The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-02
SOFT COAL HURTS The EYES.
INCREASE or EYE AILMENTS IN
NEW YORK or LATE.
Part Of II Due 10 the Eject Of Fast Riding
In Automobiles. bat Most the Results
Of Coal Particles In the Air on,s
plants Of In1amed Eyes Common.

New York has an epidemic Of eye diseases.
Ocuists are kept busy treating weak eyes
and druggists say that each day their
store. e-c visited 10y dozens Of persons
suffering from particles Of soft coal in their
eyes.
As automobiles became popular, diseases
Of the eye AZ we'll as OF tn, ear b gan TO in-
crease Despite the various shields and
glasses that are worn by the chlufreurs,
the wind and the dus: are SUN rient 10
cause serious inflammation Of the eye and
it's lids The eye also gains strained
expression and loses much Of It's beauty
and lustre,
But the soft coal particles In the air AZ.
flict those who walk as well as those who
ride. The annoyance by soft coal smoke
caused In the way Of unclean clothing and
houses filled with dus, becomes insignificant
in view Of the new danger to the eyes.
All summer long" said an uptown
druggist, -ever since the soft coal has been
used, We have had an average Of ten or
dozen cases a day Of what is called cinder
in the eye The soft coal dust is gritty
and liable TO cause serious Inflammation
II it is allowed to remain under the lid for
any time.
Resides the Increase in these cases there
IL decided increase In the eye diseases that
are being treated by specialists. This
has been attributed TO the sport OF auto
MODELLING and there l. little doubt that II
has much TO do with the many new troubles
that afflict the eye.
But in cur own experience we know that
the soft coal nuisance threatens 10 become
positive menace TO the eyestght, and
serious results have followed In many
cases seemingly slight at first. where IN
fammation has rapidly developed and tho
sigh, Of one or both eyes has been lost.
a person who experiences any trouble
Of this sort invariably makes for the near
est drug store and seeks relief from psin
which is often eXcr7iciating while II lasts.
MANY Of these cases are obstinate, a.
the soft coal CRIME seems TO have some
quality which retains it beneath the lid,
whereas ordinarily. the eve expels foreign
| per icle If assisted without much delay.
THE coal also leaves an infamod con-
dition after |, is removed, and this lasts
for hours and days and the patient often
will insist that something remains In the
eye and will take measure to remove the
imarinsry oinder when an eSami1ation
reveals that there Is nothil What ever under
the lid
This is where much of the danger turks,
for the delicacy Of the eve Is extreme and
in every case the first method to pIrsus
when ANYTHING Is felt in the eve i 70 close
tho lid quietly and wait fer tho tears which
will rather 20 e~i)"l II,
The inflammation which ALWAYS follows
the presence OF a grain Of coal dust in the
eve is best treated by an eye bath. Tbs
is given by means of an eye Gun held Gloss
to the eve the head bent 30 that the eye
ball is immersed. The eve is moved about
in the water, to which witchhazel or some
boracic acid IT, added.
In any case whore IN" eye does not re-
cover speedily il is best - consult a sprciali,t
without delay and follow his directions
obediently az to resting the organ, keeping
il from the light, &c,
Americans are noted for their bad hair
and tce,h, and 1t would almost scom that
defective vision and affections % the eye
lids would also af'lict th'm
THE rush of American life and the amount
Of work that people try to crowd into tho
twenty-four hours of the day ai,lict tho
optic nerve as these conditions affect all
the nerves.
.The electric lights beneath which 40
many people are obliged 70 work, and ths
lack Of sunlight In many of the apartments
where people live, are causes that tend 10
the impairment Of he sight"