Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-12-25
HELPING THE EYES.
HOW EYEGLASSES WERE ACCI-
DENTALLY DISCOVERED.
A Find OF King Charles II That
Proved Very Fortunate The
Wearing of Glasses Became a
Fad In Eng the Public
Mind Has Changed OH This Sub

Mind Has Changed OIL This Sub.
ject.
Atlanta Constitution.
The study of the eye is one of the
most intricate known to science, and
yet one of the most enchanting and
absorbingly interesting to those who
pursue it with any degree of success.
New beauties and wonders are de-
veloped every day as the oculist pro-
crosses with his studies.
Now that the study has advanced
far, it is interesting to look back upon
the work which has been accomplished
"a mere start-in the study. The
time was when there was no aid to
defective vision, and very few who now
use glasses ever dreamed that their
discovery was due to an accident and
the fact that a crowned head was near
sighted.
When young Charles Stuart, after
ward Charles II of England, escaped
to France with his head, he became a
pensioner of the great Louis XIV.
While living his indolent and dissolute
life in Cologne he met an expert
artisan in glass, and accidentally look
ing through small lens belonging to
this workman he found that it greatly
aided his very imperfect vision. The
young prince was born with myopie
astigmatism irregular near sight).
By mathematical calculation based
upon the crude and heavy lenses he is
said to have finally worn, which are
now in the British museum, his vision
was found to be about one-twentieth
of normal sight.
He and the artisan were so inn
pressed with the possibilities as re-
vealed by the rough lens he had tried
in the workshop that the latter from
that day gave his whole time and the
former all the thought he was capable
of exercising to this work.
The name of this Freshman is not
known, although he was probably the
first optician. When Charles was
recalled to England and crowned as
Charles II, he took this artisan with
him, tagether with several others that
he had found in France.
After establishing his London work
shop without regard to cost he ran
sacked all Europe for still other arti-
sans in glass until he had secured
about 20. 1t is said that as many as
5000 lenses were made in this shop
for the kings eyes before he got what
he wished and what gave him perfect
vision. His gay and dissolute court
at once followed his example by at
tempting to wear glasses without re-
gard to their necessity, but as a ma
jority of them were young and had not
overworked their eyes as students do
in this age glasses were. as rule, I'M
necessary.
The fashion originated from a ne
cessity, and the king met it through
his persistence and the sacrifice of
many thousands of pounds sterling
and with many thousand trials
through art alone. The science of
refraction was not then in its present
state of perfection to direct the artisan
how to grind lenses to fit the kings
eyes at one effort. Indeed it did not
then exist. This fashion soon became
a fad, with a disregard to the peculiar
necessity that originated it. Yet,
without science to direct them what to
grind, the artisans became rich, not
only in English pounds, but in expert
ence of mechanical optics.
The way was thus paved for the
almost perfect science of optics that
now exists as well as the art of grind
ing lenses. otis an i'll wind that
blows no good" The good, accidently
it would seem, that following Charley
exile to France has been worth many
times over the loss of his fathers
head, the fear of the same result to
himself having been his incentive to
flight.
Should glasses be worn when they
| add to vision or to comfort is nc
longer a question any more than it ID
a question that a properly fitting
brace should be applied in Potts
| disease to lessen the weight of the
spinal column as it bears down upon
the diseased vertebrae. To wear
glasses when they prove to be benefi-
cial is no longer considered affected or
foolish any more than the use of a
cane should be when it assists lame
ankle.
The old idea that their use should
be postponed as long as possible, even
to the sacrifice of comfort and good
vision, and often to healthy lids or OF
perfect nervous functions, has been
long since exploded in the minds of all
who reason. The old adage founded
upon ignorance was, "Refrain from
glasses just as long as you possibly
can, because when you once begin to
wear them you cannot leave them off. j."
II twill not" be substituted for "can-
! .,ctu In tlaia old sa,-;.,1x Il u.l,.ll