Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 28, 1909)
Modern Science Praised for Saving Sight ' 5 OR. J. ttOdEPftfftE BAKER SlP BW YORK. Science prom- Isea to innko bllndnesa a thing of the past. In fact, tho eminent oyo specialists of Now York say that there is a bright outlook for the human oyo by reason of tho great progress mado In the treatment of eye diseases. Medina! regulations making the caro of tho eyes In babies and the constant Inspection of tho eyes of school chil li rcn obligatory by law are rapidly diminishing tho causes which, in years gono by, rosulted in blindness, ears tho Now York Herald, i Nevertheless experts aro agreed that the distinctive feature of tho American eye is hyperopia astigmatism, or farsightedness, due to the nervous wtraln of American life, which causes a shortness of tho eyeball, as a result of nrrostcd development, as differenti ating from Germans, among whom mylopla, or near-sightedness, Is most prevalent. ' Hyperopia, or farsightedness, is, however, not r.n cyo dlseaso but mere ly a condition which causes headaches, nausea and nervous ailments peculiar to tho nervous tension of American life. Thero is nnother cause, how over, that has much to do with the strain on American eyes, and that Is tho habit of reading badly printed newspapers, books and magazines on railway trains and Btrcot cars. ' . , , y Too Close Print to Blame. , Even In the homo the reading of cloeo print is acknowledged to bo a proline causo of eye weakness. There fore tho action of the Herald in using larger typo in Its news columns has been widely commended. So eminent an authority as Dr. J. Herbort Claiborne in the treatment of the eyes says: "It was tho rational and reasonable thing to do in view of tho existing conditions. I bavo for a long time been preaching in favor of having all nowspapers and books, especially those devoted to educational purposes, printed in large typo, Spaces between letters and between printed lines should bo wider in order to glvo ease to tho oyes when reading. This fact has been at last recog nized by tho board of education, which Js now taking caro that all school books shall he printed In larger typo. Dr. William H. Maxwell, city superin tendent of bcIiooIb, in speaking on this subject said: "I have read a great many things written by doctors on tho subject of tho effect of illegible type on the eyesight. The board of educa tion adopted a new list of books last June, und in doing so enro was takpn that all the books accepted wero tirinted In largo type." Furthermore, one of tho chief cares bf tho department of health of New York city is to sea that tho eyes of the school children shall be in perfect (condition. Mr. ThomaB Darlington, 'commissioner of health, says: "Tho tehlld of to day will bo the man of to morrow, and the hope and outcome of our cxlstcnco as n peoplo rests upon that assurance of physical virility which wo can offer to the futuro. Service of Patriotism. ' "The world Is awnko as never be fore to tho import of this danger that threatens. Saving the babies and keeping tho children healthy is not merely humanitarian Impulse. It is civic and national service aud the highest type of patriotic duty. "In considering the health of the baby and Its chance for life, wo must take into account the conditions sur rounding Its birth. For this purpose the division of child hygiene was formed. This year flvo different agencies havo volunteered the services of nurses who have worked under our direction. Tho department has bad a staff of Its own, numbering 41. Dur ing tho porlod between April 15 and September 1, a total of 57,015 first visits wero made. Of these 18,165 visits were mado to births reported by mldwives. There wero reported 02 cases of sore eyos and a confirma tory diagnosis of ophthalmia neonato rum by tho ophthalmologists of tho department, was mado in 22 cases at tended by mldwives. This remark able result is undoubtedly duo to tho fuct that tho department insists upon the use of a ono per cent, solution of Eilvcr nitrate dropped Into tho oyes uf si! i cy; lxir-u Infpntc. In 1 itbar words, blindness at birth has been practically abolishod in New York." Much Good Work Dono. Dr. S. Josephine Baker is tho hoad of tho Now York, health department's division of child hygiene. In speak' Ing of. the work of tho nurses and physicians in her department from tho period of April 15 to September 1, Dr, Baker said: "So far na I know, this is tho first authentic investigation in which data wero obtained on which to baso statistics regarding mldwives. It snowed that tnero must huvo been n great Improvement over conditions which wero alleged formerly to exist In Now