The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-01-27

opened wildly and staring, IL win read
fly be seen how highly improbable the
jamestown story must necessarily De.
even from this point Of view. Add TO
these fats the susaliness of the image.
that II IS inverted when il reaches the
refana. that any attempt 30 usa mi
c-cecope. even Of the most primitive
tyne. would neressitate the throwing
OF concentrated light into the interior
OF the eye from q reflector Che reflect
or usually bein a rnir-orJ and lastly.
that an examination OF the eye, as a
whole. By a microscope nagnifying
four hundred disnleteFs. or even forty
dianlefers. without the use OF reflected
light would be an absolute irnpossibil-
ity. I feel that with these facts. the
irap-obability OF the whole story. other
than that explanation offered on the
hypnotic basis. may be left to the
reader
For further illustrations Of the COM
plexfty Of conditions and the fertility
OF sources OF mistake, compare figure
III, which is the picture of the fundus.
or back part where images are found.
or the right eye or a man So years Odd.
On the lett OF zhe optic disk is seen an
irreguiar.y outlined patch OF exudation
"a deposit due TO disease of the inner
coat of the eye). BY turning the pic
ture somewhat 20 the right so that the
left border Of the picture will be upper
most. it will not be difficult for the
reader to discover that this emulation
suggests the outline OF a human face
not due to an ante-moTtegu picture. but
TO a pathological exHdate. And if he
xx-f7 = - <t,4xS ~
cider woman's eye, where diseased con-
ditions would. in the usual order. be
expected. and. furthermore, that this
uacture was said to be found only in
one eye. the reader viii readily appre-
ciate the exceeding liability TO err from
this source alone.
One interesting feature of the discus
sion that this has given rise to, and
which Is common to many noteworthy
cases. is the arbitrary and unreasors
ing credulity and scepticissn that inpels
the average man TO accept or discard
any arrangement of related facts. The
most important affairs connected with
our daily lives are disposed of in the
most summary manner, without any
effort at digestion through the reason
Ing faculties. and forces on US the con-
seriousness that fewer people think for
themselves than we have been in the
habit OF recognizing. The great mass
of people follow blindly the teachings
OF men who, in many cases. have SIM
ply arrosated to themselves the posi-
ton of teacher to assure a following
of disciples. The great mass of man.
kind trust to a given clergyman to
think fer them in all matters pertain
ing to the after life. They follow I'M
questioningly the dicta laid down in
their favordte newspaper in all matters
relating to public affairs. Accepting
without any effort at logical analysis
the views OF their chosen organ, and so
on through the gamut of our affairs.
We find that people choose, through
the merest accident. through caprice
or some equally volatile impulse, their
high priest or teachers of the various
avenues of knowledge. delegating to
them the duty of thinking for them,
and accepting with avidity such men
tai pabula as they may offer, as views.
opinions and statements so-called of
fact.
What must necessarily be the out
come of such condition, if persIstently
followed?
Are our reasoning faculties diminish
ING! VIM. j. O'SULLIyAN.