Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-10
NEEDN'T GO IT BLIND.
Eyes for All Animals, Though Some
Differ Widely From Others.
A COLLEGE OF ANATOMY LECTURE
In Which OrbS of Sight, From Mans Down
to the SnaiIs, Are Treated.
THECHEMIsTRY OF MEDICINE TOUCHED

Before the Pittsburg College of Anatomy
yesterday, Prof B. c. Jillson gave an in
teresting lecture on Chow Animals See and
Hear" and S. h. Stevens, NJ. D., Professor
of Chemistry at the School of Pharmacy,
entertained the audience with delightful
talk on Chemistry of Medicines" Dur
ing the course of his lecture Prof Jillson
said:
The difference between men, the higher ami
mails, is in their mental department; their brain
power, to see, hear. realize and understand
things they see and hear. The body, legs, arms
etc, are only the servants of the mind and are
made use of by the mind to do its work. None
of us has any connection or contact with the
outside world, except through the servants Of
the mind, viz: hearing, seeing, feeling, tasting
and smelling. The waves Of sound strike the
eye but make no impression. One member
cannot perfect the work of the other. The
deep socket in which the eyeball is, is
surrounded by cushion of fat, which makes
a good rest for the ball. The professor then
explained how the light seeks and is reflected
by the eye, Just the same as it is reflected from
an object to the lenses OF a photographers S
camera. he said the eye was COMPOSED OF
three coats. The outside coat has SIX muscles,
which move the eye to whatever object II seeks.
When one of the muscles is pulled tight II oe-
comes diseased by the contraction The eye is
also pulled in the same direction, ana tne re-
suit is what is commonly known as being cross
eved He compared the outside coat on the
eve to a watch crystal on account OF It's slml-
larity. Continuing he SAID:
The middle coat is black, and it absorbs the
light If we paint the walls and ceiling OF
room white the light coming through the win
dows would be reflected, and would make the
room very light. If the walls are painted
black, the effect is exactly the reverse, the
light being absorbed, and the room becomes
dark. The inner coat of the eye is composed
of little fine threads, which form the optic
nerve The light which is reflected on the eye
is taken up by these cords and carried to the
BRAN. The mind then takes cognizance of it
If anything tonches an eye it gives us pain.
Nature has given us what is known as the eye
lid, for its protection Snakes eyes are eG-
posed. They have no eyelids and this gives
them the CLASSY, repulsive look. The fishes
have no eyelIds, either. The eel has little
glass plate or membrane imbeded in the skin,
and really gives the fish the appearance of
wearing spectacles. Some animals seek food at
night, on accoun. of the formation of their eyes
being better able to retain the light when 1t is
dark than during the daytime. The few rays Of
light collect in the second or metallic MEM
brane, and they can see almost as well as other
animals N a stronger light.
The upper and outer part OF eye pours out
secretions. or tears. The eyes Of animals haV-
ing no backbone, are of quite diherenct
formation OF shape. Some of them have eyes
like ours. The snail has eyes on the top of
what are called his horns. The sense of smell
is also located in the same place. The
eyes of the cutie fish are globular in shape
and all parts are similar to our own. On the
edge of the Jelly fish are soft little black spots
You can see these also on the star fish. So, you
see, our Creator intended very few living things
in this world to go blind.
The speakers reference TO the ear was
also entertaining, but that on the eye was
the best.
In his talk on Chemistry of Medicines, 4"
Prot. Stevens prefaced his remarks by say
inc that 100 wears 400 musicians poured
medicines, of which they knew little, into
patients of whom they knew nothing. for
diseases of which they knew less. Now this
had been changed as science had progressed
and chemistry became better known. His
address was preliminary talk on practi-
cal lecture. to be delivered in few weeks,
and was listened to very attentively.