The Portland daily press., 1884-03-07
RIinduess,

kknnuMesss
Such was the title of Dr. j. w. SpaIdine,s
lecture which he delivered in the Mechanics
free course last evening to large audience.
DR.. Spalding made an effort in the Fall of
1883 to collect the names and residences of all
the blind persons in this State. His results
were, however, discouraging, owing to the
lack of help which he received from those
upon whom he had depended for assistance in
his investigations. The subject was so i'm
portant that the lecturer bad nevertheless con-
tinued his studies in other directions and
these he embodied in bis remarks.
About five per cent of the blind are born
without eyes, or with thuse organs in so mutt
lated or degenerated a condition that vision is
impossible. Sixty per cent. of the blind owe
their misfortune to inflammation of the eve
and its appendages. OF this enormous propor-
ton fully one.half Or perhaps two-thirds
could have been rescued from blind ness bv
timely aid and care. About twenty per cent.
lose their sight from iniuries-one-half from
direct injuries to the eyes, the other half from
sympathetic inflammation. This terrible dis
ease in one eye arises from neglect to remove
the other when seriously injured, or when it
contains some foreign body, such as bit of
metal or stone. The remaining cases of blind
ness are due to constitutional Diseases such as
affections of the brain and spinal cord. ex-
cessive hemorrhages, fevers and small pox.
and the abuse of alcohol and tobacco.
The only effective means of preventing
blindness consists, In the lecturers opinion. in
educating the children in the schools, in teach
tissues aud its various foci. The children
should be shown the eyes of animals and
fishes and instructed upon them until thew
can prove on examination that they know the
essentials of the physiology of this organ
This instruction should be repeated yearly, SO
that at least fortnight, or better still,
month every year, every scholar above the
age of five years should be drilled into
proper knowledge of the eye. This instruc-
tim should be given partly by books and
partly from models OF the eye. The teachers
should be made competent in this respect by
studying proper books on physiology, or the
Lecturer would gladly give them instruction il
the School Committee saw fit. Half-hour
talks on the diseases of the eye and their gen.
eral treatment ought also be given to the
classes in the High schools.
In this manner the lecturer thought that the
children would learn to recognize diseases of
the eye in their own persons, and thus gradual
ly spread abroad much useful knowledge con-
corning the prevention of blindness.
1t is pity, to use no more forcible term,
that such supreme ignorance should prevail
amongst the entire populace in regard to the
organs of sight. TO this ignorance is to be
ascribed the lack OF early recognition of dis
eases which may cause blindness, to say
nothing of their neglect The eyes, being the
light of the soul, ought to be studied and
understood. When diseases OF this precious
part of our bodies are recognized, they ought
to be treated by specialists.
The establishment of a kindergarten for
blind children under the age OF piDe years is
now being undertaken in Boston, and in favor
OF this institution and its endowment by the
charitable the lecturer made an earnest ap-
peal.