The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-10-08
DEFECTIVE VISION.
A WRITER WHO THINKS THAT
COFFEE IS TO BLsMe.
Experience OF Patro.i of the Fragrant
Narcotic->omc Of the Results Of fnor-
dinatc Coffee Drinking-Pecuiiar En-
fecfs Upon Children.


dinatc Coffee Drinking-Pecuiiar Ef-
fects Upon Children.
am satisfied that defective vision aud
blindness viii pretty soon be n prominent
Characteristic among the American people,
the saInc as rotten teeth have been during
the last 200 years. | make this assertion
without having seen any statistics whatever
on the subject Of blindness. found out long
ago that a cup Of coffee leaves a night shade
on the brain which continues longer than an
eclipse Of the sun. had long noticed that
the eyes Of old coffee drinkers had dry and
shriveled appearance
Having discovered, some years ago, that
10Y own eyesignt was surely weakening, !
then ceased 70 drink coffee ms freely rs had
used it, and became a moderate and more Oh
servant patron Of the fragrant Iarcotlc.
: But ! have learned that moderate coffee
drinking is a hard thing to manage. being
pretty sure 10 develop into the regular habit
again with insidious ease especially at those
times when the physical sy Penn feels to be in
need Of some elixir Besides, il Is quite dis
tressing for d person 10 be fighting of
powerful habit at each meal. j now feel
free Of the coffee drinking vice, aud 'nll
have no more trouble with II unless snail
again fall victim 10 some church supper OF
70 the magnetic Establishments Of some buoy
mt hostess.
Having long worked at a trade which re
1lires almost as exact a use Of the eye as the
occupation Of jeweler made the dIscov-
cry that a single cup OF coffee would have
perceptiblc effect on my eyes. This fact was
the more apparent because my eyesight was
originally very good-in fact, about the best
After having used coffee with indifferent
frequency aud cOpiousness for many years
my sight became abnorinally weak, ard
began 70 feel a hOrr-' Of darkness, wishing
that the sun would never set, aud desiring
instinctiyely 20 60 10 some place where the
nights would be short during the entire year.
But now have quite little Of this feeling
left. Ny eyes have regained, 70 a curious
extent. their former range and spOntlneity.
! again enjoy the long panoramic views OF
nature which are afforded from tine baby
mountains that skirt Council Bluffs Oh the
east ike an encampment ! can take these
long telescope sweeps Of vision again with
OUT blinking or feeling the weakening relax
alton which alarmed me a week ago.
have no doubt but what this weakness OF
the ewes which results from coffee drinking
is due 20 the sympathy which the optic nerve
las fer the nasal cavity tine latter beng
continuous with the membrane Of the MOUTH
The nasal cavity, with It's first pair of brain
nerves Is naturally principal place % he
affected by any drinking habit For M
stance. D. partake of a dish Of sorp viii
sometime, cause peron's breathing 90 be-
come tLici. ami decidedly ia57rct AT OF
the sensorv nerve, are much affected by coi-
fee drinking those gentle and highly refined
thread, of .ynpatEe,l. force which enter
largely into the sense OF smell. taste. sight
and hearing. The entire sympathetic sys-
tenn d. likewise involved Immediately ODD the
coffee drinking habit Tie brain. again, IS
intensely affected thereby because tine prin-
cipal nerves al the brain branch OF from the
nasal cavity
Coffee drinking is especially injurious
when ]. is resorted 20 as backing for strong
food. There are plenty # robust persons
among us who have drank coffee pretty
freely for a lifetime, but vino are seemingly
uuiniured los IL. To this fact ! reply that
appearanccs are sometimes deceivng 70 un-
prActiced ewes. and that vice does not IN
all cases show its effects plainly n the first
generations The free use ol coffee dates
back only one generation in this country.
Blu. this viii say. that no person is as stout
for three hours after he las drank coffee as
be was before.
As long as a person remains endowed with
latent constitutional strength be can partcl-
nate i'm different vices with seeming IMMUNITY
but be Is gradually using uphis capital ard
will reach his limit ere his life is fully pro-
longed. His children and grandchildren will
show a degeneration Of tho family stock.
t>ough they doubtless exhibit 90 present a
premature brightness Of mind Children that
are allowed e. partake freely Of coffee viii
become restless, fussy and noisy, half Wild
with mischief They probably advance III
their school studies with abnormal rapidity
But they hate work. At times they are IN
different about education Their strength
goes 10 the brain. They grow rapidly, but
not Alright They develop into men and
women three years too soon. Yet their eyes
dance with angelic splendOr aud their checks
glow with vcrmiliOH. providing that they
started in life with robust constitutions. II
they began life with puny physiques. how
ever. coffee viii make them slim and ehostly,
and Their eyes and features fiat. Coffee will
seem 70 improve those persons only who have
surplus Of constitutional yigor. These IN
dividuals will seem possessed with forms and
faces Of marvellous grace and finish. yet they
will fade ali too soon, and ia.l into the hands
Of the doctor Coffee has a magical effect On
the heart and circulatory system, and for a
while produces the intoxication which APP
breaches that Of opium OF cocaine IL causes
a swift growth and swift decay. 1t pro
duces beauty and exhilarat.on, but lot EN-
3rranca North American Review.