York city last year thero wero reported 125,000 births, of which 55, OOO wero reported by mldwlvefl.' "It is most decidedly not true," said Dr. J. Herbert Claiborne, ono of Now York's eminent cyo specialists, "that blindness is on tho increase. In no de partment of medicine havo such strides been made as In the treatment of ophthalmia. In ono particular alone wo have reducod percentages of blind ness following upon b'rth from twenty to thirty per cent to one-half of one per cent. In skilled institutions and to one to two per cent in hospitals, where less care is exercised. In other wordB, whero previously 100 children were born with ophthalmia neonato rum, twenty to thirty went bllnd( Now this percentngo has been reduced by Bklll and supervision to one-half of one per cent Much Good In Crede Method. "Ophthalmia neonatorum is the dls easo which in former times was tho curso of infants, particularly among tho lower classes. It was the causo of blindness In twenty to thirty por cent. of all tho victims of tho dlseaso in nil the lylng-ln hospitals of the world. "Since then wo havo adopted tho Crede method. This was tho method instituted by Dr. Credo of Lclpslc, Germany, for tho treatment of all chil dren from the moment of tholr birth. By this method tho eyelids of tho newborn child are separated and two drops of ono per cent solution of ni trate of silver aro dropped Into each eye. "In many countries tho Crede mothod has been made obligatory by law, and it Is enforced In levernl states of tho union. It is tho endeavor of ophthalmologists to have this cus tom mado obligatory among nil per sons who are accoucheurs. That man who to-day does not use tho Credo 1 method at tho birth of a child is guilty of a crime. The Crede mothod is one of the greatest blessings that ever camo to the human race. It has been In use for tho last 15 years, and previous to that time the blind asylums of the world were flllod with victims of this preventable disease. Eyeballs Too 8hort. "We're a hyperoplc race. Our eye balls are short, and to overcome it wo'vo got to use a mucclo of accommo datlon In a vicarious way. This, how ever, is not a dlseaso. "Tho very beginning of all peda gogy Is the proper adjustment of the visual and breathing organs. Before any child Is sent to school Its eyes. noso and throat should bo examined. Wo rush our children In a shameful tho blind asylums with children who havo been blind from youth. Guarding Against Trachoma. "Tho next most common causo of blindness is trachoum. All tho great transatlantic steamship companies havo surgeons on board who aro on tho lookout for this disease. It Is nn Illustration of tho stringency of this law that any lino which permits a case of trachoma to bo passed is fined $100 for each case. Tho Inspection is most cautious. "Tho two diseases mentioned, tra choma and ophthalmia neonatorum, constitute tho greatest causes for the destruction of tho human eye. Al though wo haven't found tho causo for trachoma, as we havo for otfhthnlnlln neonatorum, tho disease, Is becoming loss frequent In this country because we aro preventing its spread through tho adoption of modern methods In Its' treatment. "Other cases of blindness are acci dental, such as tho death of tho optic norvo, or glaucomn, tho hardening of tho eyeball. But as a matter of fact all other causes of tho destruction of the human oyo nro not to be compared in tholr eltccts to those of the two leading diseases beforo mentioned. Blindness caused by cataract Is amen- ablo to treatment and 1b opornblo In a majority of cases, "Now, hero wo como to ono of my fnds, nnd that Is that the refractive er rors of tho country arc duo to hyper oplc nstlgmatism, n condition in Which the eyeball is not dcvolopcd up to its normal length. "Hyperopia Is farsightedness -and In this country tho proportion of hyper opia errors to other causes of cyo troubles is as throe nnd four or al most Ave to one. This can bo seen by an Inspection of the eye hospitals. Effect of Rapid Living. "This fault, for it Is not n disease, bears In a mcasuro on tho subject of American development. It Is caused primarily by arrested development Our lives nro such rapid, lives that wo rarely como to fruition beforo passing away. "Hyperopia Is farsightedness. It gives pain nnd discomfort. It is duo to a shortness in tho length of tho eyeball, and tho strain on tho musclo of accommodation causes hcadacho, nauscn and other Ills. "In Germany, on tho contrary, tho lars to tho bar Flf'. qualm la o ... tho dally average conuimptloii of but tormllk at the Itotol Knickerbocker bar. Browno's chophouso has put 'in1 a big porcfclnln churn U keep butter milk handy for Its devotees of