The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-13
GAS AND GOOD HEALTH
MUCH ATTENTION GIVEN TO THE
TOPIC By THE STATE CONFERENCE.
Three Notable Papers-Dr. Curryer
Explains the Features of the
New Medical Law.

Natural gas in relation to diseases of
the eyes is a subject about which there has
been but little written or said, and if fail
TO write or say anything of interest the
responsibility for such failure must rest
With Professor Hurry, for he suggested it.
However, if there is any credit to be be-
slowed L am profoundly willing TO be the
recipient of the same.
"Tha natural gas does exercise an infu-
ence over the eye and it's diseases is UNI
aoubtedly a fact, and the manner in which
1t operates we shall inquire into. In the
gas belt the principal illuminant used is
natural gas, of course, and while electricity
and coal-oil lamps are used by many, yet
L am ksafe. in saying that three-fourths of
all methods of artificial lighting is by nat
ural gas. The flames from the various
forms of gas burners have-with the posi-
bic exception Of one, the Welsbach-one in
variable, perniciouS characteristic, and that
Is a constant Pickering, ebb-and-iow mo-
ton. As a result of gaslights we usually
have an under or over Illumination and
upon this fact depends the evil results of
such illuminant. The Pickering motion re-
ferred to above has a tendency to act as a
series of shocks upon the retina, similar
10 the faradlc current upon a muscle or
nerve: The continuous movement OF the i'm
age, its increase and decrease OF bright
ness, subjects the commodative APP
paratus of the eye to similar shocks in the
effort to accommodate for the ever WaVer-
ing image, resulting in fatigue, headache
and dizziness.
Il have observed that errors of refraction
are more troublesome and more difficult to
bring about a satisfactory condition of the
eyes where the gaslight is used than where
IL IS not; many individuals imagine tnaC
they need glasses, when, in fact, they have
only been reading by a jumbo gas burner
six or seven feet away, and when we tell
them to change the source of their light
and give their eyes rest, the next we see of
our patient is his or her majestic appear
ance up street with a pair of glasses, gold
washed frames, plain lenses for which some
ltinerant optician adjusted for compound
hypermetropic astigmatism with INSULT
tune of $40 or So. Presbyopia
seems to occur earlier in some
cases where gaslight is used and a stronger
lens it demanded for the night reading
than for the day. One patient | had dis
pensed with the use of his glasses entirely
after having his place of business fitted
with electric incandescent lamps. The eX-
PLANTATION of this surprising sequel is, l be-
lieve, that under the unsteady nature of
the gas flame above referred to the retina
demands a larger image and the glasses
must supply this demand so that when
the source of light is changed to a more
uniform character the glasses Will be no
longer acceptable.
I'm hypermetropia, asthenopia is more
burdensOme and patients will frequently re-
changed. and on questioning them about
their light we invariably find that they
have been using a jumbo burner which is
usually entirely too far removed from the
epes, and when a change is made the
glasses then are found sufficient. In astig-
matism and muscular inSuficiencieS the
above applies about the same. In mypoia
I can readily see how the error could be
induced or increased by using the imperfect
easlight; the child in it's effort to get a
clear, distinct retinal image approXimates
the book to it's eyes, the eyeballs are con-
verged. the external recti are drawn tightly
along the side of the ball, exertinS a pres
sure that will have a tendency to
elongate the ball, which. is yet in
a formative condition., thus increasing the
antero-posterior diameter, producing myo-
pia. The standard for artificial umln
ton as given by Cohn, is that The minimum
intensity of light should equal that of ten
meter candles, a meter candle beng a
standard candle placed at a distance OF one
"RetinaI fatigue is the most prominent
symptom of the conditions arising from the
use of the ordinary gas burners. manifest IN
a Wearisome feeling of the eyes, lnaDlnty
to hold lids open, headache, dizziness ana
other remote symptoms. This includes the
disturbing influence of the perlpheral
diffuse retinal Illumination upon the percep-
ton of the macular image; hyperaestneSla
of the retina from continued use Oh the
eyes under the same untoWard influences
is a cOncomitant symptom.
'Inflammatory diseases Of the eyes are
but slightly affected by the use OF gas
as an illuminant. / recall one patient with
chronic trachoma who thought that the
gaslights brought about a feeling OF dry
ness that he did not experience under any
other circumstances, and for this reason,
after twilight, he would never leave ms
room. which he kept very dark, and his
ewes were not greatly inf1amed, either. the
dryness of the air of the room produced by
the burning jet would probably account Tor
this unpleasant feeling.
1.-The effect upon the nervous system act
ing through the channels of the optic nerve
and retina of the imperfect illumination L
have not touched upon, although it is posi-
bic that many nervous difficulties are en-
gendered by this means. The remedy, Tor
the ills that have been enumerated is indeed
simple; one plain duty only remains Tor
hm who would conserve that wonderful
structure, those windows OF The soul the
human eye, from disease and DEATH. To
the grand aggregation of flick
ering glimmering, wavering, pernl-
cious discomfort-breeding gas burn
ers I say. Mark hoW PLAIN t a ta5f i snn5
slightly above the level of the eyes, 10 the
left and rear about one meter, IS the story
told. For general Illumination eleclllc IL
candescent lamps
GAS AND HEALTH.
Another paper on this subject was con-
tributed by DR.. A. A. Hamilton, of Marion.
In the course of it he said:
1.-THE householder who uses natural gas
for heating or lighting his home soon has
| ocular proof of its destructive properties.
If. for instance, an ordinary smoke, or bill
glass, is suspended over the name Oh a
Jumbo burner for a, few days or weeks,
ii is soon found that the resulting Vapor
is condensed thereon into an amber-colored
fluid, which collects along the tutec or cor
rugated margin of the dependent glass;
and unless care is taken to remove it this
fluid will fall, drop by drop, upon the car
pet. upholstered furniture, lounge cuShlon,
etc, beneath it, with the result that a hole
will be burned or eaten through the goods
at every point touched by TINS concentrated
fluid:
SdS, VI lIG DIOA4dCAo VI ~ 1OhA
bustion, also injure the piano strings, rots
the rubber, burns and discolors the wall
paper, furnishes the gliding on the picture
frames, corrodes the brass or silver with
which it comes in contact, etc, etc. How
or why it produces these effects 1t IS not
the province of the physician TO point cut,
but these facts are of themselves sufficient
to cause the ordinary observer 10 conclude
that an agent capable of exercising such
powerful influences upon the external OBJ
jects surrounding him must be, under GER
tain circumstances, prone for evil as Well
as for good, as relates TO It's influence
upon the human economy.
This conclusion is apt to be confirmed
in the mind of the person who personally
experiences the unpleasant, not TO say dis
tressing, effects resulting from even q short
soiourn in the gas-heated homes of many
ture as a fuel or illumination; and, in adj
dition to the evidences of its corroding or
corrosive effects upon the other contents
of the house, or even the house itself, the
dulIest observer realizes that even he is not
exempt from it's all-pervading influence.
ing of suffocation: the sense of construction
and irritation of the throat, the irreSist-
ible, dry, hacking cough, the dull headache,
and the feeling of languor or stupor which
he experiences after a short confinement in
the dOrmitOry or living apartment OF the
gas-heated residence, to this agent, or the
products of its combustion.
Special and concerted investigation along
this line can alone determine as TO the
character and extent of the resulting evils,
study and investigation the people should
be admonished as to the desirability. If
not the actual necessity, of at least obserY-
ing ordinary care and caution in guarding
the person, as well as the property, of in
dividuals from possible injury due to the
- 4v.@.AE ALf~ O. ~unF . nHI