New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-14
EYE STRAIN OF CHILDREN.

To the Editor % The Tribune
SLY: 7 saw in recent issue O: The Tribune a re-
port OF the thorough Investigation OF children's
ewes now being carried IN the public schools OF
N,ew-York Nothing could be humane. ana
the school under the charge OF Miss Williams Is
70 be congratulated on having so earnest and 40
Intelligent principal
But the inspectors should not content themselves
with mere correction OF refraction. Eye irregular
tles in children are very often only reflex from
some other cause. The children are almost inyari-
ably neurasthenic. the eyes being merely symptom
attic.
More and more IN these scientific days. when
scientists doctors and all learning 70 look for
first causes rather than AT those more superficial
and immediate the medical world IS coming 10
acknowledge that back OF ali chronic condition is
a weakened nerve supply. Digestion no longer
brings up 20 the modern doctors thought so much
a picture ~ digestives and chemical adjuvants;
he thinks at once Of stomach nerves which are too
weak carry on 20 completion the task OF d.
gesJlou.
In eve strain too. the modern doctor reasons
similarly. No longer he content 70 apply prisms
10 The inefficient muscles, but ne asks, Why are
these muscles inefficient? What is inhi6iting their
natural nerve force? And in like manner. to-day.
reasons the gyneco!ogst. the heart specialist the
skin specialst-one and all
a new word has into the medical world
the word reflex: and this word has come 10 stay
Moreover. through the understanding OF this word.
salvation is coming to many unfortunate who
and his malady uaappreciated.
once. If one had headache, the doctor looked
for the cause in the head II could not digest
ne looked for the cause in the digestive juices II
ones heart palpitated the cause was sought II the
But now that the doctrine OF reflex has sent its
searchlight in upon the world OF suffering and
physical limitations the up to GATE uoctors Ait4m
lower end Of the spine the cause Of the lame knee
and the palptaton III some one OF more points III
the nervous system. quite removed from the seat
Nowhere is thts revelation Of more value than
in its application little children Many, many
a. r1i5qle sgeS vreclIage might have been prevented
had the cause corrected In childhood Many
physical defect which comes all often at middle
life time perchance, when one mental tacul-
some condition IN early childhood not been ignored
or neglected or left 70 that Grue!est Of all foosh
one may well doubt whether child ever out
young manhood or young woHlanhood dawns. BRING
ing with it the conquering power OF ne" ygoT ana
of preceding times and to 'outgrow them BUT
invariably echoes the limitations are heard
years later when, with the waning OF genera
Ystrength, these again present themselves. .,
The individual is now no longer abe 10 sustain,
without self-consciousness. the inharmony which
R s 8%agS wa able to endure the burden
itself against it without apparent discord.
of the story Of several middle aged semi-inyalids
VINO eh5mGga lined 20 II seems TO me the history
which these people give OF their own cases is one
profound s nj SS9e6 TO the OF
fOrty.-SeVere eye strain, inner muscles very
weak 90 degrees OF eXopnorla) MAKING FOCUSING
at short range painful.
on investigation il was found that pressing upon
the first lumbar yeruebra produced immediate
nausea and that the eyes became sandy and blood
shot. -,
on questioning. patient reported that at the age
of ten he had had fall. inJurlng the spine
The injured vertebra uerve) was Tor some time
painful but patient outgrew IT N que tiie; me
patient put under system or spinal stretch-
ing. and a comparative cure of eyes followed
Age thrty-siX.-Aan OF business "A REIMBURSEMENT
ic He was found TO have marked irn4bra cur
Nature and the chronic bodily WEAKNESS whlch ac-
companies always such curvatures-
on Investigation OF history found tnat the boy,
NJ the age Of nine had been put 10 Work n
country grocery, where ne handled more or !eSs
heavy barrels and boxes At one time ne refnenl-
bered distinctly that when he threw a p2X MO e
wagon he taken with sudden pam II! INC -
Seat OF pain bound in Balm or GlIedo anu the
lameness wore of in year or so. g.,
The seat Of tho childhood INJURY was nov touiIu
10 be the Of present centre or ailsesLIsl ull-
der the faradic and hyperaesthesa from 2ressdIe-
Age twenty seyen.-Woman with InatAeo 81 "a
TIRE a nd the inVariable accompanying
Her back had hchec at intervals from
~, careful examination Il found th2t one reg
was fully inch shorter than the otisi 1913
the SPINE Into mechanical curvature "Lis sc-ttlu
h7i5 the patteTt had fall followed ny urlp-
ing and sciatic pains for some rev ~
os innominatum was found clsiocalSu-- ~
ward. s+La.,, a.,d r,arkaJ
Improvement followed. -. ,.srads or ,.sg
lecTed injuries in childr.n whicn and careless
in later nfe-disproving the cruei 49, NHAeteSS
theory that children "outgrOw &
THE above cases Significant 50 ~ N
that they prove that often IL Is NOT -
tent merely TO examine the eyes OF cIla s and
nrasc-ibe Elasses The eye strain should OF course
r. Corrected; but the possible remote oe u eAo
eye MARA L. PRATT-CHADWlck. ~ d.