Year: 1861




Very few give any attention to this subject
until warned by the evidences of the failure
| of eyesight This warning is often practical
ly too late. Light may be deficient or NAV
i be excessive in quantity. The introduction
| OF gas into our private houses has undoubt
edly produced injury to the vision on account
OF Its extreme brilliancy, but oftener on ac-
| count OF Its misapplication and mismanage-
ment. The argand burner furnishes light OF
as good quality, and a fame as steady, a.
can be procured In any way. If properly
shaded and guarded, no better light need be
desired. Several of our eminent iurists who
have much experience in night work, prefer
sperm or wax candles. There is no doubt
that great improvements will yet be intro
dueed, so that the gas fame will be made to
furnish light more like the white light OF
day, and more steady. 1t must OF elsit,
be concentrated, and for this reason be les,
excellent than daylight. Besides, it lacks
the chromatic constituents of the light which
the sun supplies.


THE BEDROOM.


The window of the bedroom should no,
look toward the rising sun. Unless design
ing TO rise before the sun is up, the bed oou
window looking toward the east should be
carefully protected by shutter or blind.
We hal case OF serious opthalmia now
under our care, which owed its origin to d
short exposure TO sunlight before rising III
the morning. Such cases are not unfre-
quent For the same reason, namely, thai
the pupil IS IN adIlated condition, ami there
fore unprepared for the accession OF light,
evil results have occurred from gazing at the
moon or at an eclipse, viewing panoramas,
and other similar exposures.


SHADES FOB GAS.


When gas is used it should never be un-
shaded The shade should be diaphanous
it should never be made of thick paper, or
tin, or any Opaque substance, nor should il
ever be lined with a rejecting material.


We have suggested shade of ''blue be-
rage" or tissue" which being cut of the pro-
per shape, it can be readily drawn over the
ordinary wire frame, which is sold in shops,
to sustain the common paper shade. This
contrivance is employed and gives much sat
isfaction in several of our seminaries O. learn
ing.


BAD HABITS.


Looking at panoramas, fireworks, light
ming, reading by the light of the moon at
twilight, the use of the telescope, micro cope,
are all dangerous modes of employing the
eyes. On this subject we might say much il
space afforded. There are two methods OF
injuring the eye by the false direction OF
light, which we must pause 10 mention that
is, reading by side light, or while lying in
bed. The universality OF the first habit has
led to the frequent observation among. .ocu-
lists that the left eye Is most apt to be diseas-
ed. The evil effects of the latter are illustra-
ted in the case of patient who had applied
to us while writing this page. He has asthe-
nopia in the left eye, caused by reading IN
bed while lying upon his right side. II is
true the light should come over the lett shoul-
der, but it should fall from above, and the
head should be erect.


LIGHTS IN CHURCHES.
We do not know of better place than
this to enter our protest against the method
OF lighting churches We are often told by
our patients that it takes half the week to re-
cover from the effects OF the gas light on Sab
bath evening. The subject of deranged Wis
ion must enter tue church, after having pass
ed through darkness from his own lighted
sa"S-aSSa sAASSt s-s--~s. SE'.o4
ever he turns his eyes. Ii he would look at
the preacher he must endure the ordeal of
facing argand burners, or gas jets, shining d.
recty in his eyes. Surely on this subject
there il too little consideration.