The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1914-12-05
TELEPHONE WORK
/ NOT INJURIOUS TO
/ OPERATORS EYES
GIRLS ARE NOT SUBJECTED TO
AZ MUCH EYE STRAIN As
/ AVERAGE CLERK.
DOCTOR GIVES VIEWS
BASED ON EXPERIENCE
Says Conditions Blamed on oecu?a
j tlon Invariably Clear Up I'm
I der Proper Treatment.
BY lie Roy Thompson, N. o.


BY lie Roy Thompson, N. Q.
Z A large percentage Of eye trouble
to which the human race falls heir
is traceable to many different causes.
Among the most prominent in the bus.
mess world are abnormality, In the
shape of the eye itself, resulting In an
imperfect optical instrument; contin-
uous use of the eyes for near work
without intervals of relaxation and i'm
proper illumination of work rooms.
AS evening manager of one of the
largest telephone exchanges In Chi
cago for four years had an oppor.
tunity to study and observe the effects
OF telephone switchboard operating on
the employees health, with particular
reference to the eye, and have come
to the definite unbiased conclusion
that they are not injured by such
work.
Glasses Aid Recovery.
Where symptoms such as headache.
Insomnia, vertigo or other forms OF
nervousness appear, we found that it
was due to some abnormality In the
operators eyes themselves, which
would have given trouble had she been
employed at any Of the other ordinary
girl occupations of today. The recov-
cry was prompt when proper glasses
we're fitted by an oculist or treatment
Instituted where 1t was necessary.
One observation that would like to
draw special attention to Is, tele-
phone girl is like any other girl. she
dislikes to wear glasses, and this fact
combined with an attending family
physicians neglect or ignorance pre-
vents many girls from getting prompt
relief from her otherwise improperly
diagnosed sickness, which really had
its origin In eye strain.
AS oculist and aurist for the Chi
cago Telephone Company and chief
physician for the Employees Benefit
Association for the past three years,
ness among the employees come under
my observation, I have been enabled
to continue accurate investigation in
occupational diseases or physical
strain which was begun while active.
ly associated as manager.
Good Eyes Required.
Before girl is taken into the en-
ploy Of the Telephone Company she
Is given physical examination ans
her eyes are examined as far as prac-
teal vision is concerned. or course
this keeps out many who would other
wise succumb to eye trouble Of one
kind or another, but 1t is impossible
to eliminate everyone who suffers
only a slight abnormality. I think
the efficiency Of such an examination
Is aptly illustrated by what l saw on
visit to an exchange the other day
One group of twenty-seven girls,
all active, healthy looking specimens
of young womanhood, and not one
was wearing glasses. Another group
of nineteen, and only three wearing
glasses. Go into any large office and
look over the clerical force, and you
will be astonished at the number who
are forced to seek the assistance oi
glasses in their work.
Has Chance to Rest Eyes.
The telephone operator sits facing
the switchboard, with her face ap-
proximately sixteen inches away,
measurement taken at the level of the
eye. The maximum distance at which
she uses her eyes when reaching to
complete call or pick 1t up is TWEEN
ty-nine inches. When answering a
call or completing connection she
usues her focusing eye muscle only
three to five times and never twice at
the same distance consecutively.
This point cannot be emphasized too
strongly, as the varying distance, even
though not far enough for complete
relaxation to take place, is neverthe-
less enough change to rest the eye
much more than in many other occu.
pations.
Compare the work done. by type
settlers, bookkeepers, stenbgraphers
and craftsmen and you can readily see
how much more relaxation a tele-
phone operator has than any of the
others who continuously apply them
selves to their given occupation, which
ts all practically at the same distance
from the eye.
opaIs Give Protection.
The signal lamps, the strongest OF
which Il less than one candle power.
has protecting cover. or opal as II
10 called, made q glass which II semi.
tiansparont. They measure nine mil
limetero acroeo a. their greatest d.
Ameter end six miIlimeters thick. be.
lnG made n three Colorn. White. red