Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-09-01
An Experiment
BY r. PEMBERTON SLADE
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

~ believe you are the SHIPS medical
man." she said.
81 am" responded. raising my cap.
"If you will kindly sit by me VIII
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 /, being n woman. am very SEN
sitive 10 my personal appearance. Now.
| wish to talk with you Of the feast
bility of making my eyes the same
color"
THAT is impossible" ! said decid-
edly.
"WhyT"
"why-why. because IT is impos-
sible"
81 have thought much of the mat
ter and have conceived plan by
which think 1t can be done"
"you? DO you know anything about
surgery of the eyer
MOI PROFESSIONALLY
"Then why Go you aspire to sug-
gest a process that an educated &C.
ulist would not even considerg
Because ! believe It is possible"
Thinking the woman might be in
sane, | looked her in both eycs-for
the eve is telltale on insauity-but
could see no indications as to what
suspected.
Every WELL" said. "What is your
processT
~ propose to tattoo my gray eye
with India ink"
was at first disposed TO smile at the
idea. but 1t soon occurred to me that
II the India ink could be placed be-
meath the surface OF the cornea. as
II may be tattooed under the skin
Nonsensel Does not the pupil contract
and dilate? When much contracted 1t
would leave a ring of the original col
or. .
MY dear young lady" / said. "your
scheme is preposterous."
Nevertheless I shall try it."
"And lose your eye"
"That is my only fear. But | have
decided to take the risk"
Finding 1t impossible to dissuade her
or induce her even TO wait till she
reached port, where she could De
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, II 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 rs possible TO the pu-
Dill. True, 1t will soon be absorbed.
but it will be test to guide us as to
whether it will be safe to repeat the
operation with a durable filing"
How long will this experimental
fluid remain:' asked the lady
Several days perhaps. possibly
longer"
The very thing. VIII you perform
the operation:"
Not unless you refuse TO promise
that you will not do it yourself"
II certainly shall do it myself unless
you consent to do 1t for me-"
"well. then. whenever you are ready
come to my Office"
The lady did not come to me iii the
day before we were due In port. 1t
seemed absurd to attend TO matter
about which there was not the slight
est necessity for haste. and | made a
strenuous attempt to persuade her to
defer the operation till after she had
landed. But she resolutely persisted
In her intention to perform Il herself
before n glass II declined. and. know
ing that this. especially on rolling
shin. might result in the loss OF the
eye. finally gave in
Taking n 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 l 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 day when the lady went
ashore she was profuse 10 her thanks
and volunteered 70 advise me OF the
success Of the experiment. told her
should be interested TO hear IL.
though. to tell the truth. I never ex-
pccted 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 received
letter. the handwriting Of which was
rot familiar 20 me. Indeed. 81 bore
evidence Of having been disguised. IL
read.
Ny Dear Dcctor-I an happy 70 rcTost
20 yog that the experiment was adfnira-
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