The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1879-07-05
READING AND EYEsIoHT.
How the Injurious Effects Upon the Eye
May be Avoided.

". Javei, Of Paris, in a recent lecture, tries 10
answer the question, Why is reading . specially
fatiguing exercise ? and also suggests some reme-
dies for this fatigue. First, NJ Javcl ys,rsadng
requires an absolutely permanent application of
the eyesigh,, resulting in permanent tension %
the organ which may be measured by the amount
offatigue or by the production of permanent myopy
secondly, books are printed in black on . white
ground. The eye u thus In presence of the most
absolute contrast which can be imagined. The
third peculiafiiy lies in the arrangement of the
characters Ia horizontal lines, over which our
eyes.
n we maintain during reading perfect immo.
biliiy q the book and the head, the printed lines
are applied suecessively 10 the same parts of the
roiina, while the interrpaees, more bright, also
affect certain regions Of the retina always ths sane
There must resul; from this fatigue anaioge.
10 that which We experience when ws make sxpsr-
iments In accidental images" and physieists
will admit tha; there Is nothing more disastrous
for the sight than the prolonged contemplation of
these images. Lastly, aud most important Of al,
10 VI. Jaysi's estimation, IL the eontnual variation
of the distance of the eye from the point Of fXa.
tiDn on the b0sk. simple calculation demon.
straies that the accommodation Of the eye % the
page undcrgocs distinct variation in proportioh
the eye passss from the beginning o. the end of
each line, and that thiI variation l. all the greater
ia proportion 70 the nearness Of the book % the
eye and the length ol the line.
A. % the rule, which ". Jayei inculeatss In or
der ihA, the injurious eject. Of reading may be
avoided with reference % the permanent apples.
iion 0f the eyes, be eognsels 10 avoid excess. 10
take hotes IN reading. 70 stop in order ~ reject,
- even % roll cigarette but no; 20 20 on read
ing for hours end without stopping AZ % the
contrast between the white of the paper and the
black character. various experiments have been
made IN the Introduction q col0rcd papers. ".
Jayel advises the adoption Oi ghiy yellow tint.
Bu; tie nature q the yellow % be used 10 not
matter q Indifference be would desire yellow
resulting from the absence of the blue rays. an
alogogs O. that o: paper made FROM . wood pAste,
aad which T. often mistakenly corrected BY the
addition of AT u;rAmaribe blue. ~hieh produces
grey, AID ~; uhiit. II. JAvei has been led 10
ihi, c0nc.g,ion both from practical obsert alton
AMI alec theoretically from the relation which nus;
sxis; between the tso eye. and the eolors % the
spectrum.
He ih4tl advice J., g. give preference T. small
volume. which be- held 10 the hand, which
oby.a;e, th. necessity o: the book being kept hxei
II place aud the fatigue re.gliihg fren seei-
deu;Al images. Lastly, ". JAVsl advises the
araIanee % to- long lines and. therefore. be pre-
fer. small volumes. 4nl for the reason those
journals ~hich are printed 10 narrou eolamrs.-
oi cogFss every one know. that u is sxeee4ierls
uyurtou, % read ~i;h insufficient hgh;, or % read
TOO small prir;. anl ether common Fsles.
". Javel concludes ~ protesting agAins; AZ In
Vliiou' As,srtion which has recently been made
IN a re- ishb,fing country" iGernany. no dosbt,l
according 8 which the degree q eiFilizai;on q
people j. Proportional 90 the Number d the short
sighted shown 10 exis; by statistic. the extreme
cconomy of hight. the abuse 0f reading 10 the de-
irilHeui q reflection and the observation of real
facts the eIAploymen; q Gothic ehAraeters and os
a too broad column 20. books and journals. are
the esndiiions which. ". JArel believes, lead 10
myopy. especially IL successive generAtions have
been subjecied 70 these iniu iurious influences.