tlio Rlalto. Thrco or four hundred drlnlCB of it is tho dally average consumed by tho sporting cloniont which fre quents tho Union cafo In Broadway, and the Uourso nnd other saloons la tho financial district sell moro butter milk than mnlt liquors. Buttermilk appeals to tho "hard" liquor drinker more than to tho con sumer of beer, according to statistic Jans of tho crooked olbow. They also hssort that whisky and wine drinking go with speculation nnd malt liquors do not pointing for proof to tho popu lar saloons In tho Wall street district, where consumption of beer nnd nlo 1b insignificant and whisky Is going across the barn In n steady stream from ten to four o'clook. Only n fow years ago big and little lights of Wall Htreot mado ft dally pil grimage In hot weather to tho little booth In Hattery park, opposlto tho barge oinco, tho only place In that region where buttermilk wns Bold. Within two blocks of thnt bo6th tho other day the German proprietor of a saloon was almost hysterical at tho sight of the whlto Hood his bartondera wero unloosing, whllo tho boor pumps wero almost silent. Buttermilk served In Now York's saloons Is not the by-product of tho old-tlmo dairy form, which It was too much troublo to market nt three cents n ciillon nnd was fed to the pigs. It Ih n specially prepnred fluid, retain- Ing In modified nnd rlponod form near-1 ly all of the components of the best fresh mile Now York Herald. E How Minnie Shadowed H. Sylvester Jones By MARY E. HOLLAND (Copyright. KW, by Dally Btcry I'ub. Co.) ELDERLY MEN KEEP ACTIVE Some Methods by Which They Pro- serve Their Efficloncy Secrets of Good Health. Tho activity and good health of tho man over 40 Is ono of tho features of tho present day. . "Undoubtedly," observed a mombor of tho Itoynl Statistical society, "eld erly peoplo appear to maintain what ono may call a greater eillclcncy than they did yenrs ago. I think this Is largely duo to tho great growth In medlcn' skill and also to tho fact that A quiet, unobtrusive looking ntitonio- bllq drew up beforo n third-floor de tective hgency on ft certain sldo street of down-town New York. A heavily veiled woman desconded, Bpoko a fow. whispered words to tho chauffeur, nnd mado her way to tho grimed door, on whoso glass panels nppoared tho legend: "Sharp & Son, Prlvnto Detec tives." "Do you handlo divorce enses?" she Inquired, bluntly, Tho brisk, norvous man beforo her swept his eyes ovor hor qulotly gowned llgurc, "Thnt depends upon the character of tho caso," he rejoined, cautiously. Tho veiled woman took u quick stop toward him. "I wish ovldonce that will procura mo separation from my. husband. Can you furnish It?" Tho brisk man pondered. "Have you rcaBon to bcllovn that your husband' Is or, unfaithful?" "On tho contrary, I hnvo every rea son 'to. bollovo thnt ho Ib not" The brisk man pondered again. "You are sotting us n difllcult prohlom, my dear woman. Such cases, you must know, Involve heavy expenditure. I may Bay n very heavy expenditure" Ho paused as ho darted another shrewd glance toward tho veiled client beforo him. "Will you nnino nn cstlmato of that expense?" bIio nuked, quietly, "Certainly; wo could not conduct such a caso under $5,000." Tho woman drow a roomy purso '.tUnnfcT- nJVyJ wits cue of !as HEAR si&TTED EYE uTtfscn,E carves. JSP) ACCOKMODATIOifv Z.QTEET cHftlLl X"' J """""11 ".W?1 lW R '"VITREOUS wVr mntcra raWtv, 1 NORM AX, EfYE j IIIMHIIJIII I - ' ' sHfQl4SWW? SCO 111- proportion of myopln or nearsighted ness Is very great An explanation of why It Is not so common In this coun try lies In a high degrco to tho fnct that tho illumination of American homes is hotter than anywhero else In tho world. An Interesting thing In this connection Is that In Germany in the homes of tho woll-to-do one may see on tho pianos In tho place of piano lamps tho old-fashioned sconces for cnndles. Tho myopln In thnt coun try 1b undoubtedly caused In a great degree by bad Illumination. It Is undoubtedly duo to tho great care which Is being exercised In the treatment of tho oyes and by preBcrlb ... . -1 tirrinnr ulnsseu tlint tllO llOlTllMO way. in tne pumic acnoo. system or y ... : , whlpU xIst.,, 2-, UIDUUOVD Vlfc v.w J " years ago do not exist or occur very rarely. this country tho epitome of pedagogy In tho early stages is that it is mado obligatory that nil children must havo their eyes examined for rofractlvo er rors, besides having the nose and throat examined. "We have a regular battalion of young, doctors who aro examining chil dren in the schools. If they find any whose vision is lacking, such children at nt nnpA Rtnt in thn hnftnltal nr homo to be corrected. Children who BUTTERMILK MUCH IN FAVOR are