The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-12-15
WAS BLIND A LIFE TIME
INHER FIFTIETH YEAR MISS HEL- ENBEERS RECEIVES HER SIGHT.

BfldSeport, Dec. l3.-A surgical oper- ation which has attracted widespread attention was recently performed upon Miss Helen Beers of Bridgeport and as a result Miss Beers, who is fifty years of age. and has been blind all her life, about her.
 Helen Beers inherited the physical defect which has robbed her of sight for so long a time. Her father, Abra- ham Beers, well-to-do resident of Berkshire, has been blind all of his life. When he was eighteen years old he was taken to New York and an operation for cataracts in both of his eyes was performed. It was unsuccess- ful. He not only did not gain his sight, but lost the power which he possessed before of distinguishing light from darkness. Despite his blindness, Abra- ham Beers loved and married
 When it was found that his little daughter Helen, had been born with out sight he remembered the failure of the oculists to relieve his blindness, and declared that they should not tamper with his daughters eyes. He sent her, when she grew to be old enough to the Perkins institute for the blind at Bos ton. She learned to read raised letters with remarkable alertness, became an accomplished pianist, and could find her way about without the aid of a 1,o q " apt pupil, and received an education which many young woman in possess sion of this rarest of the senses might well envy.
 When she completed her course at school she returned to her home at Berkshire and added much to it's hap piness. Years passed, and death clos ed the eyes of her who had seen for both father and daughter. Then Hel- en, now a grown woman, became the mainstay of her old father. She cared for him with all the tenderness and yet, with all the authority of one who did not lack the faculty of sight.
 UNDERGOES AN OPERATION
 Not long ago she came to Bridgeport to visit friend, Mrs. w. L. Goodman. Dr. F. M. Wilson, an oculist, who lives in the same neighborhood, heard of her case and took an interest in it. Finally Miss Beers decided that she would undergo an operation under Dr. Wilson's supervision at the Bridgeport hospital The operation for the remov- al of a cataract from the eye is not unusual, but it is seldom that anyone should be allowed to remain a victim fo, with ao much as seeking relief.
 Over two weeks ago the operation in Miss Beers case was performed. Both of the cataracts were removed at one time, which was of itself an ex- ceptionally trying ordeal. When the delicate instruments lifted the film from one of her eyes she cried:
 ''Oh, look at those bars; aren't they uueer?"
 The first obpect that she had ever seen in her life was before her, the iron bars which sustained the glass roof of the operating room in the Bridgeport hospital She could distin- guish them and she knew what they were. As soon as the cataracts had been removed strong bandages which entirely excluded light were applied. These were not removed until a few days ago.
 In the meantime Miss Beers, who is of an extremely nervous tempera- ment, has suffered from other physi- cal troubles and this has had a ten dency to retard the healing of her eyes. One of them has been giving her considerable trouble, but Dr. Will aP oi11p the difficulty. Her sight in one eye is unquestionably restored and there is strong probability that both of the organs will be useful.
 ALL WONDERFUL AND NEW.
 "Just to think" said Miss Beers last night, q must learn to read again must memorize by A B C's once more. Letters are very strange to the sight My sense of touch is very acute and read so rapidly that way that I fear I shall never become quite reconciled to the change. And that chair! Look at it. had no idea chair was like that. The landscape? Oh, yes; what little they have let me see of the land scape is very beautiful. But I haven't seen much yet. My eyes have been bandaged most of the time. 1 am SC anxious to be allowed to go out ot doors and walk about and examine everything that I see with my hands I want to harmonize the sensations oi sight and touch. It is very remarka- ble The colors are particularly fas. cinating.
 ''I never could realize, when I was blind what color could be. When was a child I could tell when it was night and when it was day, but soor even lost that perception. Things that I have been handling and knowing by touch I cannot recognize at all by sight. And then I never knew what 8 human face was like until I looked up into that of Dr. Wilson at the hospital when the first gleam of light flashed into my eyes. l have not been able to gain an idea of perspective yet That is, I believe, telling the distance objects are from you. But suppose it will all come to me ir time"
 Miss Beers is a woman of more than ordinary intelligence. Her blind. ness has not prevented her from being a hard student. The lack of the sense of sight has served to render more keen and more sensitive all of the other faculties. Her piano playing has been the admiration of all who