Better Eyesight Magazine/March 1922

From Wikisource

←Better Eyesight Magazine/February 1922

Better Eyesight Magazine by William Horatio Bates March 1922

Better Eyesight Magazine/April 1922→

Better Eyesight

A MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE PREVENTION AND CURE OF IMPERFECT SIGHT WITHOUT GLASSES

March, 1922

SEE THINGS MOVING

When the sight is perfect the subject is able to observe that all objects regarded appear to be moving. A letter seen at the near point or at the distance appears to move slightly in various directions. The pavement tonics toward one in walking, and the houses appear to move in a direction opposite to one's own.'In reading the page appears to move in a direction opposite to that of the cyc.;4f one tries to imagine things stationary, the vision is at once lowered and discomfort and Inin ma) be produced, not only in the eyes and head, but in other parts of the body.

This movement is usually so slight that it is seldom noticed till the attention is called to it, but it may be so conspicuous as to be plainly observable even to pcnone with inarkedly imperfect sight. If such persons. for instance, hold the hand within six inches of the face and turn the head and eyes rapidly from side to side, the hand will be seen to move in a direction opposite to that of the eyes. If it does not move, it will be found that the patient is straining to see it in the eccentric field, By observing this movement it becomes possible to see or imagine a less conspicuous movement, and thus the patient may gradually become able to observe a slight movement in every object regarded. Some persons with imperfect sight lutvc been cured simply by inmginin that they see things moving all clay long.

The world moves. Let it move. All objects move if you let them. Do not interfere with Ibis movement, or try to stop it. '['his cannot be clone without an effort Mdch impairs the efficiency of the eye and mind.

THE MISSION OF "BETTER EYESIGHT"

With this number Better Eyesight enters upon its second year. It was started in July, 1919, for the purpose of diffusing a knowledge of the truth about central fixation, and it has accomplished all that was hoped for it. It has carried the message that errors of refraction are curable to thousands of people. and many of these people have been pable. top cure these conditions in themselves and others solely by means of the information which it has contained.

The magazine is modest in its appearance. One can get many tines the amount of reading matter which it contains at any newsstand for the same money, but the value of truth cannot be estimated by the number of words required to state it, and it is the object of the editor to give the public the truth about central fixation as briefly and simple as possible. The truth eau usually, be stated briefly and simply. It is error which is hard to understand and which requires a multitude of words for its presentation.

The editor believes that no one who values his or her eyesight can afford to he without thi, magazine. It has a message not out} for those whose sight is imperfect, but for those whose sight is normal. No one. however good his sight may ordinarily be, has perfect sight all the time.

No one has as good sight as lie might have. Therefore everyone can be benefited by prartiring the principles presented in this magazine. While persons with imperfect sight may thus gain normal vision, persons with so-called normal sight can always improve it, and may even double the accepted standard of normality, or gain a measure of telescopic or microscopic vision. It is not a good thing to be satisfied with just normal sight. Not only is keen sight a great convenience, but it reflects a condition of mind which reacts favorably upon all the other senses, upon the general health and upon the mental faculties.

Even the blind can get some help from Bcttcr EYc.,ighl. Not all blind persons are curable, but the editor believes that an increasing number of blind persons may expect help from central fixation, for already it has been found possible to relieve or cure such conditions as cataract, glauconia, conical cornea, rctinitis pignicinosa, cyclitis, opacities of the cornea, and atrophy of the optic nerve.

The magazine will continue to publish during the coming year, as it has in the past, the latest discoveries of the editor, the experiences of cured patients-which have proven to be very valuable-and practical instructions for the improvement of the eyesight. ZOn page 2 of each issue we will continue to give specific directions for self-treatment in language as simple as possible, so that persons who are not physicians can understand it. We have had much (cstimony to the value of this page, and the editor strongly urges every subscriber, no matter what the condition of his or her eyesight, to demonstrate these truths as they appear.

