Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1889-08-24
COFFEE AND BLINDNESS.
How the Fragrant Narcotic Is said
to AfTect the Human Vision.


tistics whatever on the subject of
blindness, l found out long ago that
cup of coffee leaves a II jght-shade on
the brain longer than an eclipse OF the
sun. had long noticed that the eyes
Of old COTE drinkers mad a dry and
shriveled appearance.
Having discovered some years ago
that my own eyesight was surely weak
ening, then ceased TO drink coffee as
freely as had used it, and became a
moderate and more observant patron
Of the fragrant narcotic. But | have
learned that moderate coffee drinking
is hard thing to manage. being pretty
sure to develop into the regular habit
again with insiduous ease, especially
at those times when the physical sys-
tenn feels to be in need Of some elk I.
Besides, it is quite distressing for u
person to be fighting off powerful
habit at each meal. now feel free of
the coffee drinking vice. and will have
no more trouble with it unless | shall
again fall victim to some church sup
per or to the magnetic Establishments
of some buoy ant hostess.
Having long worked at a trade which
requires almost as exact use of the
eye as the occupation of jeweler, 1
made the d scovery that single cup
of coffee W ould have preceptib.e eff
feet upon the eye. This fact WAS more
apparent because my eyesight was
originally very good-in fact. about
the best. After having used coffee
with Indifferent frequency and copi-
BUSINESS for many years my sight be-
came abnormally weak. and | began
to feel a horror Of darkness, wishing
that the sun would never set, and de-
string instinctiyely TO go to 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, to curious extent the il
former range and spontaneity. |
again enjoy The long panoramic views
Of ma ture which are afforded from the
baby mountains that skirt Council
Bluffs on the east like an encampment.
can take these long telescope sweeps
of visions again without blinking or
feeling the weakening relaxation which
alarmed me a week ago. I have no
doubt bet what this weakness of The
eye which results from coffee drinking
is due to the sympathy which the op-
tic nerve has for the nasal cav ty
Ohe latter being continuous with the
mem brane of the mouth). The nasal
cavity, with It's first pair of brain
nerves, is naturally principal place
to be affected by any drinking habit.
For instance, to partake of a dish of
soup will sometimes cause a persons
breathing to become thick and de.
cidedly labored. All: of the sensory
nerves are much affected by coffee
drinking gentle and highly re-
fined threads of sympathetic force
which enter largely into the sense Of
smell, taste, sight and hearing. The
entire sympathetic system is like
wise involved Immediately in the cof-
fee-drinking habit. ] he brain, again,
is intensely affected thereby, because
the principal nerves of the brain
branch of from the nasal cavity.
Coftee-drinking is especially injur-
i0us when it is resOrted to as backing
for strong food. There are plenty of
robust persons among US who have
drank coffee pretty freely for life
time, but who are seemingly uninjured
by it To this fact reply that appear
ances are sometimes deceiving to un-
practice d eyes and that a vice does
not in all cases show its effects plainly
in the first generation. The free use
of coffee dates back only one genera
ton in this country. But this l will
say, that no person is as stout for three
hours after he has drank coffee as he
was before.
As long as person remains endow-
ed with latent constitutional strength
he can participate in different vices
with seeming impunity-but he is
gradually using up his capital and W Il
reach his limit ere his life is fully pro-
longed. His children and grandohild-
rem will snow a degeneration of the
family stock, though they doubtless ex-
hibit at present premature brightness
of mind. Children that are allowed
to partake freely of coffee will become
restless, fussy and noisy. half wild with
mischief. They probably advance in
their school studies with abnormal
rap !dlty. But they hate work At
times they are Indifferent about educa-
ton. Their strength goes to the brain.
They grow rapidly, but not Alright
They develop into men and women
three years to soon. Yet their eyes
dance with angelic splendor, and their
cheeks glow with yermlion, providing
that they started in life with robust
constitutions. If they began life with
puny physiques, however. coffee will
make them slim and ghostly. and their
eyes and features fiat Coffee vii
seem to improve those persons only
who have a surplus of constitutional
vigor. These individuals will seem
possessed with forms and faces of
marvellous grace and finish, yet they
will fade all too soon. and fall into the
hands OF the doctor. Coffee has a