Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-12-11
IMPAIRED VISION.
The Causes That Induce Partial Blindness
-Injudicious Reading.

The Causes That Induce Partial Blindness
-Intudicious Reading.
"With the single exception of the in
sane, 1 don't think any class appea
more strongly to us for sympathy thar
the blind said well-known anc
philanthropic physician yesterday
Truly they are deserving of pity
But despite their terrible and irrepar
able loss, it is great mistake to i'm.
agine that they wander through the
world as if they were shut up in ar
iron cage. True, while in the midst OF
light and air, and where laughter is
heard and tears are shed, and where
looks are interchanged the blind are
shut out. But then blind men and
women have much enjoyment in their
own peculiar way. They can appre-
ciate the glories of external nature and
the sweetness of social intercourse as
much as any one. / often think that
when they feel the warmth of the..sun a
picture of exceeding brightness is
formed in their minds. The different
tones loved voices have for their ears
betray to them often more quickly than
the most careful study of face will do
what is going on in the hearts and
minds of their friends"
do you come across many cases of
blindness in your practice?'
''WeQ, l encounter many cases of
impaired vision or partial blindness. I
dare say two out of every three persons
are troubled with some eye disease,
which materially affects their vision. 1t
is a terrible thing even to contemplate
the number in this city who thus suffer.
One of the most common complaints is
short-sightedness. The people suffer-
ing from this could not be enumerated,
for their name is legion. tell you the
American people do not take nearly
enough care of their eyes. The unim-
paired sense of sight is priceless
boon, and too much care can not really
be bestowed in order to keep the deli
cate optic organs free from disease"
s'What causes this impaired vision?"
''Mainly injudicious reading. Many
people have had their eyes ruined at
school; and teachers, [ am bound to
say, are largely responsible for this.
Many instructors of youth permit the
little ones to read with their books
close up to their eyes. This is grave
mistake. and the practice is productive
in the highest extent of short-sighted-
ness. Then, again, some people con-
tract disease by reading by dim and
Pickering lights. This practice can not
be too strongly condemned. The use of
tobacco in excess will also produce dis
ease of the eye
care there any intellectual fields of
labor open to the blind?''
care there?'' Yes; more than the
casual thinker might suppose. A blind
man or woman unsteady inclined can
earn no inconsiderable income as an
organist or teacher of music Most of
the schools for instructing the blind
recognize this fact, and cultivate to the
utmost their pupils musical powers. L
consider the study of languages, and
especially the foreign tongues, val
liable accomplishment to the blind. 1t
would afford them lucrative employ
ment, and would also be comparatively
easy of attainment.
.sAny other field of labor?"
Eyes; that beautiful and wonderful
machine, the American typewriter. 1t
promises to open a new gate in the
worlds vast workshop for the blind to
enter at. The simple expedient of the
letters and the numbers being carved
upon the keys, instead of being printed,
as is ordinarily the case, makes this
accomplishment easily learned by q
blind person, with but moderate apple
cation r-A{b1nu ETDreSS