Better Evesight stands for a revolution in the treatment of eye troubles, and has had to meet the difficulties that always beset the path of the revolutionist. For seventyfive years we have believed that errors of re~raction-by

which is meant the inability of the cyc to focus light rays accurately upon the retina-were due to organic and irremediable causes. The editor of Better Eyes{qhl has proved that these troubles are functional and curable, that the elongated eyeball of tnyopia (shortsight) the flattened eyeball of hypermetropia (farsight), and the lopsided eyeball of astigmatism, can he made to resume their normal shape, temporarily in a few minutes, and more continuously by further treatment;, The world has been slow to receive this message. Tlie editor is practically alone in advocating central fixation. A small number of physicians, including a few eye specialists, who have been cured or seen members of their families cured of eye troubles, without glasses, operations, or medication, have been convinced that the old theories about the eve and the treatment of defects of vision are wrong; hut,ver_y few have had courage to endorse the new treatment publicly.

"]'his is not to be wondered at, and is not It cause for discouragement. The editor now wonders at his own slowness in seeing the truth. The facts conquered his conservatism at last only because they were irresistible, and for the same reason they must ultimately conquer all conservatism. Physicians and others who refuse to accept them, or even to investigate them, will be swept aside to make room for those of more open mind.

fn the meantime, Better Lvesight needs friends, it needs encouragement, it needs subscribers. The editor appeals to present subscribers to continue their support, and to advertise whenever and wherever they have an opportunity the good news that the eye is not a blunder of nature, as the textbooks teach, but an instrument as perfectly adapted to the needs of civilized man as to those of the savage. Persons who have cured themselves should utilize every opportunity to improve the sight of relatives and friends. All parents

should be told that they have it in their power to prevent and cure defects of vision in their children and at the same time to improve their health and increase their mental efficiency. The same message should be carried to teachers and school boards. The blind should be told of this new hope for the sightless, and societies for the blind should be urged to investigate it If everyone who has demonstrated the truth of central fixation does his of her duty in the matter, defective eyesight will soon cease to be, as it has so long been, the curse of civilization.

STORIES FROM THE CLINIC S: The Jewish Woman By EMILY C. LIERMAN

Just before the war a Jewish woman, sixty-three years of age, came to the clinic and begged me to luip her just a little.

"Please don't bother trying to cure me," she said. ""I' hat is too much to expect, and anyhow I am an old lady, so what does it matter?"

Her eyes were half shut, because the light bothered her and she fell more comfortable with the lids lowered. She told me that she was suffering great pain both in her eyes and head, and when I had her look at the test card at ten feet it was all a blur to her. I showed her how to palm, but the position tired her, and she said she was not accustomed to praying so long-she was quite a sinner. As she weighed over two hundred pounds and was sick in hnlh mind and body, I asked her how much she ate every day.

"Oh, I don't eat much-nothing to speak of at all," she said. "In the morning I eat eggs, or •omething like that, and rolls and butter and coffee. Theu about ten I have a few slices of bread with more butter and more coffee. At

noon 1 have soup, bread and butler and more coffee. For supper I have bread, butter, meat, vegetables and more coffee. That's all."

She took more food in one day than I did in three, and when I told her she ate too much, it appeared to frighten her. for she staid away for two weeks. Eating, no doubt, was one of (lie few pleasures she had in life, and site did not wish to be deprived of it.

IVltcn site returned I had her palm again, and this improved her sight from 20/100 to 20,/50. It also relieved her pain markedly, and when I told her that she would gel still more help, both for her eyes and her body generally, if she would eat less, she agreed to do so.

In spite of her pain and misery, my patient had always_ been full of Immor, and her witty remarks had been a source of much amusement to me; but one day, just after the declaration of war, I found her in a corner weeping. When I asked her to read the test card for me, she said with tears:

"Please, tnu-se, I can't see anything today. My two sons have enlisted, one as a marine, and the other as an aviator,, and they are never coming back, I am afraid. I cannot sleep:. I ant suffering great pain all over my body. My heart is breaking."

