The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-24
SLENDER HOPE FOR THE BLIND,
BUT A HOPE, NEVERTHELESS, IN
TREATMENT WITH RADEUM.
Lille Spitynaders Case Raises the question
Gan Dead Optic Nerve lie Reylyified:
Hers May he Merely ParalyZed


Hers May BE Merely ParalyZed
--apcullsts Are Keenly Interest ed.
The case OF Lille Spitznadel, the eleven
year-old girl who, after being blind since
she was 8 years Of age, has had her vision re-
stored in some small degree by the use OF
radium in injunction with X-rays, has ex
cited the greatest interest among oculists in
this city. They say that if the effect of
the stimulation of radium is permanent,
the discovery is by far the most impor-
taDt that has been made in years.
A number OF ocuists who we're seen
yesterday agreed, however, that both
DR.. Anon Jenkins, who conducted the
experiment on the child and William j.
Hammer. the expert in radium, were right
in maintaining that it would be cruel to
hold out any idea that a cure for blindness
had been discovered without some further
proof than that afforded by the case Of the
Sptznadel girl in its present stage.
The exclusive publication Of the story
in The SUN yesterday Of the experiments on
the child caused no end of excitement
among the little girls playmates, none
Of whom knew anything about the expert
ments that had been tried on her or Of
their effect. BY direction of her mother
and sister, the child has carefully con-
cealed the facts about her slight recovery
of vision, and so the first her playmates and
neighbors knew of it was when they read
it in THE Sun yesterday, There was inn
mediately rush Of friends to congratu-
late the child. but they we're not allowed
to see her.
When a sun reporter called at the Spitz-
nadel house, 3l4 East Fifty-second street,
yesterday afternoon, the blind girl was
playing around the parlor with two other
children. She is an extremely pretty
little girl, with long black curls and wide
open hazel eyes She seemed happy and
cont ented, but her sister would not allow
the reporter to talk with her
I'VE are very sorry about the publ
cation of this thing" said the sister ave
wanted to keep it quiet for the present.
We fear it may be exaggerated. As a
matter of fact, although some progress
has been made with Lille, it il nothing
on which we can base positive hope for her
complete recovery, and we do not want to
get our hopes up, or the little girls either.
1T would be cruel TO allow her to think
that shc will recover her sight. when we
have nothing but the experience of the
last two or three days TO justify us. 1t
may all wear off and nothing come of 1t.
1T will be time for us to talk about it when
there is real recovery.
Il admit that the experiment with radium
under DR.. Jenkins's direction has worked n
marked change in Lille just now. But
there is nothing more to say about IL. We
are very sorry that even that much got
into print just now. She is only poor
little blind girl, and there Ia no reason Why
she should be Of interest to anybody"
Mrs. Spitznadel, the ohild's mother,
said that when the girl was stricken with
meningitis she was completely paralyzed.
but had gradually got rid of the affection
everywhere save in the eyes. Occasionally,
before the experiment with radium, said
Mrs Spitznadcl the child would declare
that she saw flashes of light, but they
were never able to determine if this was
Imagination,
The mother said she believed that the
use of radium and the X-rays had FASTENED
the gradual wearing away of the paralysis
of the optic nerve and that this was the
explanation Of her child's partial recovery
of vision. Oculists said yesterday, how
ever that il the girl did not respond to the
test Of burning magnesium ribbon in front
of her eyes she must have been totally
blind at the time Of the experiment.
The blind girl is perfectly healthy and
apparently perfectly happy She il still
able TO see passing objects as shadows,
but her vision improves very slowly, if it
improves at all, and there IL no way Of
telling how long the improvement in her
will last. Dr. Jenkins who has charge of
the child, ran across tho case accidentally.
He has another patieD in the house in
which she lives, and AS he is very much in
terested in the European experiments to
cure blindness with radium he asked per-
mission to experiment with her. He has
conducted the case so far purely in the in
terest of science, obtaining no compensa-
ton.
DR.. Herman Knapp. who pronounced
the Spitznadel girl totally blind eight wears
ago, after her attack of meningitis, is in
tn" Adrondacks at present, His son,
DR.. Arnold Knapp, who is also a we'll |
known ocuist, was seen yesterday and
asked about the case. He said:
when / saw the account in THE Sun |
7 Immediately tried to find the case in nv
fathers list Of private patients, but could |
discover no record Of patient Of that ,,
name. I infer from this that my father |
treated the girl at one of the institutions |
with which he is connected. In that case
he would not have recorded her name.
Il am not prepared to comment on the
case with the exceedingly limited knowl |
edge have OF it. but would say that any
report that a positive cure for blindness |
has been discovered will entail endless |
suffering to the blind, who are always look
ing for some discovery which will restore |
their sight to them.
THE experiment OF burning magnesium |
ribbon in front of this girls eyes is very |
strong one. | should say that in case
where there was no response to such test |
the optic nerve was absolutely dead.
"An optic nerve that ia entirely dead, |
like the dead limb Of a tree. cannot be
restored to life. Therefore, it is hard to
understand. without our knowing all the |
facts, just how rad,im, or anything else, |
could restore sight even slightly, to this |
child. The optic nerve NAV not have been |
dead, however. but merely paralyzed, in |
which case anything Ia possible"
DIR. Jenkins wouldn't say yesterday !
whether the child will be subjected to |
further experiments, 1t all depends |
upon the developments Of the next few |
days. He ia now preparing paper on !
the case, which he will read shortly before |
Al, . III.