Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1854-12-27
PREAEEEE THE EYE-SIGHT.


We often hear it asserted that e;v;,;v.
ton Notwithstanding its numerous bene-
hts, has Its confer balancing disadvantages !:
and IN proof of this, the presumed decline
OF the moderns, in size, strength, and phys-
zeal superiority generally, is adduced.-
Among other declarations Of this kind
the injured eye-sight of civilized persons,
especially of those living in cities. is
brought forward.
But, if all other descriptions of physi-
cal deterioration owe their origin, as we
have but little doubt they do to a reyolu
tion of the laws of nature as in the ease
| IN this instance, then the faul. sbouId he
laid to the charge. not of too perfect civil
! ization, but of an immature one For we
/ think it can be shown incontestablv that
/ impaired eye sight is the consequences of
excessive or improper use of the eve. eth
er in the victim or in his ancestry. Ifall
the shortsighted weak sighted and i'm
perfect sighted persons now alive could
be catalogued, and their habits and those
of their progenitors thoroughly studied
it would be found, we boldly affirm, that
their defective vision was distinctly trace
able to the Ignorance. carelessness. or wan
ton abuse of the eye, by themselves or
| their forefathers
The most ordinary cause of injured eve-
sight is using the eye in an improper light.
The white light of cloudless day is that
designed by nature for mans use. But
this light must not be too brilliant Re-
fected from sandy plains. or from snow
this light produces opthalmia, and reflect.
ed from red brick walls it is also injurious.
tbonoh iacc 1anrao
fiected from green woods or fields. or even
from brown plowed earth. it is not hurtful
at all, as the experience OF every man
proves, to say nothing of the superior eye-
sight of farmers. Nature, by clothing
the habitable parts of the earth with YER
dure. offers to Us guide as to how ve
should act in this matter. If the light of
the days is too brilliant, we should temper
1T with green. If, on the contrary, it is
dull, we should increase it's power by the
employment of proper eolors But the
worst daylight is nearly always better
than candle light, lamplight. or gas light.
All artificial light is too yellow, and in
time will injure the eye. Persons who
read or write much at night, must expect
to have bad eye-sight, for the youngest
eyes will succumb at last to the yellow
rags of gas, lamp or candle The morn
ing is the best time to use the eyes both
because the light is then generally the
best, and because the orb is fresh from
the repose of the night
When reading or writing is unavoida
bic at night, the light should fall across
the shoulder. and from the left To read
or write with lamp in front ALWAYS
strains the ewes To hold the book cIosa
to the eye, or to bend down close to the
paper, tends to produce short-sightedness
and as most professional men. literary
men, and even merchants ard clerk :,
this, hence their frequent short sighted
ness and that of their progeny The i'm
proper employment of glasses is a fertil
eause of impaired eye-sight. Spectacles
" eye glasses. which are not exactly suit
lble. are an injury rather than benefit.
Their use should be put off, moreover. as
ong as possible. They are like crutcbes
which, once introduced, become indispen-
sible ever after All sudden transitions
from light to darkness, or from obscurity
to light, are hurtful to the eyes Small
print in reading, or too fine a hand in
writing. should be avoided BY obsery-
ing the laws of nature, the eye-sight can
be preserved to a late period of life. But
by disregarding these laws. not only do
adults impair their own eye-sight. but
they hand down their children imperfect
vision, and occasionally even total blind
ness We repeat that it is not the fault
IF civilization. but of ourselves, if we have
worse eye sight than savage people
Phila. Ledger