The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-11-16

SHORT SIGHT IN SCHOOL CHILDREN

SHORT SIGHT IN SCHOOL CHILDREN
RESULT OF CAREFUL EXAMINATION IN THE
PRIMARY AND GRAMMAR SCHOOLS OF
PORTLAND.
In the proceedings OF the Maine Medical AS
ISOLATION for 1876 is to be found paper ny
DR.. James A. Spalding on short sight IN
Portland school children. The writer says
s.For some time past have been occupied
in making an examination OF the sight OF tlle
children in various primary and grammar
schools Of the city. 1t had also been my IN
tention to examine the scholars in the high
schools. but owing to some mistakes and
misunderstanding, nothing was done in
these schools. The method OF examination
was as follows: Each scholar was tested
singly with Sneller's Test Type. at twenty
feet distant in bright room. Those whose
sight was in any way affected were sifted
outfrom those with good sight. After this
had been carefully done, in some cases by
Pthe teachers, to whose accuracy and care 1
owe Etany thanks, aud 10 some by myself.
Tested each scholar with defective sight
with the series of large test type, found the
exact proportional amount of sight, and then
corrected it by either concave Or convex
glasses. as the case might demand Where
no Improvement could be obtained by either
concavc or convex glasses, ast:gmatlc glasses
were tried. Some Of the scholars with defec-
i've vision, which could not be corrected by
glasses. were examined with the opathalmo-
scope. In regard TO the latter point, regret
chat was unable to make more extended
search. In all, 1872 children were thus tested.
The results may thus be briefly stated. In
the grammar schools found twenty per
cent Of the children with defective sight, and
in the primary schools eight and onc-half
per cent. Ofthese twenty per cent. in the
grammar schools found sixteen per cent.
in all who were at all short sighted, while
ten per cent of the whole required glasses
stronger than the thirty-six inch focus to
correct the myopia present VI the eight
and one half per cent. in the primary school
found seven per cent who were short sight
ed, and of the whole three and One-haf per
cent. who required glasses stronger than
thirty six inch focus. To repeat, there was
ten per cent myopic, requiring a glass
stronger than thirty-six inch focus for correc-
ton in the, grammar schools, i'll children
from ten to fifteen years OF age, and three
and half in the primary schools in children
from five to ten years of age. Myopia was
more common, in the proportion five to four
among girls than boys. especially in the high
er degrees. In quite q number Of cases OF
high degrees of myopia 1t was impossible by
any kind OF glasses to bring about a perfect
sight, thus showing that short sight in high
degrees is united with defect of visual pow
er, and is not blessing, as some people per-
sist in insisting upon.
/ have not thought it advisable to make q
table Of the other causes Of defective vision,
as hypermetropia, as stigmatism OF ambye-
phia. nor have counted in as detective any
children any way temporarily afflicted with
inf1ammatory diseases to which we are all Ii
able. Suffice it to say that, with few excep-
lions, the eyes of all the children cxamin-
ed were found in a surprisingly healthy
state. My idea, when l began testing the
school, children, was simply to find out how
much short sight could be found among
them, aud if found it iE any amount to say
a few words about it.
The first point on which would speak is
lighting the school rooms. How then are
off for light? In reply it may be said that
some o. them are remarkably well lighted
and noIiceably, those of the North School.
where the light comes in brightest from one
side and from the other side and rear In sub
dued amount; some are moderately we'll
lighted, as those in the high school building
with eqnal light from both sides; but where
the windows are not cut up high enough to-
ward the ceiling, they do not let in light
enough on cloudy day to make the middle
rows of seats desirable for any scholars ut
all, even those with the sharpest eyesight;
while some, and especially the Park Street
Grammar School, are miserably lighted. In
this school the light strikes directly into the
faces of the scholars, and also directly upon
their backs. They thus have glare in front
J l. II y =
school, and in school similarly light
ed on Bracket street, 1 found the
greatest per centage of defective SIGHT. It
always seems to me just as absurd 70 read
with the face directly toward the brightest
source of light, thus placing the ewes in the
most disadvantages position possible. as it
would be to weigh down ones self with fet-
ters when going walking.
1t is useless to suggest that the teachers OF
a crowded school might find time to watch
the scholars with defective sight, to see that
they do not hold their books too close to
their eyes, or to make them hold their
books up from the desk and parallel to their
faces. or to prevent too long and unrcmittinp
search for unmportant places in on atlas.
But what the teachers can do and ought to
do is this Every scholar known to have
defective eyes ought to have seat in the
very best light in the room, irrespective Of
what class each NAV belong to. | would
range the defective sighted scholars along
each outer row of desks, as near the windows
as possible, where the light comes from the
sides; while in those schools which are so un-
fortunate as to have the light from the front
and back both, would put them on the
rows Of seats nearest the back windows.
In every school there should be a rest eve
nv half hour, if even for minute only. from
reading. and especially. from writing and
drawing. the pursuit Of which for a Steady
hour is wearrisome enough to a practiced
eye, and much more so to all young begin
ners. who strain, as itrwere, at each point in
line, so as to make it., as nearly like the
copy as possible. Fine handwriting ought
never to have been invented, and especially
in the ruled off-way--the measured space
way-in which it is taught now-a-d days. Any
child taught a large, round, flowing hand
will soon learn enough to make it proportion
ately smaller and smaller, as paper and
space demand ia III jHe 1aii $500
r., oyon,inin,r q fow Of tI,a coloJore ,,ho