Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-11-09
SIGHT GIVEN TO ONE BORN BLIND
Surprise of Woman Who Was First
Able 10 see AZ Age OF -.

AWtf w Nff AN AhHN "a eH'f
portland EXpress)
A few days ago Miss Alberta McKinnie
looked out Of the windows OF the 'sugges-
tOn-room" at the Eye and Ear Intirmary
and burst into tears. Other patients have
looked from the windows Of tho inirmary
and shed tears caused by suffering. But
Miss McKinnie wept for pure joy, and
she praised God and DR.. Holt alternately.
Small wonder that she did, for upon her
has been wrought a truly modern mira
Gle. Blind since birth, the achievements
Of modern science have given the sight
that for Twenty-Five years have been de-
MED her
Miss McISinnie belongs in Rookland,
and she was born blind. Over each eye a
congenital cataract obscured the vision
Sho lived with relatives, who clothed and
fed her. one day "a stranger saw Miss
AcKinnie and looked at her eyes. He told
her that ne believed If sho would so TO
the Eye and Ear Inlrmary an operation
might be- performed that would enable
her to see. The neighbOrs scoffed. IL was
ridiculous. But hope found lodgment IN
Miss MeKinnie's breast, and her one
thought was 10 come to Portland. The
Rev Mt Woodman, of Rockland, fnte-
rested himself in her, ana she was sent
here for treatment.
1t is a delicate and peculiar operation
that DR.. Holt performed upon Miss Nc
Kinnie when no removed two cOngenital
cataracts. u ia an operation that IS
usually unsatisfactory. a white sub
stance, which was about the color OF
milk and tho consistency OF butter, was
spread over each pupil. II could not be
removed by cutting away like hard sub
stance. Instead, il had to be stirred up,
so to speak, and then the doctor trusted
in a great measure 10 absorption to re-
move il.
For fourteen weeks the patient has
been az the innrmary. The operation
has been performed by easy stages for
the purpose Of watching and studying
each change. Little by little tho milky
cataracts disappeared until now but
small white speck remains on each eye
and e IS thought that these Will disdP-
pear in time. In all probability another
slight operation will be performed to cor
rect a slight crossed effect that appears
in the restored organs.
When the final operation was performed
the eyes were bandaged and carefully
kept from the light for several days.
When they were strong enough to be mt
ted with glasses il was a difficult task
10 find lust tho kind that she needed, but
il was finally accomplished. Or. Little
placed them on Miss Mckinnlo and led
her 10 the window for the first time.
II was almost Ike being born into 4
new world for Miss McKinnie. or course.
a good many things she had a general
idea OF through hearing people talk
about them.
Directly opposite the inlrmary man
was walking about on tho fiat roof OF q
house. Ii was the first object her eyes
rested upon. What Is itY' asked Dr.
Little. 1T must be a man." she an
swered. So on, one by one, different oD-
iects were pointed out and she was asked
10 tell what they were. man with a
pail went By. She said she thought that
must be a pail, because she had felt or
one while She was blind. Just then
dog went by in the street she stared
in astonishment. and then cried aloud;
"Oh. il that a dog? never imagined It
looked Ike that" Trees were a mystery
10 her. Their spreading limbs and
autumn-tinted foliage held her spell
bound She had never. seen colops before.
Electrlc-cars were a wonderful thing, as
was the electric light. She could not
understand tho power that was back or
them.
When asked what her feelings were
when she first found out that she could
see, she replied: "Well, don't know as
! can tell you. My eyes seemed 10 be
swimming in water and thought l was
looking at a lake. srhis mist slowly clear
ed away. and then / saw the face
Of DR.. Holt Oh. It MAS tha Ar>t taeA