From the beginning I had felt that she had been a devoted mother, and as I am always drawn to good mothers, I now felt a great pity for her grief. In order to get her mind off her pain, I encouraged her to talk about her boys.

"1-fow proud you must be to have two sons to fight for your country, and for you!" I said. "I wish I had tell sous I would give them all for lily country."

Thcec remarks were not very consoling, I admit, in the presence of a sorrow like this, and the stricken mother refused to he comforted. But when I said, "You wouldn't

be proud of them if they u' ere cowards, and Uncle Sam wouldn't want them if they were criminals in a jail," she straightened up and said:

"You are right. They are brave boys all right, and I nor proud of theta."

I now tested tier sight with the card, and found it better than ever before.

"You have the right medicine," she said, "I am coming again. I do not understand why I can see so well now after being so blind a few minutes ago."

I squeezed her arm above the elbow and asked: "Do you feel that?"

"Yes," she replied.

"Well, that is just what you are doing to the muscles of your eyes, and the strain blinded you. When you relaxed, the pressure was relieved and your sight improved. It was the pressure that lowered the vision."

At a later visit she brought a package for me, explaining that she had no money and wanted to express her gratitude. I took the package home, and when I opened it I found a loaf of delicious real bread-not Hoover bread. I'd y neighbors were very envious of me, because the only bread they could obtain had a flavor like that of sawdust. At the time I appreciated that bread more than a five dollar bill.

Every time the patient came to the clinic we tallied about her boys for a few minutes. and it certainly had a good effect upon tier eyesight. When the war ended and the boy came home, every one who would listen heard of the great things they had done "over there." One would have thought one was attending an annual convention of some sort instcnrl of an eye clinic.

During the war and up to about six months ago, flu 1>:itient came more or less regularly to the clinic.. Palming always helped her, but as she complained that it made her

;tnns ache to hold her hatuls over licr eyes, I had her simply claw Iwr cyc• ~~ itllout palming. Tltis al,o helped her. One da} I placed lur tWo feet Imther from [lie card than usual, and asked her )toe, much she could see. Site replied:

"Now, y„u know I am an old woman. and I guess my eyes are getting old too. I cannot sec so far."

f told her to close her eyes and rest them, forget that ,lie had eyes, and think of black velvet, or her black hat. Ten minutes later she read 10/20, and her eyes had a natural appearance. She became very much excited and asked me what I (lid to her.

Dieting also helped her eyesight and nerves very much, but site could not always bring herself to fm ego the pleasure of eating what slic wanted. She forgot most of the things I told her to do at home, but I don't think she ever forgot a meal, not did she realize the quantity of food she consumed when she gave free rein to her appetite. If she had always done as she was told. I am sure site would have been completely cured long ago. As it was, her improvement was very remarkable. Not only (lid she become able to read 10/20, but at the time she stopped coming to the clinic she said that the pain and discomfort in her eyes had entirely ceased. She was sleeping better, and her general physical condition was greatly improved.

Ifer case made me realize more clearly than ever the relation of mental strain to defective vision. I could not help her until I found out t+•hat site had on her heart, and pwhen. byp means of a little sympathy-1 could give her nothing clsc-i was able to get her mind off her trouble, or stake it scan less to her. her nerves always relaxed. It way very remarkable the way a pleasant conversation, will],,in ftuiltcr treatment, would improve her sight. The experience was afterward a great help to me in treating other patients In the rush of work at the dispensary it has

often seemed that I could not take tile time to talk to the patients, to get acquainted with them, to let them tell tile about their troubles. I know now that this is not a waste of time, but a very. necessary part of the treatment.

WHAT GLASSES DO TO US By \Y. H. BATES, I\I. D.

On a lamb in the Church of Santa Gloria Maggiore in Florence was found tile following inscription: "Here lies Salvino degli Armati, Inventor of Spectacles, llpay Cod pardon him his sins."'

