Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1893-12-16
SPECIALIZED CHILDREN.
Their Number Is Increasing at an sr~r
NOUS Rate.

nous Rate.
Who has not noticed the growing
army OF specialized children, and of
adults below the age when one is ex-
pected to wear glasses because OF the
presence of approaching age? Es-
peclailyaamong children is this sean.
When we were boy il was a very
unusual thing TO see a child with
glasses and few adults under forty
five or nfty years of age wore them.
sndeed 1T was so rare as almost in
'ariably to require, If not an apology,
at least an explanation.
Various explanations have been
offered, and the popular custom even
with oculists is to blame it on over
crowding in the public schools; on de-
Iectlve lighting of Ghe school build
lngs; on too close application to study,
and number of other faulty meth
DDS of early life.
With all due respect for respect
able and growing class of specialists
the eye-doctors-we believe this
condition is largely attributable to
them. We believe If there were
fewer oculists and If those of this
class were less wise, there would be
fewer children and adults by several
hundred per cent wearing glasses
we believe the homes are CON
structed and home environments have
all been so ad listed within the last
twenty years as to favor instead of
obstruct the normal functions Of the
eve. We believe school rooms and
public halls are built and have been
built Tor some years past with more
speclal reference to the care and COM
tort OF the eye, We know that text
BOOKS have better type and paper
better adapted to the eye than when
we were a boy. Weknow that school
hours are shorter-that recesses are
more frequent and that fewer DAYS
In the week are required in the school
room.
In Pennsylvania thirty-tive or forty
years ago the school houses were built
largely after one general style-a
rectangular building about 4Ox6O
feet
Inc WINDOWS were on the sides.
Ihere was on the two sides and on
the END up to near where the
master sat, broad writing board
with backless bench running paral- !
lei with the writing desk" or board. |
most or the work done by the further
advanced scholars was done facing
The wall or window-neither of which !
was to exceed two or two and one
lalf feet distance. Here the writing
ana "ciphering' was done, and when
with this part of the days
work the scholar, if he turned his
back to the desk the glare of light
rom the opposite windows greeted
Inn. The seats for the smaller
pupils learning their A b Cs or who
lad beea promoted to spell and pro-
lounce ''ba" or "ab'' were paralleled
With the sides of the house and from
morning until evening, from Monday
o include Saturday. on dull days and
N bright days, without shades on
he windows; with only stolen relief
rom persistent application to the
ook, this search for knowledge went
n. We speak from actual personal
Experience.
with all this we do not recollect a
Oy or girl of our acquaintance in
chool who used glasses in that early
ay. There we're boys and girls who
'ere pale and had bad headaches
here were boys and girls who fell be-
ind In the race for promotion who
ere considered bright, these we're
ovs and girls with red eyes but no
oectables. There were those who {
eeded them, l
Nobody thought of consulting an |
were none. The fam
Y physician had too much to do to S
1mbat fever and ague and other
Ialarsal disorders to give any |
lought to so Insignificant part of :,
ne body as the eye. The liver must
6 regulated, the bowels looked after,
ne kidney touched up and 'ex-
ectorants" prescr bed, and if the v
re was very painful "eye-drops" >
wen, but as d general thing the eye !,
ad to take care of itself.
III course of timely process of :
edical and surgical evolution oc- u
lists have been developed, and Is II
suit we are fast becoming especta- II
ed'' people. Now this class OF "
ecialists are themselves to be u
AIMED as well as compensated for u
e discovery of visual defects and
r the variety of glasses used to d.
ercome them. &C
The opthalmoscope and the various 1
velat1ons made by it in the hands
skilled specialists has revealed
'ual defects never dreamed OF, and -,
We suggested a course of rational os
'atment by properly selected lenses If
at not only greatly aid the eye but h,
leve many heretofore nervous and en-
an symptoms that were puzzle ri,
the general practitioner and that mr.
lead TO IN early abandon. mr.
mt OF books or to permanently inn II
red eyesight d.
Hence we believe that spectaces "a
the indices OF advancing ciyilEa- 10