The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1898-03-25
SEES, YET SIGHTLESS.
\ STRANGE PARADOX THAT is NOW
BOTHERlNG THE DOCTORS.


Oculists are greatly interested at
present In the strange case OF twenty
five-year-old girl, who has just been
endowed with vision after being blind
from birth, and is forced to learn by
sight objects thoroughly familiar
through her sense OF touch.
Marie Duplessis was born with what
is known as congenital double cata-
ract of the eyes, which deprived her of
sight. She could distinguish light
from darkness, but objects were en-
tirely invisible. In cases of blindness
the other senses are frequently much
more acute than those of ordinary per-
sons, and with the girl her power OF
distinguishing objects by touch was re-
markable, and she learned to know
most Of the articles that entered into
her daily life. estimate their weight,
and call them by name.
OF late years operations for cataract
In the eyes have become numerous and
comparatively simple, vision being
made possible by removing the veil
which has descended between the iris
and the rejecting nerves in the back
of the organ. The cataracts were taken
from Miss Dnplessis's eyes about three
weeks ago, and in a few hours floods
of light and color, distances great. and
small, the varying shapes Of myriad
objects were cast upon the retinas that
had never known anything but dark
ness and shadows. The effect was ter
rifle and extraordinary.
For fully an hour after the operation
was performed Miss Duplessis could
see nothing; then outlines gradually
became visible. For a week objects
were more or less indistinct, although
the sharpness Of form increased each
day. The very act Of seeing was ex-
ceedingly painful and occasioned Sc
we're headaches. For the first few days
Miss Duplessis could only find relief
by keeping her eyes closed most of the
time, opening them at rare intervals
for few moments. Even then she de-
scribed the sensation experienced as of
the objects she beheld striking the eyes
severe blow
Colors caused her acute suffering,
/ and of these red was the most irritat-
Ing and offensive. The forms of things
were not such complete surprise as
their, color, for she had been accustom-
ed to comprehend the bulk and shape
by her sense Of touch, while the hun
bred different tints with which we are
familiar were entirely new and beyond
her comprehension
1t seems impossible for the girl to OBJ
tain any idea of distance by using her
vision. One of the doctors held his
hand close to her face and told her to
take hold of it. She reached out with
her hands and seized the empty air sew.
eral feet away. Then bottle was
placed on table at the other end OF
the room, and when asked to reach ii
Miss Duplessis extended her hands as
if to grasp it within arms reach.
Another curious series of expert
ments was to induce her to name a
number of objects placed before her
with all Of which she was familiar
through her sense ct touch. She made
errors in the names of almost every
one, when depending solely upon her
sight for information, mistaking a cat
for dog, pencil for key, feather
buster for bunch OF chrysanthemums
Then Canary was placed upon her
finger, and when questioned she was
totally ignorant as to what 1t was. The
bird was placed in Its cage and the
girl identified it at once by feeling the
bars of its little prison. The girl was
then blindfolded and given in turn
each of the articles that had previously
been placed before her. They were
all designated by name without an er.
ror.
Her mode of walking is greatly
changed when she uses her eyes
While blind her steps were like those
of an ordinary person, depending, as
they did, entirely upon her sense o.
touch. She could ascend or descend
flights of steps with little difficulty
Yet she says that when she looks a
the floor 1t appears to have a steer
slope, and she steps out as if going up
stairs or ascending hill.
Doctors say that it will take severa
months for the muscles of the girl.
eyes to be trained even beyond tn,
rudimentary stage, and that never hav
ing had sight she must observe ant
learn to know the things about he
without the aid Of touch, as If she wer,
baby.