The Florentines were doubtless mistaken in supposing that their fellow citizen was the inventor of tile lenses now so commonly worn to correct errors of refraction. ']'here has been much discussion as to the origin of these devices, but they are generally believed to have been known at a period much earlier than that of Salvino degli Armati. The • Romans at least must have known something of the art of supplementing the powers of the eye, for Pliny tells its that Nero used to watch the games in the Colosseum through a concave gem set in a ring for that purpose. If, however, his contemporaries believed that Salvino of tile Armati was the firm to produce these aids to vision, they might well pray for the pardon of his sins; for while it is true Iliat eyeglasses have brought to some people improved vision and relief from pain and discomfort. they have been to others simply an adder] torture. they always do more or ]Pas harm. and at their best they never improve the vision to normal.

That glasses cannot improve the sight to normal can be very simply demonstrated by looking at any color through a strong convex or concave Mass. Tt will be noted that the color is always less intenac~than when seen with the naked

eye; and since the perception Of form depends upon the perception of color, it folio,,, that both color and form must be Ices distinctly seen with glasses than without them. Even plane glass loners the vision both for color and form, as everyone knows who has ever looked out of a window.

That glasses must injure the eye is evident from the fact that one cannot see through them unless one produces the degree of refractive error which they are designed to correct. But refractive errors, in the eye which is left to itself, are never constant.' If one secures good vision by the aid of concave, or convex, or astigmatic lenses, therefore, it means that one is maintaining constantly a degree of refractive error which otherwise would not he maintained constantly. It is only to be expected that this should make the conditions worse, and it is a matter of common experience that it does. After people once begin to wear glasses their strength, in most cases, has to be steadily increased in order to maintain the degree of visual acuity secured by the aid of the first pair.

That the human eye resents glasses is a fact which no one would attempt to deny. Every oculist knows that patients have to "get used" to them, and that sometimes they never succeed in doing .so. Patients with high degrees of myopia and hypermctropia have great difficulty in accustoming themselves to the full correction, and often are never able to do so. The strong concave glasses required by myopes of high degree make all objects seem much smaller than they really are. while convex glasses enlarge them. These are unpleasantncsses that cannot be overcome. Patients with high degrees of astigmatism stiffer some very dis~igrecable sensations when they first put on glasses, for which reason they are warned by one of [lie Consen vation of Vision

leaflets published by the Council on Health and Public Instruction of the American Medical Association to "get uged to them at home before venturing where a misstep might cause a serious accident.

All glasses contract the field of vision to a greater or less degree. Even with very weak glasses patients arc unable to see distinctly unless they look through the center of the lenses, with the frames at right angles to the line of vision; and not only is their vision lowered if they fail to do this, but annoying nervous symptoms, such as dizziness and headache, are sometimes produced. Therefore they are unable to turn their eyes freely in different directions. It is true that glasses are now ground in such a way that it is theoretically possible to look through them at any angle, but practically they seldom accomplish the desired result.

The difficulty of keeping the glass clear is one of the minor discomforts of glasses, but nevertheless a most annoying one. On damp and rainy days the atmosphere clouds them. On hot days the perspiration from the body may have a similar effect. On cold days they are often clouded by the moisture of the breath. Every day they are so subject to contamination by dust and moisture and the touch of the fingers incident to unavoidable handling that it is seldom they afford an absolutely unobstructed view of the objects regarded.

Reflections of strong light from eyeglasses arc often very annoying, and in the street may be very dangerous. Soldiers, sailors, athletes, workmen and children have great difficulty with glasses because of the activity of their lives, which not only leads to the breaking of the lenses, but often throws them out of focus, particularly in the case of eyeglasses worn for astigmatism.

