Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1909-1915, 1910-10-28
An Experiment
So - f., Z.
BY r. PEMBERToN sLADE
-t'> + -
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

noon on the upper deck lady sitting
in steamer chair accosted me.
Il believe you are the ships medical
man." she said.
II am" responded, raising my cap.
IF you will kindly sit by me will
tell you of an operation am thinking
Of having performed"
dropped in the vacant chair be-
side her, and she began.
my eyes are natural freak" she
said. "You will perceive that my
right eye is black and my left is steel
color. I, being woman. am very SEN
sitive to my personal appearance. Now.
wish to talk with you of the FEAST
bility of making my eyes the same
color, 90.
''That Is impossible" l. said decid-
edly.
"Why?'
"why-why. because it is impos.
sibIe" :
Il have thought much Of the mat
ter and have conceived a plan by
which think it can be done''
You? Do you know anything about
surgery of the eye?''
sNot professionally"
'"Then why do you aspire to sug-
gest process that an educated oc-
ulist would not even consider?'
Because believe it is possible"
sane. looked her in both eyes-for
the eye is telltale on insanity-but
could see no indications as to what I
suspected.
every WELL" said. 'what is your
proeessy
II propose to tattoo my gray eye
with India ink
was at first disposed to smile at the
idea. but it soon occurred to me that
If the India ink could be placed be-
meath the surface Of the cornea. as
it may be tattooed under the skin
Nonsense! Dos not the pupil contract
and dilate? When much contracted it
would leave a ring Of the original COL
or.
MY dear young lady" said, your
scheme is preposterous."
Nevertheless shall try it."
"And lose your eye"
'That is my only fear. But have
decided to take the risk"
Finding it impossible to dissuade her
or induce her even to wait till she
| reached port. where she could be
knocked out Of her crazy idea by an
oculist, in order to save her from the
| probable consequences Of her expert
ment said:
''The cornea of the eye is not sensi-
! tive. Indeed, it is really casing to
the eye, something like an onion.
Now, would suggest, since you will
not listen to reason, that tattoo some
harmless fluid Of the proper color on
the eye as near as possible to the pu-
pill True. it will soon be absorbed.
but it Will be test to guide us as to
whether it will be safe to repeat the
operation with durable filing"
How long will this experimental
fluid remain?' asked the lady.
Several days perhaps, possibly
longer"
The very thing! Win you perform
the operation:''
Not unless you refuse to promise
that you will not do it yourself"
81 certainly shall do it myself unless
you consent to do it for me-
We'll. then. whenever you are ready
come to my Office"
The lady did not come to me till the
day before We were due in port. 1t
seemed absurd to attend to q matter
about which there was not the slight
est necessity for haste, and / made q
strenuous attempt to persuade her to
defer the operation till after she had
landed. But she resolutely persisted
in her intention to perform it herself
before glass il declined, and. know
ing that this, especially on a rolling
ship. might result in the loss Of the
eye, finally gave in. -a
Taking lot of needles, tied them
into a bundle, dipped them into
harmless vegetable preparation and
tapped the eye with their points ever
SO lightly. This kept up till the
! surface to be Covered was SO nearly
Of the hue Of the other eye that the
difference could not be EASILY detected.
The next dag when the lady went
ashore she was profuse In her thanks
and volunteered to advise me Of the
success of the experiment. told hef
should be interested to hear IT,
though. to tell the truth, never ex-
pected to hear from her again, regard
ing her one Of those many cranks who
appear to be perfectly sane, but In
whose makeup some screw is loose.
a couple OF weeks later I received
letter. the handwriting of which was
not familiar to me. Indeed, it bore
evidence of having been disguised. 1t
read:
My Dear Doctor-I am happy to report
to you that the experiment was admsra-
bsy successful The tattoo lasted about
ten days, which was all that was required