as the Bel- 
gian hare, having brown eyes (matching as nearly as possible, 
though a shade darker than those of the patient), was etherized ; 
the conjunctiva separated at one eighth of an inch from the 
margin of the cornea all around, and the muscles and sub-con- 
junctival tissue severed, leaving as much areolar tissue upon the 
eyeball as was possible ; the optic nerve was not divided at this 
stage, but the eyeball was covered by the lids and attention now 
directed to the patient. The latter having been anaesthetized in 
the meanwhile, the conjunctiva was separated from the globe as 50 
Charles H. May. 
close to the cornea as possible, a loop of thread was passed 
through each of the recti muscles with the overlying conjunctiva, 
and after these muscles had been thus secured, they were cut ; 
the areolar tissue was loosened, keeping as close to the eyeball as 
possible, so as to leave as much tissue in the sac as could be left ; 
the optic nerve was cut off close to the globe. The stump of the 
nerve was sought for with the finger, felt, and a single thread of 
fine catgut passed through it with a needle and forceps specially 
designed for the operation. These forceps consist of ordinary 
fixation forceps, with their lower extremity widened and curved, 
concavity inward, so that when the ends are approximated they 
represent a circle, the diameter of which is 3J mm, and the edges 
were slightly rough ; the sides of the lower expanded extremity 
present small openings. The special needle consists of a lance- 
shaped, pointed, curved needle, the eye being situated very near 
the point, mounted upon a handle. 
The optic nerve having been seized with the forceps, the 
needle, threaded with fine catgut, was passed through the lateral 
openings of the forceps and thus through the optic nerve ; the 
suture was caught up from the end of the needle after having 
traversed the nerve, the needle withdrawn, and the forceps re- 
moved ; in this way the suture had been passed through the end 
of the optic nerve with a minimum amouht of laceration and 
without loss of time. Attention was now given to the rabbit’s eye, 
the enucleation of which was completed by cutting the optic 
nerve, dividing it as far back as was possible, and leaving upon the 
globe as much areolar tissue as was present. 
The suture through the patient’s stump was now passed through 
the optic nerve remaining upon the rabbit’s eyeball, and the ends 
of the two optic nerves were thus approximated and secured by 
an ordinary knot. The conjunctival sac was then stitched to the 
rim of conjunctiva remaining upon the rabbit’s eye, ten sutures 
being employed ; those inserted opposite muscles included the 
anterior extremities of these and thus fastened them to the globe. 
During all this time, the rabbit’s globe remained perfectly clear. 
During the operation saturated solution of boric acid was used 
freely upon the eye of the patient ; no fluid of any kind was ap- 
plied to the eye of the rabbit, previous experiments having led me 
to believe that the use of boric acid and of corrosive sublimate 
had hastened the clouding of the cornea. The eye being freed 
from blood, the lids were approximated, white vaseline and cot- Transplantation of a Rabbit's Eye. 
51 
ton applied ; both eyes were bandaged, pressure upon the trans- 
planted organ being avoided. Hot compresses were ordered ; 
these consisted of four-ply pieces of linen wrung out of hot water ; 
they were applied over the bandage, and supported upon a wire 
frame so arranged as to avoid pressing upon the eyeball, by resting 
upon the margins of the orbit. 
Feb. 2d. Second day.—Eye felt slightly sore, but no great 
pain. Removed dressings at the end of twenty-four hours ; con- 
siderable chemosis and marked oedema of upper lid ; cornea 
smooth, nebulous, but iris distinctly visible ; cornea insensitive ; 
there was a moderate amount of sero-purulent discharge mixed 
with blood. Rebandaged both eyes, and hot applications con- 
tinued day and night. 
Feb. 3d. Third day.—Cornea more hazy, iris being almost 
indistinguishable ; considerable sero-purulent discharge. 
Feb. 4th. Fourth day.—CEdema of upper eyelid and chemosis 
are still considerable ; conjunctiva is very much reddened and 
angry-looking. Cornea is almost opaque, so that iris can scarcely 
be distinguished ; it is smooth, has preserved its form, and is in- 
sensitive ; the movement of the transplanted organ is good (due 
to stitches) ; patient has remained quiet upon the back, urine and 
faeces being discharged in the recumbent posture ; he feels com- 
fortable, and pulse, respiration, and temperature have remained 
normal; both eyes are still kept bandaged, and the sound eye ap- 
pears normal. 