The fact that glasses are very disfiguring may seem a matter mmorthy of consideration in a medical publication; but mental discomfort does not improve either the general heaith or the vision, and while we have gone so far toward making a virtue of what we conceive to be necessity that sume of u< haee actually conic to consider glasses becoming, huge round lenses in ugly tortoise-shell frames being positively fashionable at the present time, there are still some nnperverted minds to which the wearing of glasses is mental torture and the sight of them upon others far from agrccable. Most htuuan beings are, unfortunately, ugly• enough without putting glasses upon them, and to disfigure any of the really beautiful faces that we have with such contrivances is surely as bad as putting an import tax upon art. As for putting glasses upon a child it i-, enough to make the angels weep.

Up in about a generation ago glasses were used only as an ;iid to defective sight, but they are now prescribed for large numbers of persons who can see as well or better without them. The hypermetropic eye is believed to be capable of correcting its own difficulties to some extent by altering the curvature of the lens, through the activity of the ciliary mmscle. The eye with simple myopia is not credited with this capacity, because an increase in the convexity of the lens, which is supposed to be all that is accomplished by accommodative effort, would only increase the difficulty, and this, it is believed, can be overcome, in part, by alterations in the curvature of the Icns. Thus we are led by the theory to the conclusion that an eye in which any error of refraction exists is practically never free, while open, from abnormal accommodative efforts. In other words, it is assumed that the supposed muscle of accommodation has to bear, not only the normal burden of changing the focus of the eve for vision at different distances, but

the additional burden of compensating for refractive errors. Such adjustments, if they actually took place, would naturally impose a severe strain upon the nervous system, and it is to relieve this strain-which is believed to be the cause of a host of functional nervous troubles-quite as much as to hnprove the sight, that glasses are prescribed.

It has been demonstrated, ho1VCVer. that the lens is not a factor, either in the production of accommodation, or in the correction of errors of refraction. Therefore under no circumstances can there be a strain of the ciliary muscle to be relieved. It has also been demonstrated that when the vision is normal no error of refraction is present, and the extrinsic muscles of the eyeball are at rest. Therefore there can be no strain of the extrinsic tonscles to he relieved in these cases. When a strain of these muscles does exist, glasses may correct its effects upon the refraction, but the strain itself they cannot relieve. On the contrary, as has been shown, they must make it worse. Nevertheless persons with normal vision who wear glasses for the relief of a supposed muscular strain arc often benefited by them. This is a striking illustration of the effect of inental

gestion, and plane glass, if it could inspire the wine faith. would produce the same result. In fact. many patients have told me that they had been relieved of various discomforts by glasses which I found to be simply plane glass. One of these patients was an optician tvho had fitted the glasses himself and was under no illusions wltateer about them; yet he assured me that when tic dhln't wear them he got headaches.

When glasses do not relieve headaches and other nervous symptoms it is assumed to be because they were not properly fitted, and some practitioners and their patients exhibit an astounding degree of patience and perseverance in their joint attempts to arrive ~t the proper prescription.

A palicnt tvlio •utTcred from sci'ere pains in the base of his brain was littcd sixty times by one specialist alone, and had bc,idcs visited many other eye and nerve specialists in this cnuntrv and in Europe. 1-le was relieved of the pain ii, live minutes by the methods recommended by this nuigazinc, a'hilc his vision at the same time became temI~orarily normal.

As n•frectivc abnormalities are continually changing, not wily from day to clay and from hour to hour, but from minute to minute, even under the influence of atropine, the accurate fitting of ;;lasses is, of course, impossible. In some cases these fluctuations are so extreme. or the patient so unresponsive to mental suggestion, that no relief whatever is obtained from correcting lenses, which necessarily become. under such circtunslauces, an added discomfort. At their host it cannot be nruntained that glasses are anything more Ih:m a vcrv tmsatisfactorv substitute for normal vision.

