Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1888-12-13
CARE OF THE EYES.
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE DURING
THE TIME OF CHILDHOOD.

of squinting-A Critical Period-A Cou-
pie of Good Rules.
| Many persons yearly make the very sad
mistake of neglecting their eyes until
they begin to see the mist before them,
until the object they are looking at must
be brought very close to the eye to be dis
cerned, or until the print in the book they
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 there
are hundreds of cases that come under
the oculists' care that could have been
cured if few rudimentary principles had
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 least
of all persons, should know that the
human eve of the child whose infancy and
the first few years of it's tender childhood
are especially entrusted.to her care, for
very often it is in infancy, when the child
is yet but few months old. and has not
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 a 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
skillful practitioner should at once be
called in to see the child, that is, if the
symptoms become at all serious, because
it 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
er's 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
a strong light and kept in a room where
the sun or artificial light has been sub
dued. A 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 nurses0 laps, and in such
position that in order to gaze about it, the
infant must roll it's eyes until sometimes
it is staring at objects over it's 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 it natures, cannot be easily eradi-
Gated. Observe how it holds it's book;
don't let it hold it up to it's 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 it in time to grow exceedingly
weak. Primers and first readers should
invariably be in large type. and
the c'lild should be made to sit up
straight. Constantly leaning over desk
or 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
is caused in the brain, but it is we'll 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 a child has been squinter for life,
made so by initiating a nurse or COM
panion who squinted for fun. This is a
most pernicious practice, and one that is
oftentimes INDUCED in 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 a youth or
maiden. Their constant study, or the too
close application to an exacting occupa-
tion, 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 eyeis in it's 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 it, no one should be in any
hurry to put them on. In the first place,
a pers who notices himself afflicted with
these symptoms will seek rest. If he is q
student, let him temporarily give up the
companic nship of his books and seek the
companionship of nature.
Always it will be found that good sight
is dependent to great extent upon good
health, and one should never, under any
circumstances, neglect his general condi- |
ton, no matter how trifing the circum- |
stance or symptoms may appear to be.
A good rule to remember in caring for 1
the sight is: Never read in bed; and |
another very good rule to observe Gt is
disregarded by almost every body is never
to read on the cars.-Boston Globe.
Death foreseen never came.-Italian