When a Blind Man got his Sight.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 189, 15 August 1904, Page 4

When a Blind Man got his Sight.

i FRIGHTENED BY WHAT HE SAW If tho eyes of one who had never stK'n were suddenly opened tho world would be « strange sight. Wo see nut only by means of the physical powers of the eye, but by experience. A blind man whoso sight is restored cannot recognise his own wife until he touches' her face or hears her voice. A man who had never seen until lie was thirty years? olil hns recorded his impressions when the bandage was drawn from his eyes in the hospital, and he was, as it were, born again into the world. What I saw frightened me ; it was so big and made such strange emotions. 1 called out in terror and put out my hands. My fingers touched Imy nurse's face. I knew she was there, for she had- just taken the bandage from my eyes, and I knew what I was touching, but I did not know what it was I saw. "For mercy's Sake, what is it ?" I askod. The nurso answered mo soothingly, taking my fingers in her hand and moving them from her mouth to her eyes, to her nose, chin and forehead. It is my face f.iat you see. Look l You know this is my mouth—my chin —and tlieso are my eyes." Soon I knew that I was seeing what was familiar to the touch 0 f my fingers—a human face. liut the sensation was still one of terror I seemed so small beside the expanse of human features' which was so familiar to my fingers, so unnatural to my now sense. When the nurse moved away from my cot 1 felt a new sensation, which was so agreeable that. I laugf.cd aloud. The nurse came back 'but not so close as before. ''What is that?" I.asked, "You are looking at the blanket which lies across your feet," she said. "Blankets must be verv beautiful things," I said. " U ia a red blanket," sho explainThen I thought I knew whv people spoke of the 'beauty of the red rose. 1 his* was my first knowledge of colours. I saw and yet did not know that I saw. How could I know at first i hat tho. e new ami wonderful sensations meant the birth of a stnse | of which I knew nothing except in theory? Of course I was expecting to see, but was this sight-this jumme of extraordinary sensations ? Iho dazzling l light first convinced lor I 'i'a-'i always boon able to distinguish between nigiht and day. Hut 1 could not recognise objects with my new-found sense until 1 had translated into its spweh the language of the oG.icr souses. Tho one lesson of the blanket was suflioient to teach me -tine colour red Yellow was a different matter. The nurse brought me a cool drink. I could recognise her by right now. Ihe thing I saw 'in her hands I know to he a tray after I ha'd felt it. Sud(kvnly T felt a thrill of disgust. "Uhntis tihal thing on the tray?" I asked. "It makes mo sick." "H is a lemon. You that you liked lemonade." " I Mien it is* yellow. It-'is the colour that nauseates me." i Any object close to me looked tremendously large. 1 had often romped with my children, yet when I first set eyes on a baby it looked giThe first 'flay I sat by the window I put out my hand to feel the' pavement. 4 "That must be the pavement/' 1 ! sard. "I'm 'going to feel of it to .make sure." i /'My goodness !" laughed the nurse. ! "The pavement is two storeys below." The firsit meal I ate was an odd exi perience. When I saw that great i hand with a huge fork approaching I ray mouth, the inclination to dodge was almost irresistible.