suffering from headaches are im "There Is a bright outlook for tne human eye. Ono hundred years irora now the blind asylums will havo shrunk to absurd dlmonslovs. Blind nesB will be restricted to proventlblo causes, such as cerebral tumora, acci dents and the like." mediately relieved. .In fact, tho chll dren of this country are achieving education with less pain and dlscom fort than was ever known beforo in the hUtory of the entire world "Fifty years from now tho blind asylums will not have anything near Declared to Bo a Drink That Satisfies Without Exciting That Awful Craving. Regular drinkers of "hard" liquor in Now York havo suddenly discover ed that buttormllk is a bevorago which tha number of inmates they havo at Kratlflea and satisfies, but does not in- pre'sont. Blindness is becoming less obrlato, and havo adopted it to such. frnnuent in all civilized countries, an oxtcnt that It takes all of on which havo reduced to an absurd por- man's time In tho Waldorf-Astoria to nnUu tli at aizaasn -which Msm JUlaW nnrrv Jaca pf bUttcrmiUc from tho eel- peoplo particularly those In rcsponsl bio positions study tholr physical lt iicss fnr more than used to bo tho caso. Tho man of 45 or 50 appears to day, by careful dlotlng, golf nnd healthy oxorclso generally, to keep himself fnr moro alert and youthful looking than his father or grandfa tlior nt a similar age. "My view," said tho mlddlo-agod head of a prominent city firm, "Is that men In tho city preserve their effici ency nowadays far longer than they used to do. I know old men, ns you may call thorn, who Btlll beor upon tholr shoulders tho responsibilities of sonio big concern. Years ago thoy would havo been sitting nt homo 1b tholr slippers at such an ago." "Klderly men study their appear anco fur moro than they used to do," said tho manager of a city bank. "Thoy wear collars aud tics nnd styles In dress which moke them look smart and youthful. From my cxporlonco It certainly seems that tho eldorly man Is very loath to leave tho scono of his activities nowadnyH, I put it down to ouru being an abstemious ago. Dt rectfty n man has a small ailment ho coos straight to his physician. What tho medical man tells him to do ho docs exactly. HU ono deslro Is to keep fit, and ho managoB to do so." A Hard Life. Irritated citizen Aren't you ashamed of yourself going about with that strect-orgau and leading eucIi a lazy .ifo? Street Organist Lazy life? Why, dr, llfo with mo Is a long dally grind Baltimore American. from hor cloak nnd counted out ton yellow-hacked bills. . "Hero 1b $1,000. If you will. bring mo ovldcncq that "will secitro n dl vorcc, I will iticreaso It to $10,000," The brisk man smoothed tho bills cnrcsslngly. "And who Is your hus band, mndtiiii?" Tho veiled woman hesitated and then pronounced a name tlmt brought a low, involuntnry whlstlo from tho other's Hps. It wns that of ono of tho best known men of Wnll street. Tho detcctlvo gazed after tho de parting llguro of his client, with puck ered brows. But ho did not rcnllzo until a wcek'tt "shadowing" of II. Syl- voster JonoB had proved Ineffectual, just how difficult was tho prohlom bIio had left him. To till intents und pur poses, H. Sylvester Jones was n model husband In tho oyes of tho law. On tho eighth day a bright Ideacnmo to tho hoad of "Sharp & Son." For a momont iio sat with a broad grin on his face. Then ho pushed a boll and a young woman In a plain dross nnd with a careworn face, cntorcd from an lnnor room. Tho man spoko a dozon curt sen tences, Btrnlght to tho point. "I want you to got acquainted, Minnie, with H. SylveBtor Jones." Minnie opened her tired oyoB very wldo. "I fancy that your best mothod of approaching him Is at tho thoatcr," continued hor employer, briskly. "I happon to know that ho Is u continu ous, not to say an enthusiastic patron of tho drama." "You mean the show girls?" "Not he. That Is whoro I need your services. At tho psychological mo mont, wo will secure you a scat,. That seat will bo directly next to our dis tinguished gentleman. You will oc cupy It for tho better part of thrco hours. Do you catch the point? If you will manage your cards right, When you Icavo tho theater, you will bo acquainted with him, very woll ac quainted. After that point you wl mako your own plans. What Mrs. H. Sylvester Jones wants is an affi davit of Infidelity." Tho detective paused. Mlnnlo stiffened hor shoulders nnd a. quick Hush sprang Into hor palo Checks, A keen observer might havo so&n that under certain conditions sho might bo beautiful. Gradually tho tired eyes dropped and tho bent shoul ders relaxed. MJanlo had conquorpd herself. She was thinking of sick mother nnd llttlo sister. - "And what