The San Francisco call., 1908-12-08
,CHAUFFEURS IN
GRAVE DANGER
OF BLINDNESS
Prevalence Of Diseased Optic
Organs, Due to Speeding,
Now Is Feared
Case Of Mayor Taylor of Ala
media Brings Apprehension
TO MahOut Army
Prominent Specialists Give
Opinions Concerning 'Iritis,'
Caused by Dust and Wind
Is motoring dangerous to the sight2

70 partial or total blindness, become
prevalent within the next decade?
These questions become pertinent in
view of the case of Mayor Z. K. Taylor
OF Alameda who is under the care Of
q led oculists and threatened with
= iadness because Of his fondness for
automobiling. Taylor had been an ar
dent motorist and failed to protect his
eyes. with goggles. Some time ago his
eyes began to-fail; he became subject to
dizziness, and severe Inflammation,
accompanied by neuralgia of the eyes.
followed. This condition became aggra-
waited by exposure to the light, and
when the physicians were called in
they ordered him TO a darkened room
so that complete rest for the nerves
could be secured. He suu is in danger
II losing his sight Both Taylor and
his ocuHsts ascribe the condition to
motoring.
Because the above questions are of
vital interest TO thousands Of persons in
this city they were plH TO some of the
leading authorities so that a note of
warning could be sounded. Five emil
nent ocllists and e motorist of inter-
national reputation were questioned.
and tleir answers, while conservative,
can be summed Up as scientific support
Of Mayor f. r. Iaylor's theory that
"uotor eye" is an amiction that medical
science must reckon with in the future.
IRIS AFFECTED BY WIND
Waue the doctors assert that as yet
comparatively Few patients have been
treated by them for this malady. they
agree that Taylor's case is not an un-
common one. and probably the direct
cause of II is The continued irritation
70 the mucuous surfaces Of the eyeball
and lids resulting from exposing the
delicate organs TO dust and cold wind
ct great pressure An Inflammation Of
the membranes sets in which, If aggra- (
waited. results in an Inflammation Of the 1
iris. or cOlOred portion of the eye, then /
IN turn affects the ciliary nerves, which 1
control the internal apparatus Of the
iris, and partial or total blindness is the /
result. This condition is known by
oculists as "cyclitis' and the one pre-
ceding il IS siritis" The first fnf7amrna-
tion is called @conJunctivitis"
While many cases of each one Of
these conditions, originating from diff
ferent causes. are met by physicians in
the course of their practice. the motor
eye" which is the combination of the
three, is the direct result Of continued
and aggravated irritation Of the eye
after the first Inflammation has been
developed, added TO the strain on the
optic nerve by close attention to the
road
Some Of the oculists interviewed ad-
natted that the condition described as
motor eye" was becoming more fre-
ouent in the last few years and could
be put down TO driving against cold
wind and dust at high speed. Others
raid tnat they had not encountered It in
their practice. knowing that it had been
brought about by motoring. It is sig
nfhcant that while all of them were
conservative in their statements. each
one suggested voluntarily that all
chaUffeUrs should be compelled to pass
al examination and not be granted
license unless their eyes proved to be
perfect and that these examinations
Should be made periodically, say every
six months.
WHAT OLDFIELD SAYS
This points TO the conclusion that
the eye deteriOrates by constant driv
ing against the wind Barney Old6efd.
che motorist, also supported this idea.
and agreed that il is most important.
adding that it should be made com
pulsory to wear goggles. He said that
only by the greatest care had he him
self been able IN some degree to pre-
serve his sight. and admitted that since
he has been driving fast cars his vision
has deteriorated.
Dr. Hiram W. Hunsaker. a prom
snent oculist, with Offices in the Pa
cific building has treated many pa-
tients suffering from iritis, and while
declining TO pass an opinion on the
Silment Of Mayor Taylor, not havinr
examined the patient, he said that the
symptoms as described pointed to iritis
and that blindness could result unless
e patient put himself under the care
OF a skilled specialist
Il can not diagnose a case at long
distance" said Dr. Hunsaker, but from
the conditions you describe Mr.. Taylor
appears to be suffering from iritis. or
possibly cyclitis. IT is q serious con
dition and possibly brought about by
continued irritation Of the eyes by wind
and dust blowing at great force
against the delicate mechanism Of the
eyes. as the patient himself suggests
"Conjunctivifis. or inflammation Of
the mucous covering Of the eye. is
easily produced in this way, bur the
iritIs does not necessarily follow How
ever to continue the irritation after In
Bammation has set IN. by neglecting to
wear goggles for protection. would ag-
gEavate the condition and il could
spread TO the other parts Of the eye
and develop into the serious condition
you describe IS motor eye
SPECIALIST GIVES OPINION
Dr. Adolph BarlCan said that strong
wind and dust would produce the first
condition. known as cOnJunctivitis.
but that he was inclined TO think that
no organic ailment could come from
this Fe said.
Il have seen cases Of vertigo, dizzi-
ness. and fafntness resulting from too
much motoring. but that is a condition
Of the brain i have noticed certain
exhaustion Of the retina, due. perhaps.
tolths number OF pictures passing rap
soly upon the screen Of the eye.
fPerhaps the condition You. describe,
which appears TO be iritis, is produced
IN some cases by motoring. but the ten F,
nency had been there previously and
was accentuated by the strain 70 the
nerves. have not seen an increase IN
the number Of iritis cases, and even |