The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1910-01-01

the eminent eye specialists
T OF New York say that there
is bright outlook for the
human eye by reason of the great
progress made in the treatment OF eye
diseases.
Medical regulations making the care
of the eyes in babies and the constant
inspection of the eyes of school chill
dren obligatory by law are rapidly
diminishing the causes which, in
years gone by. resulted in blindness.
says the New York Herald.
Nevertheless experts are agreed
that the distinctive feature of the
American eye Is hyperopic astigmatism,
or farsightedness. due to the nervous
strain of American life, which causes
q shortness of the eyeball. as a result
Of arrested development, as different
ating from Germans. among whom
myiopia. or near-sightedness, Is most
prevalent.
Hyperopia. or farsightedness, Is,
however. not an eye disease but mere
ly condition which causes headaches,
nausea and nervous ailments peculiar
to the nervous tension of American
life. There is another cause. how
ever. that has much to do with the
strain on American eyes. and that is
the habit of reading badly printed
newspapers. books and magazines on
railway trains and street cars.
Too Close Print to Blame.
Even In the home the reading of
close print Is acknowledged to be a
prolific cause of eye weakness. There
fore the action of the Herald in using
larger type In its news columns has
been widely commended.
So eminent an authority as DR.. j.
Herbert Claiborne in the treatment Of
the eyes says: 1T was the rational
and reasonable thing to do in view Of
the existing conditions. have for a
long time been preaching In favor of
having all newspapers and books.
especially those devoted to educational
purposes. printed in large type.
Spaces between letters and between
printed lines should be wider in order
to give ease to the eyes when reading.
This fact has been at last recog-
nized by the board Of education. which
is now taking care that all school
books shall be printed In larger type.
DR.. William II. Maxwell. city superin-
tendent of schools. in speaking on this
subject said: II have read a great
many things written by doctors on the
subject of the effect of illegible type
on the eyesight. The board Of educa.
ton adopted new list of books last
June. and in doing so care was taken
that all the books accepted were
printed In large type"
Furthermore, one of the chief cares
of the department OF health OF New
York city is to see that the eyes OF
the school children shall be in perfect
condition. Mr.. Thomas Darlington,
commissioner OF health. says: 1.-THE
child of to-day will be the man of to-
morrow, and the hope and outcome OF
our existence as people rests upon
that assurance of physical virility
which we can offer to the future.
Service Of Patriotism.
1.-THE world is awake as never be
fore to the. import of this danger that
threatens. Saving the babies and
keeping the children healthy is not
merely humanitarian impulse. 1t Is
civic and national service and the
highest type of patriotic duty.
"In considering the health of the
baby and It's chance for life. we must
take into account the conditions sur
rounding its birth For this purpose
the division OF child hygiene was
formed This year Ave different
agencies have volunteered the services
of nurses who have worked under our
direction. The department has had a
stan of It's own. Numbering II. Dur
ing the period between April Is and
September J.. total Of 57.015 FIRST
visits were made. or these 1896
Waits we're made to births reported
BY uidwives. There were reported
- daSes OF sore eyes and connrma-
tory diagnosis Of ophthaImia neouato-
rum BY the ophthalmologists OF the
department. was made 10 ~ cases q.
tended By midwiyes. This remsrlc
able result Is undoubtedly due 70 The
fact that the department insists upon
the use OF "a one per cent. solution OF
silver nitrats DROPPED insp the eyes
r al new born iG.Ants In othsr
u. ~ rI-1.. y ~ tlti IA NJ M