The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1900-02-01
TEARS OF JOY
Woman, Bora Blind, Receivers Her
Sight After Twenty-Five Years
Wonderful Panorama UnfOlded to
the Gaze of the 7Patient-A New
World.

the Uaze OF the PAtfent-A new
World.
few days ago Miss Alberta 'McKin-
ME looked out of the windows of the ''sug-
gestion room" at the Eye and Ear infrmary
and burst into tears. Other patients have
looked from the windows of the infrmary
and shed tears caused by suffering. But
Miss McKfnnie wept for pure joy, and she
praised God and DIR. Holt alternately.
Small wonder that she did, for upon her
has been wrought a truly modern miracle.
Blind since birth. the achievements of mod
ern medical science have given the sight
that for twenty nine years has been de-
0leO ner.s
Miss McKinnie belongs in Rockland, and
she was born blind. Over each eye a
congenial' cataract cbscured the vision.
She lived with relatives who clothed and
fed her. One day a stranger saw Miss Nc
Kinnie and looked at her eyes. He told her
that he believed il she would 60 to the
Eye and Ear .infrmary an. operation might
be performed that would enable her to
see. I The neighbors scoffed. 1t was ri
diculous. But hope found Judgment IN
Miss McKinnie's breast, and her one
thought was to come to Portland. Rev.
Mr.. Woodman OF Rockland Interested him.
self ia her. and she was sent here for treat
1T. is delicate and peculiar operation
that Dr. Holt performed upon Miss Nc
kinnie when he removed two congenital
cataracts 1t is an operation that is usu-
any unsatisfactory A white substance:
of the consistency Of butter. was spread
over each pupil. 1t could not be removed
by cutting away like hard substance
Instead it had to be stirred up, SO to speak,
and thens the doctor trusted In a great
measure to absorption to remove it.
For fourteen weeks the patient has been
at the infrhary. The operation has been
performed by easy stages for the purpose
OF watching and studying each change.
Little by little the milky cataracts dis
appeared until now but a small white speck
remains on each eye. and 1t. is thought
that these will disappear in time. In all
probability another slight operation will
be performed to correct slight crossed
effect that appears in the restored organs.
When the Anal operation was performed
the eyes were bandaged and carefully kept
from the light for several days. When they
were strong enough to be fitted with glasses
1t was a difficult task to find just the kind
that she needed. but it was finally accom-
plished. DR.. Little placed them on Miss
McKinne and led her to the window for
the first time.
1t was almost like being born into new
world for Miss McKinnie. OF course
good many things she had a general idea OF
through hearing people talk about them.
Directly opposite the infirmary a man
was walking about on the fiat roof Of a
house. 1t was the first object her eyes
rested upon. what is to- asked DR.. Lit
tie. ut must be man." she answered.
So on, one by one, different objects were
pointed out, and she was asked to tell what
they were. man with a pail went by.
She said she thought that must be pail
because she had felt of one while she was
blind Just then dog went by in the
street She stared in establishment, and
then cried aloud: "Oh, is that a dog? 1
never imagined they loked like that" Trees
were mystery to her. Their spreading
limbs and autumn-tinted foliage held her
spellbound. She had never seen colors be-
fore. Electric cars were "a wonderful thing
as was the electric light. She could not I'M
oerstand the power that was back Of them.
When asked what her feelings were when
she first found out that she could see, she
replied: well, I don't know as I can tell
you. My eyes seemed to be swimming in
water, and I thought I was looking at a
lake. The mist slowly cleared away, and
then saw the face OF DR.. Holt. Oh, it was
the first human face I had ever seen, and
ne is the best man in the world shall
bless him until my dying day.. ..e-
When asked If she had been out of doors
she said:
ooh, yes, several times. / can't describe
to you my sensations have seen so much
that is beautiful and have so much more
TO see l am learning to read now and
nave got SO ! can pick up q good deal out
of newspaper. have read some by means
of the raised letters provided for blind
folks, so 1t hasn't been SO very hard to
learn the letters in print. If 1 could only
stay here forever l would be perfectly
happy"
While similar operations have been Der
formed. 1t is seldom that they result so
successfully as this one. To give an idea
of just what her sight now is, it may be
said that ten-tenths represents the normal
or perfect vision. Miss McKinnie can see
four tenths. With the glasses that have
been fitted to her eyes she will be able to
see better than many persons who have
always seen. but who have such affections
rs near sightedness, etc. She will be able
to read, and even now she says she can 4
almost thread a needle. Her eyes are new
to her. so to speak, and as soon as she |
gets used to them she will use them much !
better. One peculiar thing that can be no. |
ticed about Miss McKinnie is the change
in the expression OF her face. It is we'll !
known that blind people have expression
less faces as rule, particularly those blind |
from birth. 1t was so in Miss McKinnie's |
case Why should it be otherwise? What |
could she know of the beauties or humors !
That produce the various expressions in the |
faces of those Of rs who can see? She did +
does now; and so, little by little. each new
thing that she sees produces some new
emotion that causes the hitherto impass;ver
countenance to light up with all the vary
Ing emotions of other Notwithstanding, |