Wichita eagle., 1888-11-27
CARE OF THE EYES.
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE DURING
THE TIME OF CHILDHOOD.

| observation-disclosures VI Cu1Sc8-C8QD
Of squinting-A Critical Period-A Con
pie of Good Rules.
Many persons yearly make the very SAL
| mistake Of neglecting their eyes unit
they begin to see the mist before them
until the object they are looking at mus
be brought very close to the eye to be dis
cerned, or until the print in the book the,
are reading becomes all blurred, and then
when in many cases it is too late to re
pair the injury that has been caused, they
begin to seek advice Every year Their,
are hundreds of cases that come under
the oculists' care that could have beer
cured If few rudlmentary principles hac
been known to or observed BY the patient
These things everybody should know
but, perhaps, of all persons whose es
pecial duty it is to know them, the mother
has the greatest need of it. She. at leas,
of all persons, should know that tn.
human eve Of the child whose infancy and
the first few years of its tender childhood
are especially entrusted to her care, TO,
very often it is In infancy, when the child
Is yet but few months old, and has no,
left the nurses lap, that it's little eyes
are injured for life.
1t is natural that. when we have ar.
rived at middle age and begin descending
the hill Of life, our sight should com.
mence to fail, but how are we to preserve
it as long as it is possible? First. by hav.
ing our competent mothers and nurses
take care Of them for US while we are yet
infants In day or two after birth it
will perhaps be noticed that the lids are
swollen, and perhaps that some irruptive
disease has set in. In such case the
mother or nurse will do we'll not to try to
be doctor as well as occupying the trying
position of either mother or nurse. A
sklllful practitioner should at once be
called in to see the child, that is, if the
symptoms become at all serious, because
1t Is at this very time that the sight of
the child may be seriously affected and
perhaps permanently impaired Above
all things don't in such cases try moth
ers milk; neither be overanxious that
the child may be hungry, and thereby
overfeed it. Remember, first of all, that
low diet must be given in such cases;
this is imperative. The child should at
once be taken from place where there is
q strong light and kept in room where
the sun or artificial light has been sub
dued- conscientious physician will in
most cases be able to effect rapid cure
and save the child from untold agony,
which it might have to endure when it
grew older if neglected now.
CARELESsNEss OF NURSES.
Nurses frequently allow the child to lie
in their (the nurses) laps, and in such a
position that in order to gaze about it, the
infant must roll its eyes until sometimes
it is staring at objects ever its forehead
or with its head tipped back it is looking
at objects upside down. The careful
nurse and the thoughtful mother will
never allow the child to recline in this
position, or if they do, will place it so
that there will be no incentive for it to
look over its head. Sight is impaired in
many children in this way
When the child is teething is critical
time for its eyes, and later when it is be-
ginning to learn TO read, be careful then
that it does not acquire habits which,
when 1t natures, cannot be easily eradi-
Gated. Observe how it holds its book;
don't let it hold it up to its face and
squint at it. Be careful also that it uses
both eyes at the same time, because many
children acquire the habit of using one
eye and leaving the other unused. caus-
ing 1t IN time to grow exceedingly
weak. Primers and first readers should
invariably be in large type. and
the child should be made to sit up
straight. Constantly leaning over desk
or a piano has bad effect upon the eyes
of children. which is fully equaled by
misfortune which befalls little girls, and
that is their tresses falling down over
their faces. 1t is supposed that squirting
is caused in the brain, but 1t is well known
that children inherit it. Many of these
surrounding influences are indirectly the
cause of squirting, and they should be
most zealously guarded against. Always
see to it that children have plenty Of
fresh air in the school room, and do not
excite the child's initiative faculties
Many child has been squinter for life,
made so by initiating nurse or COM
panion who squinted for fun This is a
most pernicious practice and one that is
INDUCED i'll by those who have
the care of children because the child is
SO smart it mimics so well
ANOTHER CRITICAL PERIOD.
The next very critical period is when
the child has grown into youth or
maiden. Their constant study. or the too
close application to an exacting occupa-
ton, will work incalculable injury. The
young man or woman who is fortunate
enough to discover this in time has reason
to be thankful, for the skillful oculist
may, If he has the patient in season, be
able to do him some temporary good; but,
alas for those who are not aware of their
true condition until they are frightened
some day by the specter of luminous
objects and black specks floating before
them. They see undulating lights and
objects that appear to be composed of
misty substance. When this state of
things arrives the wise youth or maiden
will at once show himself to physician
and get medical advice. If the defect to
the eye is in its first stages the doctor
will not be in any hurry to have You wear
glasses. This is not SO desirable as
many suppose. Glasses are annoy
ing to those who are forced to
wear them, and if there is any way
to avoid 1T, no one should be in any
hurry to put them on. In the first place,
a person who notices himself afflicted with
these symptoms will seek rest. If he is
student, let him temporarily give up the
companionship Of his books and seek the
of nature
Always it viii be found that good sight
IS dependent to great extent upon good
health. and one should never. under any
neglect his general condi-
lion, no matter how trifing the circum-
stance or symptoms may appear 20 be.
A good rule to remember in caring for
he sight is: Never resd in bed; and
another very good rule to observe Gt Is
by almost veryoody) is never
20 read on the cars--Boston Globe
What HIGHT Have Bee.-