St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-08-08
SMALL TALK ABOUT EYES,
The Genuine Article and the Artificial
Substitute.
Consumption of Glass Eyes Through
out the Country.
From the Providence Journal.

From the Providence Journal.
In general, people have an interest and
concern in their own eyes; some, mostly
young people, may be said TO have an in
terest and concern in other peoples eyes;
and perhaps IL other portion of the human
anatomy is more worthy thereof. Thesen-
tment is of frequent expression that only
allow the eyes to be preserved, and ears
may be turned deaf to everything, teeth
lost, arms witheTed, andlegs fail to perform
their junction without crutch or cane and
living may still be worth the effort. 1t is Il
tough, enduring little article, is the eye, for
all It's delicate mechanism and structure,
n IN the course of a lifetime it is ON
PEELED to endure no end of hard usage, and
1t Is not surprising that it SO often gives out,
unut Tor duty before its three score years
II ten for service. Everybody knows the
simple rules for caring for the ewes: few
lind it possible to strictly follow them. and
fewer care to if they could, until patience
ceases TO be a virtue with the Iong-endur-
ing member, and it slowly gives I'D the
unequal struggle, and the curtain is drawn
over Its delicate mirror forever. From
early infancy it is treated shamefully. The
babes knUckles poke it, and the lids are
AN1uChbg hiduO " open u expose IL 20 me
view of admiring relatives and friends:
bOyhoods days bring books to be read and
school lessons to be worked into the brain
through its medium; youth fills it with to-
bacco smoke in the one case, needlewOrk
ana novels in the other. In maturity it is
abused through necessity, and may be it
mas no spectacleS or eyeglasses to help it
out. 1t Is a frequent subject of poetry and
song, however, II that may afford it
some qualification, although even here only
the really well-cOnditioned eye is favored,
and its fellows, less blessed, are rarely re-
ferred to except in medical works, which
everybody will admit is not a pleas
ant place to be talked about.
Rutiians, by the way, and,
heroes Of the more vigorous
romance, are usually accredited with black
eyes, lovers and sailors with blue, maidenS
with brown Or haZed and stern parents with
gray. Other characters of romance and
fiction get whatever chances to fall to their
lot.
Eyes are commonly classified according to
cOlOrS, blue, black, brown, hazel. green.
gr0y-with their various shades. Red eyes
are often heard of, but these are mOdilica-
lions for which Il civilization addicted to
late hours and more or less strong drink
Is III a great measure accountable, and the
expression may be said not TO be an exact
one. 4 popular specie of black eye is
also due to untoward circumstances.
Furthermore, eyes are individualized as
much as character iS-Of which they are
often so true an indeX-as sharp"
keen" ''stealthy," humorous" be
nign," or wicked" while the man with
the bad eye is frequently remarked.
The ''sOul shining through them" is re-
SponSible for this. Such classification is
arbitrary, wholly inadequate, but after
all, it is convenient enough for expression
and there is 10 need for Il better one. Good,
active eyes are wanted of ONE kind, or
color or another.
Blue eyes are commonly thought to be
more generally weak, or out OF gear Ome-
where, than those Of other colors; While
blacks are supposed to be strong and of
greater powers OF endurance. The distinc-
ton IS hardly more than a popular one,
however, and it may be remembered that in
this country. at least, blue eyes far out
number the black or brown. Still there are
sound reasons for the theory that the own
ers Of pale-blue eyes OfteneT have weak
ones than those possessed of eyes of other
cOiOrS. y glance at the list OF eye troubles
eXciteS wonder that everybOdy'S eyes are
not made useless before middle life, and
Col. Sellers had apparently good grounds
for great expectations from his famous eye
water. Then there are the innumerable ac-
cidentS that may ruin the eye with alarming
ease. Indeed, what with big and little af-
fectionS, eye specialists are almost as well
patrOnized rs dentists.
\ poor eye is better than no eye at all.
Science has made the deaf to hear; q little
instrument touching the ear drum, ora con
Ir.tpr IN Dy,a rrr,h-.yu,hI, h.
fan pressed against the teeth, transmit
sound to the brain; manufactured teeth
often serve the purpose better than did the
originals. and patent working arms and
legs replace the natural members when
made useless. An eye Once lost to its sense
of sight can never be replaced by anything
that VIII restore that sense. Artificial ewes
have existed almost as long as there has
been any strong demand for them. but
science has failed'tO realize an artificial eve
that can distinguish a barn door from a
postage stamp. 1t Is human nature to care
for the personal appearance, and it is also a
duty to the community, and art is very prop
eTly resorted to that the appearance may be
made as pleasing as possible. The belle
of the BALI of the Old song was an extreme
example of this natural desire to make the
personal appearance as attractive as posi-
b4C ny llN htiliLttipl VI dIb WHERE nature
failed; and so it is not surprising that arti-
fetal eyes are i'll common use where one of
the real organs have given out or been de-
strOyed. While it is not true that in look
ing at an object one eye alone is necessary
to realize the full intention of vision. yet
one eye does very well, and, as manufac-
tured and fitted nowadays, the artificial eye
can not be distinguished from the real one
without close examination, and the main
difficulty met with seems to be the danger
of having the former a great Improvement
in appearance on the latter.
''Ihere is always q demand for artificial
eyes" aid a Providence specialist Of long
practice in this city, and we keep such a
various assortment that we can match most
anything" The Decor reached up on a
shelf in his cabinet and took down two
small, flat boxes: one OF them was labeled,
with dreadful brevity,
Left Eyes,
Assorted.
and the other,
Right Eyes,
Assorted.
The Doctor opened the boxes, and there
resting on soft beds Of pink tissue paper,
each in its little compartment, were hun
dreds of left and right eyeS-asSOrted.
They were of every shape, size and color
that eyes could possibly be; black pupil,
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