THE CURE OF IMPERFECT SIGHT IN SCHOOL CHILDREN

While reading the Snellen test card every day will, in time, cure imperfect sight in all children tinder twelve who have never worn glasses, the following simple practices will insure more rapid progress:

l. Let the children rest their eyes by closing for a few minutes or longer, and then look at the test card for a few moments only, then rest again, and so on alternately. This cures many children very promptly.

2. Let them close and cover their eyes with the palms of their hands in such a way as to exclude all the light while avoiding pressure on the eyeballs (palming), and proceed as above. This is usually more effective than mere closing. 3. Let them demonstrate that all effort lowers the vision by looluog fixedly at a letter on the test card, or at the near point, and noting that it blurs or disappears in less than a minute. They thus become able, in some way, to avoid unconscious effort.

The method succeeds best when the teachers do not wear glasses. ,

Supervision is absolutely necessary. At least once a yetu some person whose sight is normal without glasses and who understands the method should visit the classrooms for tile purpose of answering questions, testing the sight of the children, and making a report to the proper authorities.

The Snellen test card is a chart showing letters of graduated sizes, with numbers indicating the distance in feet at which each line should be read by the normal eye. Originally designed by Snellen (or the purpose of testing (lie vv, it is admirably adapted for use in eye education.

SAVE THE CHILDRENS' EYES

With this issue of Ilm-rre Fvestcnr we arc again urging trncasures to prevent and cure imperfect sight in school children. n very simple tnrtltod by which this can he done was discovered by the cclilor while studying (lie vision of the school children of Grand Forks, N. D., and tested over a period of eight years in the schools of this city. It consists merely, as has been frequently stated in this magazine, of exposing a Snellen test card in each classroom, and having the children read the lowest line they can we from their seats once a day, or oftener.

Six or seven years ago this system was tried in some of the public schools of New York City with the most gratifying results. fu every case in which the card was used Ixoperly the vision of the children improved, regardless of whether the classroom was well or poorly lighted; and in every case in which it was not used the vision declined, being worse at the cod of the year than it was at the be,z;innin„ regardless ideo of the lighting of the room. Not tally was myopia (shortsight) prevented and aired by this method, but hyltermetroltia (farsight), a much greater curse than myopia and one the prevention of which had not

previously been seriously considered, was also p-.ven cd and cured. So also was astigmatism, while the sight of those children whose sight had been normal to begin with was improved. l lcadaches and fatigue were relieved. The mentality of the children improved. Truants and incorrigibles were reformed. The teachers were enthusiastic about the results. So also were the children.

But unfortunately the method was contrary to the teachings of a hundred years, and hence was cotulemncd without trial by every eye specialist consulted by the Board of Education. And thus the children, not only of Ncw York, but of the whole country, have been deprived for years of the blessing of perfect sight, for if New York had led the way, the whole country would have followed.

"Through the efforts of (his magazine, however, a few schools here and ftere have introduced the system, and %x'<• hope that before another rear has elapsed there will be uemv more of them. An interesting report from one of these schools appears on page 14.

IMPERFECT SIGHT CONTAGIOUS

By W. If. BAr¢s, \f, D.

The question of whether or not errors of refraction are hereditary is one about Much the medical profession has exercised itself greatly. An immense amount of work has been clone for the purpose of throwing light upon it, and all the time the very plain fact that these conditions are contagious has escaped observation. For an error of refraction is simply a nervous condition, and there is nothing more contagious than nervousness. A person with myopia, hypermetropia, or astigmatism, is a person under a strain. This strain shows in his voice, his walk, his manner, and makes the people with whom he comes in

cootdict nervou±. These people then develop errors of refraction, temporarily if the influence is temporary, and permancntly if the influence is permanent, as in the case of children who cannot escape from their nervous teachers and parents. h:ndlcss illustrations of this fact could be giv<•n. r1 few must suffice.