do I got?" sho asked. Tho detcctlvo held up tho' ten yel low-backed bills. "Thcso: nro yours for tho aflldavlt. You know whorolto go for tho clothes. I will telophone you If wo mako nrrangomonta for to night If not, wo'll try for to-morrow night. Wo aro bound to succeed Rome time nnd then It is up to yoil." As it happened, on tho third "oven' Ing 11. Sylvester Jones stopped. out ol his nutomobllo nnd entered tho Fffth nvcnuo theater, Flvo minutes latot n stylishly dressed young woman fol lowed him down tho nlslo and slipped Into tho noxt seat. It was Minnie but n very different Mlnnlo In ovonlnR dress nnd rouge, nn nltogother charm ing nnd fnsclnntlng Mlnnlo. Two mln utcs beforo tho orchestra began, she dropped hor handkerchief. H. Syl vester Jones extended It to her po litely. Sho smiled nnd ho looked at hor again. Sho was a girl tp no tice. Boforo the closo of tho l&et act h3 had mado n hesitating reninrk, and she had answered It, and ho hnd made another, and beforo tho closo of the Bccond net, they wero chatting ge nially. When tho final curtain de scended, they left tho theater together. Au agent of "Sharp & Son," loitering In the comer, noticed tho clrcum stanco and reported it to his chief. Tho lnttor smiled brondly and tho next morning eagerly awaited Mlnnlo'a ar rival. When noon camo and sho did not nppcnr, ho looked worried. When ovonlug enmo without hor, ho sont fot his ngent and tho two conferred to gether, Tho noxt day hp received n noto. It was a rcmarknblo note, and under It was tho scrawling signature ,ot Mlnnlo: "I do not wnnt your $1,000, and 1 hereby resign my position." Tho detcctlvo sworo and called for his agent again. Tho latter' looked glum nnd stnrtcd on a Bonrch for th missing girl. Ho found hor tho noxt week at n fashlonnblo sutto of apart monts, with two servants, a pearl necklace und nn array of diamond rings thnt dazzled him. "Tho chief wants yoUr affidavit,'' h began, curtly. "Ho can't hnvo It, and I don't wnnl him to bother mo nny more." Tho detcctlvo bounded from his chair and Mlnnlo tosBcd her head. "Mr. Jones has asked mo to bocomo hli wlfo nnd I hayo a.cceptcd his, offer!" Tho Htntoment was trup, ThQ s.qjiom of "Sharp & Son" had lndoedprovon a boomerang. Tho mlUlorialro. liad fallen in lbVe with tho girl who bad been sent to trap him, nnd hntV ten dered her not onily his wealth, bWhli namo. Tho fortunes of tho detocttvi ngoncy, however, wero only under a temporary cloud. II. Sylvester Jonei bluntly told his wife that cither ho oi who could go to South Dakota and re turn single Mrs, Jones took tho west cm trip nnd a few weeks ago tho de cree of divorce wm granted. H. Sylvostor Jones married Mlnnlo, and everybody Is satisfied, with the exception of "Sharp H Sous." Thoy haven't got their romnlnlng $9,000 yet, und there doeBn't Bccm to bo any ren- Ronablo prospect of their evor being called to receipt tho bill. Too Much Idealism In China. Itovlowlng "China," by Mortlmoi Mcnpcs and Sir Henry Arthur Blako, a writer sayB! "Tho root fallacy ol tho Chlnoso political Idon, which alone is rcsponsiblo for the low pluco ta which tho country has Butk In th scalo of nations, Is tho dlsreputo ol tho soldier. Tho grndntlons of tho so clal fabric nro: (1) Tho literati, foi mind Ib supcrolr to matter; (2) the agriculturist, for ho produces from the soil; (3) tho nrtlsnn, for ho Is n cre ator from tho raw m.itarlnl; (4) the mcrchnnt, for ho Is a distributor, (5) tho soldier, for ho Ih but a dostroyor, So China Is a sad example of what exccsslvo idealism may do for tho no tion. Her nrmlos havo been, for the most part, mcro hordes of undisci plined men, sometimes commanded by robberB roprlovod for that purpose on account of their supposed courago, Yet a 10 per cent lovy on tho popu latlon of China would furnish an army of forty millions." Furious Fun In English 8oclety. Now for tho game, tho most populat at country .houses this autumn. Yoi may call It a variation on tho old gami of consequences. Each guest has a strip of paper and pencil. Eact writes: "Why Is " (choosing tho name of Bomo woll known person, or a friend or acquaintance known to the gcnoral company), nnd then turm down his strip of paper and passes l on to tho noxt guest. Now ouch writes"; "Like a (choosing what slmllo ho will), Agalc tho strips aro passed on. Tho thlri tlmo each guest wrltos tho answer: "Bocnuso ho or bIio ." ThUB "Why Is Winston Churchill llko plnno organ? Becnuso ho files from pillar to post" Tho Gentlowoman. Fog. . Admiral Seymour, discussing fog a ono of tho Hudson-Fulton banquets, said, with a laugh: "Off tho Newfoundland Banks, you know, tho fog is often so thick thai tho captain has to get out and lead the ship."