New Britain herald., 1920-10-22
EYESTONES HELP
 AFFLICTED PEOPLE
Little Pieces of She'll Matter Are Not Gifted With Life However
tBy James shepard)


 accidentally hit in tho face by a
 bunch of burdock burrs. Some of the Ahristfy particles were caught in one %ot my eyes whero they remained tor several days with prospect of re- naming for long time. An eyestone was procured and placed between tho pan and It'd of my eye. I lay int on my back with my eyes closed while the stone moved about as if it was n living creature. The tears flowed freely and when it was thought that Lao stone had been in my eye long enough, it was removed. All irritation stopped and my eye soon recovered From tho Injury it had received from tfro hristly particles of tho burdock bptrs.
 The best definition I have found of nf' cyostono iI iu tho Standard dic- tionary as follows:
 "A small smooth object. as a crabs stone or tho opcrcutum of a small turbined or top shell used sometimes To remove foreign substances from the eye" This implies that any object other than crab's-stone or opercuIuu. it of the proper smoothness and size would accomplish the same purpose, as doubtlcss 1t would, though And no rpec1hc mention of such an object other than the two herein before named.
 crab's-stones arc tho same as crabs eyes. The latter is defined in John sons dictionary (edition of I7Ss). as "whitish bodies, rounded on ono side and depressed on tho other, not tbo eve of any creature. nor do they "clong to tho crab. but are produced by tho common crawnsh." The so- ~ Ess a. caleareous concretlon. varying in weight from 1. to |: grains. They are developed on either side of the stom- seh of tho European crawfish previous to the casting Of the shell. They arc supposed to he a deposit stored up for tho calcihcation of tho new shell.
 Eyestones arc generally defined aa tha door or mouth pieco of tho small CT species of molluska in the Turbin- ndaa family. All of tho moIIusks iu thia family hnvo shelly operculum. They vary In size from a pins head 10 three inches in diameter. of course Thc larger ones arc rot used as eye stones. The colors of some Of them nro very rich and they have been used quite extensively for articles of Jewelry. especially for sloevo but tons .=.--~s.. --s-HH
 In the Museum os inc New Britain Institute there is tray containing mary turtle shaped objects. tho label for tho same reading "Eyestones. Opercuia of Imporator, Key West. Fla" while an adjoining tray contain inR q number of shells. is marked 'Impcrntor Americana. Key West. Fla" These nre the kind of shells from which the eyestones in the tray wcro taken. Several shells of another species from tho same locality are marked "Austraiium longispinum." These also furnish similar eyestones. both species belonging to the Turbina- dae family. Each of these shells con- tniuod n living moilusk when it was captured thirtylve years ago They were then moving about on the coral reefs of Key West and feeding upon the Heawecds which were growing thNrc. The opcrC uium is the door with which the moliusI closes tho ori- ncc Of its little shell house when it retires thort,u. These houses arc formed or calcareous material which is secretcd by tho animal and fash toned tn suit it's own convenience. It 1 nlao secretes the calcareous material for sts door or mouth piece, forming ihs same on it's foot to which it ad- heres firmly. Although the door and the house arc both built hy the animal they arc tn separate parts, the door \ being moved independently according to the will Of its owner. It K hcmis- pherieal or turtle shaped. depressed on one sido and convex on tho other. It's periphery corresponding in form and .kza to that of tho -orifico or mouth Of tho shell. It Is connected to the foot by its convex side. while tho fat side is tho outer face of the door. This outer face is coated with a thin brownish opidermis as may rsiii be seen by m examination of tho ryestones in the museum. The inhab- \ itanta of these shell houses. have tho advantage over mankind m that they rnn sccrcto the material fer building their houses. can build them without employing any help. can carry them wherever they Eo and they pay no rent to profiteering landlords. When the animal is about to move around in s.nrch of food. it opens the door by 1 puahInR it with his foot. being ever on the alert and at the least sign of kAanger immediately retreats into It's
 .hsli house. closing the orihce therein
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