The Daily News WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17. EYESIGHT AND HEALTH.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 151, 17 June 1908, Page 2

The Daily News WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17. EYESIGHT AND HEALTH.

u instructive article on an important latter is contriuuteil to "World's nil'k" by l)r. Duther 11. tiiiliek, I'l'esieiil of the American Physical Kilticaional Association and director ol

physical training i« tin; public schools ol .New iork lily. It is entitled "liooil Kye.--ighl in Kclatioii U) (lood ileaith.' jJr. (iulii'k quotes tasrs in which friend; sulfering from eyestrain were tri-atc. by medical moil for all manner of dii oases before they thought of luin^;inj an optician into eonsullation. Hi- csti mutes tha.t probably one-fourth of al tin- educated people ill America suite from various kindb of disturbances that arc mori; or loss due to o.yc-strain, which in a large uunUx 1 ! of oreatos an extraordinary oencrat condition of tiniHid.v. II frequently happens, lie says. tlr.it persons sniveling not only from headaches, I nit also from backaches, sometimes indigestion, and own Ironi hysteria, are enred of these troubles from tile use of simple spectacles. The reason for the tremendous results of eye-strain appears to lie at least partly tiiis: The oJVoot produced is not due so imieh to the size of the muscles involved as to the relation which those muscles hear to the vital parts of tile human machine. The pictures that are made in our eyes, and that are always being translated into nerve currents and reported to the brain, form the foundation for onr thinking. They constitute a far larger factor of tlie bruin than the mere size of the muscles involved would indicate. That is, vision is a fundamental activity, and liv interfering with it many of tlie oliicr organisms are disturbed. Constant, exhaustion and strain of these visual centres will frequently cause disturbances of the- most extensive character. It is interesting to follow Dr. Gulick in his .philosophising oil this subject, lie comes to the conclusion that- tlie strain of civilised races is heavier upon'the eyes than upon any j of the other bndilv organs. 1 his is not I because vision is more important to J civilised man than is any other sense.

but because men's eyes in a civilised community are used .diilerently than tney were ill savage life. No other patt

[if the liodv lias had the emphasis upon

its work change so greatly as has the eve. Tin' savage had t" look at near tilings and far tilings, at large things and .-mall things equally—the modern \ man reads. The capacity for seeing tvpe belongs to the civilised eye. aud it is onlv because we have tasked this capacity to a tremendous degree ami for considerably periods every day. in order to distinguish the small dillrr eneos in these black marks on white paper, that there exists this strain that is producing deterioration of'.the civilised eye. It is found that deformities of the oyo increase from year to year in >chool life, thus showing that ibey are acquired and that the school and civilisation are responsible for making them. The Mimming-up of it all is thai ! we should take greater care of the eyes j than has been our custom.