The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-02-20
NM FOR THE EI1HD

1x8s FOE THE FLIED
A ola opsiedsn's ohas About spsetaolss
Ana These Who Use Them.
from tho New Orleans Tribune.
A man who makes good living, and
perhsps some wealth in aiding people
TO read should contribute something for
them to read. Thus. reasoning, Tri-
bune reporter entered the store of q
prominent optician in Broadway for
some information about spectacles and
eyeglasses.
II hardly know where to begin an
swering your long list of questions,
said the optician. "Spectacles have to
be worn by some children Of five years,
and BY persons in all ages. It is diff
cult to state when sight is likely to fail,
for sickness, accidents, certain profess
sions, excessive or careless reading, and
the natufsR decay of strength, all tend
to one result. Dv careless reading 1mean
reading in unsteady or ain light. Read
ing while travelling, especially in fast
trains, is q tempting pastime, but it
sadly strains the best of eyes. A man
/ should not, 80 habit, smoke and read
at the same time. The blur Of the smoke
imposes unequal work upon the twoeyes.
| One should not raise his eyes sud,lenlyto-
ward q strong OF vivid light after intently
pouring over printed matter. The shock
is severe. A number Of trades and du-
ties wear heavily upon tho eyes. En-
gravers, jewelers., watchmakcrs. proof
readers, compositors, and persons who
have to handle shining metals, all suffer
h some degree from poor sight. The
sewing machine has proved great saw
ing for woman eyes. In former times,
constant sewing with the ordinary
needle upon white fabric, or narrow
striped goods of any color, had a damag-
ing and sometimes binding effect.
eyes I've heard tight lacing and tight
shoes spoken of as bad for the eyes, but
I guess The old surgeons remark that
anything unnatural is bad for anything,
about covers the case.
1T is an unsafe plan for people to Sc
lect glasses from the stock of peddlers
or other irresponsible vendors. am
willing that every one should make u
living, but the eye is too delicate and
valuable IS be trihed with. Some of
these vendors may know something of
the opticians profession, but as rule
have need to be both purchasers and
scientists. Now, when you get your
shoes, you do not allow the shoemaker
or seller 10 make your feet fit the shoes.
And I assure you there can be as badly
fitting glasses as shoes.
"What is positive indication that
sight is weakening? The failure is
most noticeable in reading; when one
finds himself throwing back ihe head
and contracting the brow or stretching
out the arm, so as to be surer of tleciph~
ering the print or script he holds, there
is unmistakable evidence Of the need of
optical assistance. The defect, how
ever, may not be permanent, in persons
under thirty-five years Of age l have
known cases where the normal sight
has been restored by the timely use of
correct glasses. It would he good
economy Of vision if many were to be-
gin the wearing of glasses early, under
Che advice of q skillful and experienced
optician. People go to the dentist
quite regularly about their teeth and to
the physician about trifiing complaints,
while few seem to consider the impor-
tance of helping or protecting natures
great gift of sight. The waning action,
however, is in most cases so gradual
that people don't trouble themselves un-
til compelled to.
"You will get here good idea Of the
care required in our work when fitting
glasses for steady use. You have no.
ticed how many times the focus of an
opera glass has to be adjusted to suit
group of lockers on at aperformance.
Well, the eame variation of eve-power
occurs on a multitude. By the way,
protracted use of an opera glass is un- ,
favorable to the eyes. Ladies' often OBJ
ject to the wearing of glasses for fear
of appearing advanced in age; then,
again, there are some of both sexes who
wear them simply because they are be-
coming or give an intellectual cast to
pride visits our trade as we'll rs other.
How far does our science date back?
Chins, I believe, is the oldest known
nation having the ingenuity to prepare
glass to aid defective sight They have
not advanced beyond their first IDEAS.
The artists of Europe and America
have developed wonderful improve
fnents within the last half century.
"The most expensive lenses for frame
or springs are made from pebble, q
white transparent rock crystal found in
Brazil. have known some of these
hsri-pebble lenses to he polished with
diamond dust. As to their being better
than the best white glass, that is mat-
ter Of caprice. Some Of my wealtlliest
customers prefer glass and it is the
opinion of some opticians that the in
tense polish of the pebble is not favor
able to the wearer. Fine emery ground
glass is good enough. Our glasses arc
largely imported. Grinding glasses is
agreat industry in France and Germany.
England also turns out some fine work.
They can be ground here, but it is rare
" necessary, as the sizes we'll assorted
can be had cheaper from abroad. Lenses
for myopis or nearsightedness are
ground concave in shape and for long
ightedness convex.
Most of the newspapers in this coun-
Try are trying to the eyes, owing to
narrow columns and small print: The
Tribune is Q valuable exceptions. with
its broad columns. clear type and fair
ly heavy paper.
Any eyes retaining natural functions,
though weak, can be assisted by our
aid. Why. in my time Q'm seventy
three), have known individuals who
had never been able to pereeive he out
lines of animals, buildings or trees, to
be supplied with glasses that enabled
them te see with ease"
The petriAed wood, which. is SC
sbundant in the United States Territor-
les Of Arizona, Wyoming and Cue Rocky
Mountain regions is rapidly becoming
utilized by the practical American. In
San Francisco there is now factory for
cutting and polishing these petritieations