The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-06-28
THE DOCTORS TEST.
~ ELnERr I. eENrLEY.

BY GILBERT u. BENT Lev
Copyright. 1909, BY American Press Assoc
cistion.a
We physicians need to exercise great
care to avoid becoming victims Of i'm.
position. We are constantly called
upon for expert testimony on the mat
ter Of claims or criminal cases where
It often requires Ingenuity rather than
professional skill to get at the truth.
AS an oculist / was called upon to
pass upon a matter involving consider
able money between two young women
cousins Eunice and Alice Jaynes. The
ownership Of a large property depend
ed upon whether certain paper bad
been written and signed BY one OF
them. Eunice JGynes claimed that she
was totally blind and had been SO dur
ing the period that II was claimed she
signed the paper. II so. she could not
have written and signed It without
showing the fact that she was blind
II was claimed b. her counsel that the
paper was forgery Other oculists
had examined the girl and signed cer~
tiilcates that she was entisely blind in
both eyes. Il was agreed that II
confirmed their opinion no further ef-
fort would be made to impeach her
testimony and the case would be de-
cided IN her favor
The girl aid not please me. There
was an expression on her face did
not like. Nature provides this tell
tale expression that we may distin-
guish the bad from the good, though
I confess there may be counterfeit ex-
pressiens SO perfect as to avoid detec-
ton. on the other hand had seen
her cousin and had at once been
struck with q native honesty stamped
on every feature Of her face. Her
case depended on me. II decided
that Eunice was blind / would give
her a fortune. II / could prove that
Eunice could see the property wouIs
90 to Alice.
examined Eunice first as TO the
surface OF her eyes. Their condition
was normal, but this did not prove
she could see l applied tests Of very
strong light. The girl did not blink
and professsd not to be able to dis
tinguish between light and darkness.
/ did not believe that any one could
stand this light test without a CULVER
Of a muscle. It looked as tt.the nerves
OF the eyes were perfectly. dead.
applied other tests, but did net have
the confidence in them / had IN the
light test The girl stood every one
Of them.
] gave up trying to prove by pro
fessional tests that Eunice Jaynes
could see It looked as il / must sign
certificate that she was stone blind.
There WAS no defect in the eyes, for
such could be discovered by any com
petent oeullst But defect Of the
nerve might not be detected. / asked
her If she had ever received q blow on
her temple. She thought for some
time and said that some years before
on going upstairs ii the dark she had
tripped. fallen and struck her head on
the stairs ii a place upon which she
laid her finger. 1t was her temple.
had had cases Of young men hit
with baseball IN that region with
consequent blindness in the eve on
the side struck. Since the nerves At
the eyes cross. the remaining eye is
Ifo2,fa - ~ neantna .et-n4 49,. ,-t~l
II she had discovered after the acct
dent any difference III the sight Of the
eyes. She replied that when the sight
to fail It failed Id both
eyes at the same time--that Is, SO far
as she knew.
made up my mind to try one I'm.
test and IL she stood that
would sign the certificate Of her
blindness. But the nature % the test
required witnesses. because 1t was I'M
l directed the girl to
come to my Office next morning at
certain hour ! had my witnesses in
my consulting room and received the
girl IN my waiting room I blindfold-
ed her SO carefully that was sure she
could not get a ray Of light. placing a
handage over her eyes, with two fillers
for the eye sockets attached. When I
this was done to my satisfaction led
her into my consulting room and
placed her in a chair before my wit
nesses. Then, taking up q mouse trap
had ready, ! took mouse out Of Il
and held 1t by the tip OF the tail close
10 but not touching the girls face
Then / suddenly removed the bandage.
The instant Eunice Jaynes saw the
little rodent within a few
inches Of her faee she not only drew
away. but uttered slight scream
Where my professional skill had
'afled my knowledge of feminine in
Itinct succeeded. The proof was post
i've. not only declined to certify that
bio girl was blind, but certified that
he could see The witnesses also GER
flied to the demonstration Of fact.
OF course the verdact was in favor OF