San Francisco vindicator., 1889-02-09

How the Eyesight is Affected by Muce
Neutrality-suspicious. of Color

How the EyesiSuC A. I1hcS""~ ~ NN~~@~
Reading-Questtons OF Color
Oculists say that reading people are
wearing out their eyes. They trace
near-sio htedness aud many other de-
fects of vision to much reading 1t 10
a matter Of common observation that |
nersons who read most have the sense
of sight most impaired. Scientists
have feared that the prevalent defects |
of the eve might become hereditary |
and that years of evolution might pro-
duce sightless race-or, at least, one
partly blind-and many experiments
have been made and suggestions Of
fered to lessen this danger.
4 number of experiments have 0een
made with reference to the color OF the
paper and the printers ink. The gloss
Of highly finished or calendered paper
has been condemned. A natural tone
and dull surface is preferred. The
contrast between white paper and
black ink is believed to be too great
and a diversity of colorS has been sug-
gested for both paper and ink. A
very light buff tint in the paper has
been found to be grateful to the eye
and MANILA paper has been used
with good results. An eastern expert
menter has satisfied himself that the
ground should always be darker than
the print-the paper of deeper color
than the letters He suggests black
paper and gray ink, or blue page
printed ia orange Signs are printed
| on this principle oftener than Oh any
other.
This suggestion is based on the the
| ory of scientists that objects are seen
because they are lighted up-that is to
say, the rays Of light reflected from an
object form its outlines on the retlna
| of the eve In the white page and
black letter it is claimed that this pro-
cess is reversed and that every part OF
the page except the letter is seen. The
letters are observed because III certain
lines the white page makes no impress
sion on the retina. A silhouette, 1t Is
claimed is not as grateful to the eye as
the same figure on slate, and a bronze
bust against white wall IS less pleas
ino than a marble bust against black
shield.
A Russian physician named Malaney-
Sky after many experiments proposed
black ground aud white letters. PrOf.
Bowditch Of Harvard experimental
with several classes, however, and
found that majority of only small
per cent. in each class preferred the
black ground and white ink to white
ground aid black ink. The Harvard
experimeut> prove that Malaneysky's
scheme is not of general value. In
Paris il has been decided that street
names in white letters on blue grouAd
are more easily read than the black or
white lettering.
The most noted experiment in colOrs
has been that of firm of Dutch pub
fishers, which has printed number OF
books on light green paper in sky-blue
ink. These are claimed to be nature s
favorite colorS, and their pleasing et-
feet in vegetation and sky is sought to
be reDroduced by the printed page.
The experiments said to be successful,
though the combination of color is not
+, likely tn ravish artistic souls. Still
,, other plans for relieving the eye have
, been suggested.
A London firm of printers asks If we
10 not read backward, and suggests 6
heavy-Eaced italic type. 1t is claimed
that a perpendicular letter is not bes
adapted to the sight, and that thu
, vision would pass more readily anC
i with greater ease over line slanteC
toward the right as if the letters were
' flowing in the direction taken by tbs
a eyes in reading.
= other persons nave suggested tina
!, matter lie printed in columns. wore
to the line, like an Old-fashiOned spell
4 ino-book or Chinese newspaper, anC
- that tie column be read from the tol
> downward. The column would be al
q odd-looking affair where a short wore
and a fiye-syllabled one came togetne
and the waste of space incurred make
such suggestion impraoticabIe. An
other suggestion is that the lines b
printed to read ight and left alternate
. ". For instance, you begin at In
first line and read to the right-han
side of the column. then drop your ey
g to the next line and read back 10 tn
- starting side, and 50 on. The loss
time in carrying the eye to the rlgi
I'd from the left hand side of column Z
a. the conclusion of each line would
saved, as we'll as the strain on the ey
If in catching the next line. But 4
Of language will read both ways and th
"a proposition is not worth considering
D. Mr. Tuer of the London firm sugges
80 a new type with broad face, and tn
capitals be made of size uniform vii
the lower case or small letters. h
e would reduce the ''tall'' etter5-tho:
~, ~ that project above or below the line
- such as /. h, Y, and p, to the san
- height as those without tails. But h
10 suggestion has rather the object
economy in space than relief to Il
ny eye. though both are considered.
ne About the best suggestion offered I
I. newspaper printing is that OF tN
nd practical printers Of Chicago-Mr.
er c. Cameron and Mark l.. Crawfor
rs They want less printed i'll the new
papers and the size of the type
- creased. They want the news in br
eY and to the point The people do n
er want a dictionary for cent they So
on and complain that the papers print
do much matter that it takes too mu
mp time In the reading. - Chicago At1CS.