St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-10-22
EYE SIGHT.

EYE SIGHT.
The priceless value of the sense of seeing
is too little appreciated, is in fact, in civil
lied communities almost criminally under
valued. The result is, the eye is abused to
an extent that i'm pairs the normal caIhbili-
tiles, and sometimes, indeed, quite too often
produces partial or complete optical eclipse.
The real, and incompatible value of sight,
can only be realized by its painful impair
ment or its total loss.
With what melancholy tenderness do peo-
pie look upon the unfortunate being doomed
to grope his way through life, in total obstruc-
ton of the suns light, in fearful darkness
that can be felt. Milton, the unsurpassed
poet, the author of the immortal poem, of
Paradise Lost was blind and bewailed
his loss of vision in most pathetic strains in
the opening lines of the third book of his
great epic. Sitting in total darkness he die
tated to his daughter, vino was his amanu-
lusis, the following touching, pathetic invo-
cation in reference to himself:
''Thus with the year
Seasons return, but not to me returns
Day, or the sunset approach OF even or morn,
Or flocks or herds, or human face divine
Mr.. Brudenell-Carter, the eminent Opthal
mic specialist in a late contribution to the
London Times, draws attention to the de-
fects of eyesight, incident to the people of.
| civilized countries and especially to the young
The value of sight, all will grant, butt val
ue is not duly appreciated, nor sufficient
care observed in protecting the eye from in
jury, by due attention to its use. Too little
is thought of its worth, till by its abuse, or by
the effects of advancing years persons begin
to realize its diminished powers. They come
slowly to proper estimate of 1t by its loss.
What an unspeakable blessing is enjoyed
by the present, over former generations, in
the invention and adoption Of glnsses to aid
diminished, defective, decaying sight.
Those defective crutches, the ancient "gog-
gles," were in use up to the present century
since which opthalmic cOntrivances by sci
entiie men have been constructed to aid the
delicate mechanism of that woudrous organ,
the eye, inasmuch that it can almost be said, at
this day. the blind receive their sight. The
weakened powers of vision are strengthened
and something like primitive vigor restored
even to old age.
Mr.. Brudenell-Carter, urges that while pa
rents are observant of other physical powers
of their offspring they are too thoughtless or
negligent in regard to their children's eyes.
They know what boy of 10 ought to be able
to do physically, but not one in 500 can tell
whether a boy sees as well as he ought, or has
an adequate perception of color. Civilization,
with its consequent porting over books. and
handcrafts in bad light has damaged the
sight of educated races till thei- powers of
vision are inferior to those Of the untutored
savage, as his, in tnrn, are to those of birds
of prey. He says, Scotch forester will descry
distant deer, which tOwnsman can not
see, and objects far away which are perfectly
plain to an Indian, can only be detected by
civilized travellers with the aid of a telescope.
This is taken as proof of the gradual but
certain deterioration of the powers of vision
in civilized nations.
According to Mr.. Brudenell- Carter this
process of deterioration is produced largely in
the modern schools. He says there are three
principal departures from the normal shape
Of the eye by which excellence Of vision is
imperilled. The fat eye is an example of
arrested development, and as might be ex-
pected is common among children reared In
unhealthy surroundings. 1t necessitates a
constant use, of a certain small muscle in
the eve, which ought more often to be at rest
Fatigue is thus caused, sqnint is often pro-
duced, and there is a tendency to fall into
the opposite misfortune of myopia, or short
- 1.N4 -.
ted by school work
In 1864 and the following year 10000
scholars were examined by DR.. Coin, of
Breslau, aud 1,072 were found to be short
sighted, and 139 fat-eyed, and many others
suffering from other disorders. The statistics
further showed that short-sight increased, as
school life was prolonged. Now while the
weak vision of iat-eyed people terribly
handieaps them in the race of life, to the
myopia of short-sighted people, Mr.. Brude-
nell-Carter is inclined to attach ethical sig
nifcance. Il shuts them out from the OBJ
servation of others, debars them from much
of the experience Of life, and involves them
in ignorance Of character and events. The
theory of this scientist may not hold good in
every instance, vet there is no doubt much
truth in it; and all ought to be impressed
with the importance of greater care Of the
eye, both in old aud young, and thus arrest
this constant tendency to deterioration Of
vision.
Mr.. Brudenell-Carter in his theory looks
forward to the possible restoration, by ade-
quate care, and attention TO certain optical
rules aud principles, to the civilized races. of
the lost power Of vision. At any rate, every
one is interested for himself, in bestowing
greater care upon the eye, to avoid the great
calamity Of largely impaired vision, or the
greater calamity of total blindness, for with
out sight life itself becomes blank, and ex
istence burden.
CURRENT COMMENT
TIE Earl of AylesfOrd, who has ranch at