The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1891-07-02
''PRorEor rHE:.Eves.,
rtsesaeel Advice for Those Who DisreRas
"A tho Organssof ot2ht. a.

P1ooucers a rule, but = consumer.
Tho money annually spent In tho
United States for the support Of the
blind Is sufficient to pay the interest on
the public debt. PITY the blindv' Pitv
we may, perhaps for we can not ii.
ways help. We must also condemn:
and whom shall we blame? Not the
poor unfortunates themselves, but the
ignorance Of many parents and nurses;
for they, In many instances, are the re-
sponsible ones
The eyes of the newborn Child are
extremely delicate and very sensitive
to irritants. Mothers and nurses should
be exceedingly careful to avoid expos
ing the eyes of their charges to the
light. Nature is aware of this and u.s.
ually ushers in the newcomer at night.
Ihey should also be very careful when
washing the infants, for matters from
the body may get into the eyes and
there set up an Inflammation which, at
this age, frequently results in entire
loss of vision. One-half of all the blind
become SO through this cause.
Children under seven years of age
have eyes which are too imperfect to
admit OF close application If used at
this age they are very apt to give way
under the strain, becoming longer and
hence short-sighted or, if there be any
inherited trouble, it is readily develop
ed. If only for this reason children
under the eighth year should not be set
to their books, and if sent to any school
this should be q kindergarten.
The normal adult eye in a healthy
person can stand an immense amount
OF work If properly used; but MANY
eyes are normal; some are too long,
some too short, and in others some part
OF the complex machinery is out OF
gear. The old eye becomes worn with
use and is not fitted for fine work; the
media transparent in the adult, are
clouded, and degeneration shows in
every structure.
School-room desks should be of suffi.
Client height SO that the pupils will not
have to bend over their tasks. In read
Ing or writing, in either the standing or
the sitting posture, the head and body
should be erect The act of bending
constructs the veins of the neck, hinder.
ing the return Of blood from the head,
thus increasing intra-ocular pressure.
This Is one of the most common causes
OF myopia, or short-sight. Teach the
children to read and to write without
leaning on their desks Bend the tree
while it is young, and when it is old all
the kings horses can not straighten it.
The book should be held not less than
ten inches from the eyes. If it be
noticed that pupil habitually holds his
work closer, the fact should be reported
to the parents, who should take the
child to an oculist.
The light should come from one side,
preferably the left. There should be
no windows in the wall of the school
room that the students face. That end
should be blackboard. Pupils should
face the desk when writing g, holding
the paper with the edges parallel to the
edges OF the desk-top. Many systems
of writing teach the false position OF
having one side of the body nearer the
desk than the other. In such a position
the eyes and body soon become tired.
The same rules should be followed in
drawing and other close work. The
best plan is to work continuously ten
minutes or so and to look up from book
or task at some distant object for a mo-
ment, then continue the work. The
eyes arc rested, the thoughts concen.
trated and the mind reviews what has
been done. Thus more work can be &C.
complished without fatigue. Engrav-
ers, who follow this method, save their
eyes; while others who do not, are in.
variably affected, sooner or. later, by
their fine work.
At home or in Office a few more ad-
monitions are needed:
Don't work by twilight or BY a flick
.ring light. The rapidly diminishing
light between sunset and dusk is most
fatal to the eyes Fine needlework, es-
pecially colored embroidery, should be
pursued only in good light.
Don't read lying down, as then there
is too much blood-pressure in the eyes
and the external muscles become more
readily tired.
Don't read in direct sunlight, as the
glare is a direct irritant to the retina.
In reading by artificial light, the back
should always be turned to the source
OF illumination, allowing the light to
pass over the shoulders. When work
ing by artificial illumination, the light
should either be high enough to permit
shading OF the eyes by the brows, else
an opaque screen, or, better still, a
translucent shade should cut off the
glare of the light from the eyes, and
yet permit illumination of the work.
The light of an oil lamp is, as rule,
better than that furnished by the aver
age corporation gas-burner; and vet
the latter may be greatly improved by
attaching one form of the incandescent
wire apparatus that are now on the
market.
by following these suggestions many
congenital defects will never assert
themselves, and many others will never
be acquired. No time should ever be
thought other than wisely employed
which is given over to the care of the
eyes. The eye is not only the light
house to the soul, but it is undoubtedly
the most valuable member of the hui.
man body, and I except none. 1t there.
fore behooves us to exercise every pos.
sible precaution for its preservation
and no words are too strong to serve as
warning to those who wrongfully use
or abuse the eye.-Dr. II. v. Wurde.
mann, in Ladies' Home Journal.
lost, strayed or stolen.
Mamie Peterby, of Austin, Tex, be
came separated from her little brothe,
while they were out walking.
'What's the matter?" asked a kind
hearted gentleman, as he observed hej
perplexity.
~"Have you seen gentleman any
where walking around unaccompaniet
by LADY," asked Mamie. -Texas Sift
inRa
An Unbidden and Unwelcome Guest
Is pain, and often it abides with US TO,
years, il not for life When it visits us in
the guise of rheumatism or neuralgia, i
may be checked before it obtains an abid
Ing foothold in our bodily tenement will
Hostetter's Stomach Bitters, most effectiv,
Of blood depurents and anodynes. Th,