Feb. 5th. Fifth day.—Patient allowed to sit up an hour in bed. 
Less oedema of upper lid and less chemosis, though conjunctiva 
is still very much reddened, and at junction with the transplant- 
ed organ a number of small granulations are seen ; hot applica- 
tions are now made for one hour every three hours. 
Feb. 6th. Sixth day.—Discharges are sweet, moderate in 
amount, and sero-purulent in character ; some of the stitches were 
removed ; others still in place. Granulation tissue still visible. 
Feb. 8th. Eighth day.—Everything had progressed favorably 
thus far. The cornea was smooth, insensitive, opaque ; movement 
of the eyeball excellent ; size the same as on insertion ; the sound 
eye and the general health of the patient had not suffered in the 
least. Upon removing the dressings to-day, the presence of pig- 
ment from the iris shows that an opening in anterior chamber 
must exist ; on examination, no opening can be found, but the 
lower part of the cornea looks suspicious at one pointy Form of 
eyeball still preserved. Rebandaged. 52 
Charles H. May. 
Feb. 9th. Ninth day.—Upon removing dressings, more pig- 
ment of iris was found to have escaped. Examination shows a 
small ulceration at lower edge of cornea with perforation. The 
patient said the eye had felt “ soft ” during the night. Discharge 
moderate and sero-purulent. The experiment was considered at 
an end, for although patient was willing to submit to another 
transplantation, this was not considered justifiable. 
The rabbit’s eye was removed under cocaine anaesthesia and 
the operation was quite painful, notwithstanding the free use of 
the local anaesthetic. A few of the sutures were still in place ; 
the steps of the secondary operation were those of an ordinary 
enucleation. The muscles were found to have become attached, 
but the connection was not very firm and could be severed with 
the hook ; here and there the scissors had to be used ; the optic 
nerve was found to have united by loose connective tissue and 
had to be cut again. After enucleation, the rabbit’s eye was 
found to have preserved its form, was slightly smaller than on 
insertion, the cornea opaque, considerably thickened, and present- 
ing the perforation already alluded to ; lens opaque ; vitreous of 
a boiled-starch appearance. The conjunctival sac was found to 
be lined by numerous collections of granulation tissue, and 
swollen and stiffened so that on withdrawing the eyeball the sac 
did not collapse, but presented the appearance of a hollow globe 
with a central deep cavity corresponding in size and form to the 
removed eyeball. The cavity was scraped and the margins of the 
sac approximated by sutures. 
Feb. 21 st.—Since last note there has been considerable dis- 
charge of a muco-purulent nature from the stump, and the hard- 
ness and swelling have gradually disappeared, so that now it 
presents the appearances of an ordinary stump several days 
after an enucleation, and is ready for an artificial eye ; it is of 
good size and possesses excellent motility. 
In reporting this case I do so with the hope that it may 
be regarded as a fair test-case; although it is true that one 
case does not prove much, yet this one is entitled to special 
consideration in this respect—the patient has had every 
possible chance of success. Of good physique, with good 
care and nursing, and with extraordinary patience, he made 
a capital subject for the experiment; then again 1 had 
flattered myself that the technique could not have been Transplantation of a Rabbit's Eye. 
53 
much improved; I had sufficient experience with the op- 
eration both during the experiments upon rabbits and upon 
the cadaver, so that there was no hitch in the proceding; 
were I to do the operation over again I do not know how I 
could change or improve any of the details—and yet it was 
a failure! So that I have changed from an enthusiast to a 
disbeliever in the operation. I do not believe it a feasible 
one in man, and would not be willing to undertake it again. 
While smaller portions of tissue may be transplanted with 
success, the whole eyeball presents too great a mass to have 
its vitality preserved and make even a fair substitute for 
the artificial eye. 
In conclusion, I wish to express my obligations to Dr. E. 
Gruening for valuable assistance and suggestions during the 
operation ; it is a satisfaction to know that this gentleman 
agrees with me in the assertion that the case is entitled to 
be considered as of value as a good test-case, in which the 
operation had every possible chance of success, but yet 
failed. g. p. putnam’s sons, printers, 
NEW YORK.