Evening star., 1931-05-05
BY HILBERT F. DAY. M. D.

IDENTIFY became completely blind. I'M
mediately many questions arose. How
should his friends and family approach
this new problemq What hope for an
independent life. could be held out for
him and how could he be helped to
rise above this tragedy?
A man endowed with bravery and
intelligence naturally would begin i'm
mediately to plan for a future. and my
question was how could help to pre-
pare for 1t.
In seeking advice I consulted Miss
Lucy Wright, connected with the So
cia1 ethics department at Harvard, ana
formerly IL years with the Commission
for the Blind in Massachusetts,. MISS
Wright subsequently wrote me a letter'
Facts Prove True.
Some Of the facts she mentioned in
her letter Immediately proved true. For
instance. the desire of my brothcI to
talk understandingly with somebody
about his new handicap; also, the an
noyance he felt at people. who thought
that to make him hear they had to
shout at him, when actually his near
ing was more acute than formerly
Following Miss Wrights advice he was
made happier and was able TO bravely
and cheerfully face the future.
I believe there are many doctors, So
cial workers and lay people who may
be helped in their attitude toward
those who have become suddenly blind
by reading Miss Wright's letter, and.
therefore with her permission. the let
ter may be published. 1t appears mere,
in part. -. -.,.. .,,saou h,,rd
ness have curiosity about the way out
and set to work at once when they
have faced the fact and believe they
cannot be cured) to fight for their own
independence. Others have to be con-
vinced even that they can tell time by
their own watch ihaving the crystal re-
moved and touching the hands or later,
by getting a watch with the hours in
dicated by raised points, and convinced
that by maintenance of order, as on
the table by the bedside or throughout
the room placement of chairs. etc. +,
they can master that area by touch
and sense of direction.
Sense Of Freedom Needed.
.4rf1e good nurse or friend helps In
deuendence to come about simply and
naturally, takes it for granted-or, II 1t
is discussed, discusses 1t in g matter
of-fact way and with light touch. The
great thing is to help the patient 70
get q sense of comparative freedom in
moving about and waiting on himself
as soon as possible.
I'm this matter Of order (always hav-
ing things in their familiar plaeesl
progress depends on those near near as Wen
as on the patient. The blind, l am
sure. are happiest In their blindness
whefe their handicap is sufficiently un-
derskood to be taken for granted, and
so may be forgotten or ignored except
when it Is absolutely necessary to re-
member it-for only so may the indl-
vidpal participate in daily life IKE
pressing and undressing, feeding
ones sell. eventually cusslns ones me- ,oSst own
possible help from the person next you
ali this implies cooperation Of fam
iIv friends. whose minds leap much
more readily to waiting upon, taking all
the initiative for, and even talking Tor
the patient ESQ by mistaken Kindness
imposing passtvity and invahdism) than
to schooling themselves to allow the
newly blind person all the time he needs
for experimenting with practical mat
ters upon which personal Independence
rests. The temptation is to save your
own time rather than consider the
mental life Of the handicapped 1nol-
vidual-to imagine what Is signihcant
and what insignificant to him.
Building the Blind.
"AS tn the way in which they like
IN be guided from one room to another,
on the street, or in the street car, blind
people differ. Some like to take an arm
and let the guide keep a little ahead;
others like to be guided by a touch on
the elbow from a guide at the left;
others like much independence barely
touching elbows and the Following WIN
a cane or by their own observations the
variation in footing-unexpected thresh-
olds and curbstones. Hardy any ,na 1nnd
person likes to be guided from oehlno
as we tend to do. He wants you in
front of him in going through ooor'
not behind him.
"yr going into a new room the seeing
person may help the blind man orient
himself, by inconspicious guidance; e. g.,
placing his hand upon the back or arm
OF chair that would suit him, and let
ting him. know indirectly, If possible,
who else Is in the room. II no one is
there he may like to explore it little
for what you take in at glance. I
speak In detail because have seen de-
voted children so solicitous that they
scarcely let their parent "a slx-foot gi-
ant, VINO lost his sight in dynamite
exploSicn) touch foot TO f1oor-really
make scene every time he moved.
Whatever will make the individual feel
most flee. least conspicuous. most near
ly like a seeing person in all that mat
ter. Is most nearly right. am sure.
Clerical Service Is Tried
I'm reading and writing, clerical serv-
ice (ever II II comes from those nearest
and desrest) Is best given at regular
tines with full regard to independent
sno private action of the blind tndi-
L.. LII Il
owr letters or read over what you your
SELF have written, not to be able TO hear
from the newspaper what you choose,
these are trials 10 active minds, met
partly by clerical service. partly Gor
these Vho learn Braille easily by the
Use of Rraille. But ordinarily Braille
serves those who have begun finger
reading in youth.
In reading aloud 1t is best not TO In
terSperS< your own comments, or in
terpretations, but 10 act as an unspoiled
nediun OF transmission. Happiness for
the blind in so far as 1t depends on
others, seems 10 depend on how far they
can trust each friend TO transmit the
thing as he sees IL" and not to tenn
pei the wind to the shorn lamb" or de-
ceive in matters large or small.
1T is hard for friends TO realize that
q newly blind person is not less. but
probably more discriminating than ever
sometimes so hard that they speak
about the individual in his presence as
though he were deaf, foreign speaking,
or child. So great is cur sense Of
barrier when the give and take Of
glances Is ruled out!
IAN intellectual blind woman who
minded being blind more than any one
I have known made the following notes
for me for the families Of blinded SOL
diers:
Cultivate the faculty of clear and
exact description SO that the blinded
will be able to visualize what you are
seeing.