Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-10-29
At First the Newborn babe Has the
Power Only to Distinguish Between
Light and Darkness-The Develop
ment of the Power of Vision.

ment of the Power of Vision.
The sense most early exercised by
the newborn infant is the sense of
sight, but at first it has the power only
to distinguish light from darkness and
Is In comparison with its later devel-
)opment blind. while in many Of the
lower creatures the senses are at birth
fully developed.
What a difference there is between
the dull eye Of the newborn infant and
the sharp vision Of the young chick.
which Is able to pick up with precision
a grain of corn or even snap up a fly
while the eggshell may be still stick
ing to its back! The eye Of the infant,
however, is developed very gradually,
and during infancy and childhood it
learns how to see. In the first few days
it notices the difference between light
and darkness when the light is very
intense. and it may even knit its brow
In sleep If a bright light be brought
close to Its face.
On the same principle striking
bright color will also be noticed when
held close to the face
In all these cases, however, the in
FAINT follows the object by turning it's
eyes.
The eyelids open and shut from birth.
but they are not always moved at the
same time with the movements Of the
eyeballs until the infant has reached
the second or third month. Under two
or three months of age infants do not
wink when the hand or an object is
waved before the face because they
do not see the hand distinctly.
One Of the remarkable points of in
terest in the development of the in
fant's power of vision is the way in
which it learns to appreciate the OBJ
tects seen. 1t has to learn to discover
the distance of objects. their shape,
size, character, etc, and this it does
with the assistance Of the sense of
touch.
The face of the mother or nurse is
made familiar in that it is brought so
close to the infants face.
After the infant has learned to see
objects distinctly at the distance of
several feet 1t begins to use both eyes
in common. At first the eyes act indie
pendently Of each other so that it un-
doubleday has double vision and sees
everything double. This double vision
can be produced by many at will by
looking ''cross eyed"
The infant having reached the point
when it sees an object clearly, it must
also begin to understand objects Of
three dimensions-that Is, to find out
the difference between fat surface
and solid body. Here the sense of
touch also assists. The infant era Fps
an object and, putting 1t to its lips and
face, satisfies itself as to the shape.
character etc.
1t is interesting in this connection to
note some cases in which person born
blind RECEIVERS sight when grown.
In one case young man who had
lost his sight in early infancy was so
blinded that he could not
even the strongest light
from darkness.
After on operation on one eye had
been successfully performed he began
to see objects without understanding
them-not being able to Judge their
distances from his eye-and he felt as
Il everything was touching his eye, so
that to touch an object he at srst
would put one finger or the hand up
before his face, pointing at the object
aimed at, and reach forward until his
1nger came in contact with the OBJ
ect.
After he had recovered the use Of |
10Th eyes he began to find out that
was not fat, but that many |
hings had a certain thickness as we'll |
IS length and breadth. and in this way |
le began to see solid objects.
But even for year or two after COM
'lete recovery he was unable to decide
whether a certain figure was fiat sur.
ace. as in painting. or solid body.
He was also obliged to learn the diff
erent animals and objects, not know
1g the difference between cat and
og until he had touched them.
We all so through just the same proc
IS Of learning how to see in infancy.
he child may be two or three years.
r even older. before it has control over
8 eyes and can judge of the distance
objects in the room, etc.
The care Of the eye is a question O:
reat Importance for mothers and
urses. The eyes Of newborn infants
lould be carefully washed with fresh,
ear water, and if anything unusual
noticed the physician should be seen.
he infants eyes are specially to be
rejected against too bright light 1t
by no means an uncommon thing to
se nurse wheeling young infant in
le carriage while the light sun is
During into the child's eyes. This does
Of argue against taking infants into
he sun when the weather is not too
arm. but the eyes should always be
against the bright glare,