Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-07-01
Remarkable Recovery Of Sight.

YESTERDAY morning, III tlllS CITY, d
sailor who had been blind for three years
awakened to find his sight restored; and
his interesting story, which was given to
Gl0be-Democrdt reporter during the day, IS
told below Louis Muller, the hero OF
the tale, was born in London, England, IN
1o47, and is therefore twenty-elght years
Old His father was "a German and his
mother an English lady. They gave their
son thorough education, and III 1888 the
family emigrated to America Young
Muller had always fancied sea-taring life,
and in 1865 he ran away to sea. Whaling
was his favorite vocation, and for several
wears he cruised about Baffin's and Hud-
sons Bays. On Jan 10, 1872, he was one
of the crew that sailed from Quebec, Can
ada. in the whaler Auritaph, Parker,
master, for a voyage to HudsOn's Bay.
They reached the whaling ground in
safety and had IN extraordinary cold
season When in latitude 66I deg.
north the thermometer reached 60 deg.
below zero, and it was at a time Of the
year when the sun rose at II 80 d. m. and
set at one p. m The crew could only re
sist the cold on deck by aid of the suns
protecting rays, and a great deal had fire.
quently to be done in a short time. One
morning when Muller went on deck the
sun was shining brightly, and the picture
presented to his view by the glittering ice
fields was 50 enchanting that he gaZed
steadily at the scene Of dazzling splendOr
for several minutes Suddenly his eyes
began to pain him, and the peculiar feel
ing annoyed him to such an extent that he
was forced to 90 below. When Muller
aWokc the next morning he found that he
could not see out Of his right eye, and six
weeks afterward the left optic also failed
him. The sailor was thus deprived of his
occupation, and until the vessel could re-
turn he was an object OF charity to his ship
mates About four months subsequent to
this occurrence the Auritaph was
wrecked near the Marble Islands, in Hud-
sons Bay, and only fourteen of the thirty
souls on board were saved. Muller was
one of the fourteen, and they landed safe
ly on one of the group of islands, which
was inhabited by EsquimauX. 1t was
barren spot, and during the year that the
Castaways resided there they subSisted en-
tirely on wolf, fox and dog meat No
such luXuries as bread, biscuits or tobacco
were dreamed Of by the EsquimauX A
passing vessel finally carried away the
shipwrecked mariners and landed them
in
of September, 1873 Muller went from
there to Cincinnati, having been recon-
mended to noted Oculist of that city.
The blind man saw that gentleman, and
was greatly disheartened at being told his
case was hopeless Muller's friends then
advised him to visit St. Louis for the pur-
pose of consulting with a physician who
had been eminently successful an an
Oculist. In March of last year Muller
came here, and was informed by the
physician in question that his case was al
most beyond human skill, but that he
would undertake it. At his physicians
recommendation Muller entered the
Blind Asylum, and remained there until
March last While in that institution he
learned the trade of broom making He
went from there to the City Hospital, and
was operated on, but without success, and
after nine weeks suffering left that insti-
tuition as incurable. Poor Muller then
gave up all hope of regaining his lost
sight, and took up quarters at the New
Western House, on Third and Rutger
streets, where he applied himself industri-
Ously to his trade. One week ago he
retired for the night, "blind as a
bat," to quote his own language, and
on awakening at seven O'Clock last Friday
morning could see plainly out Of his right
eye. The man thought he was dreaming
and pulled his hair to see If he was really
awake. This did not satisfy him and he
pinched his legs. Not content even with
this. he pricked himself to the bone with
pin and, on seeing the blood flow, felt
that he was really awake. The sensations
which he experienced were so strange as
to be painful. He danced for ioy and
shouted like maniac. He dressed faster
than ever before and rushed off to the
office Of his former physician, where he
burst open the door and shouted, gladly,
to the physician: . / can see! [ can seer,
The doctor could not believe that the man
was sane and told him that he was crazy.
Muller thought that such might possibly
be the case, but insisted that he could see.
How many fingers am [ holding I'D ~
asked the oculist.
Five"
And nowY'
Three"
Now"
''One."
The replies were correct in every in
stance and the doctor at once fastened to
bind up Muller's eyes, in order to protect
them from the light. The coverings will
be removed gradually, so that the optic
may be accustomed to the light by de-
grees, and the physician states that the
fortunate sailor will be able to pilot him
self around without the aid of spectacles
in three or four weeks.-St. Louis Globe
Democrat, June IL.
4 Pointed Joke.