The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-05-19
MAKING FALSE EYES.
MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL OPTICS
A DELICATE OPERATION.

There are many curious industries |
in this big city, and one that ranks pre-
eminent in the peculiar line Ia a glass |
eye factory. 1t may seem strange that
there should be sufficient demand for
glass eyes to support such factory, es-
pecially as it employs number OF
skilled workmen all the year round.
But when one learns some Of the secrets
of the trade all cause for wonder van
ishes
The prime reason for its existence is
that glass eye does not last more than
year, and very often not more than
six months. OF course this necessitates
the purchase of new optics every little
while by afflicted people, and the num-
Der of people who use these eyes is sur
prisingly large. judged by the yearly
production of the factory.
Five hundred eyes are turned out
weekly, or about 26, 900 in the year.
| Not all Of these are sold, but this per-
centage is very small. The unsold ones
are stock eyes-that is, they are used
in the sale department of the factory or
are sent to dealers throughout the coun-
try as samples.
| The prices of glass eyes vary consid-
erably. An ordinary ready made eye
| costs So, while made to order eye,
with the pupil and cornea carefully OIL
ored, costs anywhere from $40 to $50,
and occasionally as much as $50, but
this latter price is rare one. Poor peo-
pie can only afford the ready made eye,
and large number of these are always
kept in stock in different shades of blue.
gray and brown.
Gray eyes are the most common, then
comes blue, and then brown. Black
reyes are a myth, and the factory has
never had a call to make one. Oph-
thalmic hospitals are the largest con
sumers Of the false eye. These buy in
quantities, and naturally get the prod
uct at reduced rates. They buy the or
binary, ready made eyes, as they are
used, for the most part, on poor people
who are financially unable to be fastid
ious in the matter of exact color.
The most startling feature of the fac
tory is the cabinet in which the stock
eyes are kept They are placed in large
trays, sectioned off into tin squares,
each square containing all eye. Blue
eyes of many shapes and shades are i'll
, one tray brown eyes of all kinds in an
other and gray eyes of many varieties IN
third.
: When q purchaser comes in, he or
, she is fitted with an eye from one OF
these trays, and if the buyer is content
with the ready made article duplicate
! is furnished from the stock. If the
{ made to order article is wanted, the
= sample is sent up to the workrooms
r with instructions covering the minol
changes or improvements that can bt
! made.
= = All of the regular customers have
q sample eyes in the factory. This en-
> ables them to send from distance fol
o duplicate, and a new eye, perfectly
o fitting and Of the correct color, is ship
Q ped to them.
h The reason that the eye wears out il
d that the action of the tear-which il
y acid-affects the enamel roughing thu
!. edges and surface and causing an irri
{ tation of the eyelids.
l. There has never been time in thu
IL history of the world that artificial eye
C did not exist The ancient Egyptians
> 1000 and 5000 years ago, wore false
y eyes of gold and silver, and later Of cop
- per and ivory. 1t is OH record that TIVE
N patriotic Lutetians, when their countr,
II was in financial distress, generousl.
If presented their golden eyes to the pub
IF lie treasury. During the middle age
e porcelain superseded metal in the max
ing of artificial eyes, and century ag'
the glass eye arrived. Now enamel il
- considered to be the best material TO
the work, and it is used to the exclu
Il sion of all others.
d The process of making the eyes il
,s easily described, but the work calls TO
IT much delicate and painstaking labor OF
70 the part of seven or eight skilled work
:; men. Formerly one man made an arti
- fetal eye from the crude to the finished
10 state, but now the work is divided int
e number of specialties, each man per
forming only fraction of the who'll
task.
In its initial stage the eye is long
p. slender stick of enamel, made Of per
}. fectly transparent and fusible flint glass
l. This is placed in crucible and exposed
II to great heat. The globe maker place
Is the enamel over blowpipe supplied
y with wind, which is pumped by engin
y power into large cylinder and store'
70 under water pressure. Under the care
II full manipulation of the workman tn
II enamel tube is formed into an oblonl
n globe, just the size and shape Of tn
70 human eye.
le Next it passes into the coloring room
:. A piece of colored enamel is placed Oh
a the summit of the globe, and this i
70 gently heated in small flame and con
!. tinuously rotated. Gradually this take
le the form of the iris, and then spot o
It darker enamel is added to represent tn
d pupil. Then this is covered by thic'
y layer of crystal TO form the cornea.
y At this stage the eye is detached from
- the blowpipe and cooled, and then sen
4. l. IL.