AUTHOR OF “SAN MICHELE”

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 94, 15 January 1935, Page 4

AUTHOR OF “SAN MICHELE”

Eyesight Restored at Age of 77 Dr. Alex Munthe, the famous Swedish author of “San Michele,” has been given back his sight at the age of 77 by a successful operation performed at Zurich. WlifT Dr. Munthe wrote his famous book on San Michele ho had given up all hope of retaining his sight. Some of the most pathetic passages in the book deal with the gradual falling of the curtain of darkness as blindness approached. After the publication of the book with those touching passages he was inundated with letters of sympathy. The number of communications was so great that lie was finally obliged to announce that his well-mean-ind admirers were rather adding to bis trouble by constant reminders of his sad fate. Many of the writers were not content with mere expressions of sympathy. They added what they believed was practical counsel regarding means of overcoming the affliction. Large quantities of bottles of eye lotion of one kind or another found their way to Dr. Muntlie’s home on Cai-ri. One admirer made a truly magnificent offer. He stated that; it was possible for the failing eye (o be replaced by another in good condition if someone could be found who would spare one of his two sound ey%s. Not only did the writer point out the way but expressed himself as prepared to make the sacrifice and give up one of his own eyes so that the darkness of the author of "San Michele” should be lifted and the aged scribe should bo able to spend the remainder of his years in happiness at his beautiful Capri home.