Arizona republican., 1899-06-03
COMPLEXITY OF VISION.
(By Prof. Paul Ramser.)
 IT

(By Prof. Paul Ramser) II.
 | The eye has a certain amount of | power Of accommodation. It's cap1c- ity is about six refracti0n units, four of which is calie5 into use for ordi-
 nary work at close range, in the nor nal eye. In hyperOpic eyes a part of even the whole Of this poWer of accom-
 mediation is called into play for distant
 vision so that no reserve force is left
 for close work Reading or close ap-
 plicaticn of the eyes is either impos-
 sible or attended with such severe
 strain as to make study a torture, and
 books a punishment. Such unforIu-
 mates are unable to keep their atteG-
 ticn upon their school work for any
 length of time. There must be a re-
 laXatiCn of the ciliary muscles as a
 matter of self preservation. They do
 not understand the reason of their dis
 inclination for study, most Of them
 are too young to explain matters if
 they did. They soon become objects
 of school discipline They are Wor- ried at home and harrassed at school until their disposition becomes sullen
 and resentful and their dislike for school becomes a pcsitive adherence. They will undertake any duties how ever arduouS at home in order to be excused from school 1t is true that dislike for school and study does not always arise from defective vision. If such were the case, there could be no question of what should be done. h every branch Of science a cause is sought for each and every effect, why should not the cause be looked for that makes a child a poor scholar? That the work of education is being reduced to a science is certain, it will be more completely scientific when iU looks for the causes for failure in these cases, and having found them, provides eff cient remedies. We cannot look for help from the busy teacher with hands full, both in and out of school The school boards and the parents them selves should lock to these matters with what help the teacher is able to give
 SEEKING 4 REMEDY.
 But what can be done for these un- fortunates in school, regardless Of parents? The subject has received much attention from the medical pro- fession. At the last meeting of the Medical association; a com mittee composed of eminent oculistS from all the large cities from San Francisco to BCstcn made report up on this matter. and pledged themselves to work for competent system Of supervision of the eye-sight of chiI- dren in public schools. The attention of the public, more especially that Of the medical profession was called to the matter by Dr. Risley Of PhiladeI- phia, and others, some time ago. The work was taken up gFatutiCusly fer scientific purposes, and thousands of eyes were examined, all children in every department being subjected to a careful examination. Dr. Risley iii his Investigations found that myopia in creased from 4.27 per cent in the lower to 1853 per cent in the higher grades, an increase Of nearly 15 pe.- cent Erisman of St. Petersburg found the increase to be from 136 per cent to i2.6 per cent, while Conrad of Koenigs- burg, Germany, found the per cent Of myopia in the university to be 6210 or nearly 173. These figures bring cut the fact that disease increases from the low tOOthe high grades. But the per cent of defective eyes is much higher in the lower grades, showing that the defects of earlier years lay the foundation for diseases later in fife. The best instance of this is seen n the myopia of the high schools and colleges. There is always tendency towards myOpia on the part of eyes lyperopic and normal in refraction. The great demands upon children in he schools together with poor hy- sienic surroundings are responsible for his state of things. A comparison of ;ity with district schools prove it. for he percentage cf myopia in the dis rict school amounts to. less than 1 per ,ent. Another fact is brought out in | his comparison viz: That children Ire put into school at toc early an age. The child in the country can not go to | 'chool until it is able to trudga | trough snow, CT rain a distance of | rom One-half to two miles, and the i is the eyes of the little i mes have time to develop and become taple
 BEGINS TOO EARLY.
 Mothers and nurses are fearful lest |
 child walk CT stand upon it's feet at % early an age, and the fear is well | ounded- The bones in the infant rame arc flexible to a certain degree i nd bend under pressure, so that the