The Savannah morning news., 1901-11-14
BORN BLIND.

Remarkable Achievements of an
Afflicted Resident of Mississippi.
From the New Orleans Times Demo-
crat.
Blindness is not such a bad thing
when a fellow gets used to it." said a
New Orleans oculist, land, after all,
in cases where man is born blind
there are certain compensating effects
which seem to Offset to some extent
at least, the aff1iction of living in ut
ter darkness. Sam Jones is the au-
thor of rather homely story to the
effect that a man who lost his right
foot in an accident consoled himself
with the reflection that it was the foot
that had the corns on it. The law of
compensation is a great and consoling
factor in life, and Emerson's splendid
tribute to the principle did not reach
too high. But speaking of blindness,
l recall a rather remarkable case which
came under the observation of a cell
ebrated Tennessee oculist, DR.. J. L.
Minor, now living in Memphis. 1t was
the case of a Mississippian. He was
born blind, and was forty years old
when the attention of the specialist
was first called to his case. He had
cataracts on his eyes, and had lived
in utter darkness during the forty
years of his life. The specialist found
the case of such absorbing interest
that he made a close study of it. and
reported it to the National Associa-
ton of which he was a member, as
one of the most remarkable cases in
the history of the profession.
The remarkable features of the case
were found in the ease with which the
hind had a in
world. in his ability to reason accu-
rately about distances and directions,
and in the fact that he had been able
to make living for himself and fam
lily, and had acquired a small COM
potency. He was farmer. He had
bought and paid for the farm. He
was able to do any kind of agricul-
tural work, except to use the hoe and
pillow cotton in the earlier stages of
it's growth. He was able to leave his
home without a guide and to go to the
home of his neighbor on social or
business mission, and he often called
his dogs around him at night with the
hunters horn, and would plunge into
the very heart of the forest on a coon
hunt or a fox chase, and he never
experienced any trouble in getting back
home. While he could not tell where
the moss was on the tree, he knew
lntulteN6lY nOfIn from SOuIn, anu al
ways got home, even when he made
the trip by himself. The fact is that
he experienced absolutely no trouble
in ordinary affairs of life, and was
looked upon by his neighbors and
friends as a good and useful member
of society in every respect. He had
wooed, won, and had welded a young
Mississippi girl and had reared an
interesting family of children.
But the most interesting part of
the story" the narrator continued,
from the way / look at the case, was
in the experiments made by DR.. Minor
after the blind man came under his
observation. These experiments had
particular reference to the mans meth
cd of reasoning. He concluded that
he would have his eyes operated on,
and he sought the specialist for that
purpose. Just before going to the OPP
Grating room he weakened. I believe
I'd rather not see anything he said.
appealingly to the specialist, and when
pressed for the reason he explained
that he was married, that he loved his
wife and believed she was the pref
test and sweetest thing in the world,
and that he had drawn a mental pic
ture of her, and he was fearful that
really seeing her might in some way
mar the picture.
AT any rate lile SptNidAlSl pSlS
ed him to undergo the operation. The
sudden change which followed was
marvellous. Square blocks. things in
circular form, glass tumblers, and
things of that sort were held up before
him after the operation. When thu
snecialst asked him 10 name the shape
of a. certain article he would reach for
II from force of habit, but Of course.
The musician would not let him touch
A lie was able. after some hesita-
lion. 10 tell the shapes and names OF
! things which he had only known
tbrough the sense Of touch. The cot
In tie hospital upon which he had
| lain and which he found without dif-
| aoultv In room containing a hundred
/ nr more before the operation, he was
/ able 10 find after the specialist had re-
| moved the cataracts from his eyes. The
| .,lv thing he failed 10 recognize was
IA poodle dog which was covered with
| long white hair. and with evident Gu
! rlcslty he asked his benefactor whAt
! klnd Of an animal IN vas he had betn
u.ed 40 hounds. and a dog which did
uot have long ears. snort hair, anq
] iorr Slim legs was something ~ hHN
rr.rr known whsle he wac seeing
hInea Hffh hls hnnd
.Hr w.a Dufe1 ono rf'ufnf1 i' Nl'
/ family m NIssfsIrnI hD Hr"i' l' lhf
....I.UrI IL. 5000 UF hf frnrhr1 hpn.
/ n. recalled fhe conversation be- haq