A very nervous woman wearing glasses for astiginatism brought me leer very nervous child who had been wearing glasses for six months, also for astigmatism, three diopters in one eye and tilt-cc and a half in the other. The child's eyes were red, strained, and partly closed, and it was quite evident that the glasses did not make her comfortable. I talked to her pleasantly for a while so as to disarm any fears of the doctor that she might entertain, and then told her to close her eyes and rest them for fifteen minutes. When she opened their she had perfect sight for tl,c Snellen test card in both eyes, and she read diamond type at from six inches to eighteen. 1 said to file mother:

"There is nothing wrong with your child's eyes. When they were tested she must have been nervous."

The mother answered that this was true. She had been trying to play a duet with her sister, and got so nervous that she could not see the notes. The family was so alarmed at this sudden failure of sight that site was taken hnrnediately to an oculist, and the result was glasses for astigmatism. As children have an astonishing power of adapting their eyes to different kinds of lenses, she had adapted her eyes to these very strong glasses sufficiently so that she could sec through them, but was not able to be comfortable in them, non- in any of the others that were subsequently r;ivcn to tier.

DTother :md child left the office in a very happy frame of mind. but a few days later the mother returned, very much discouraged and scnne,hat incensed. The child was

just as had as ever, lie said. She couldn't read hall fl,hr cart(.

"The reason she can't read the card," I said, "is hecausc you test her. Let her younger sister test her, and you will find (flat she will read it perfectly. The strain in 3,011, eyes is reflected in your voice and walk, in everything allont you; you make the child nervous, and when you (r3, In test her sight she becomes astigmatic. I f you want her to gel cured and stay cured, yon should get cured yotuself."

She look my advice, and is now under treatment.

In my studies of the eyesight of school children (his experience was frequently repeated. When I went into a classroom where (he teacher were glasses I knew I would always find a large. percentage of imperfect sigh. When the teacher did not wear glasses 1 knew (he percentage would he below the ;ivcrage. When the teacher tcsfcd if)(, sight of a child it. was often found lo he very imperfect, but when I tested it if millit lie pIwrfcct. lup one case a teacher wearing glasses told me that a certain boy was very nearsighted. TIC could not read writing on the blackboard, he could not tell (lie time by the clock, and lie cotdd not recognize people across the street. 1 tested his sight and found it normal. The teacher was incrcrlvlons and psug. gep.sted that lie must have Tell toriZed the. letters. Then I wrote letters and words on the blackboard which tie mul just as well as lie fwd read the letters on the ctu-d.

One day my own children came lionte from school mili a note to the effect that they could not read the writing 011 the blackboard and needed glasses, and later a nurse called to reinforce the message. I testeci their sight and found if normal. Then I called on the principal, told him flint I was an eye specialist, and after testing the sighs of flu children I could find nothing wrong with it. 1 asked if there would be any objection to their having a test card in

Iln,r ,Lls•ralnns so that IIlcy could read it fncgaenlly. Ile slid I, (mild soe• no reason wily Ibis should not be done, :mrl it w;is. Hut soon after the yolwgcr child. a little girl, c;lnv hoou, faun school in Icar>. The teacher and the nt-, and 111c other children hall made fun of the card, and s;lhl it u:i> allslird to suppose Illat such a simple thing as rcalliog it O'Cr) day could keel) tee from having fronble wills one's eyc:. tlf coarse I knee it could do licr no good to read the card under these conditions. and so I had her read it at home. The sight of both children has remained perfect, but f have no doubt that if the circuntstauces had keen difTcrem they would have been wearing glasses to-day.

t hildrto me very sensitive to ncrvons influences, these indueilces ~iflen l,r132.206.157.29luro lculporan' imperfect sigln, and unfnrltmalcly Ilicy art offcn, in these slates. Filled with glasses. Irorinnalch' most children hale to wear gklsse<, mod after Ircim• Ihtm for :I while frequently discard them. They also break and lose them. Thus they are saved much injury, hilt if the teacher or parent is conecientiotls and insists on tie wearing of tlic glasses, and on their renewal Nrlx.n lost or Inokcn, the temporary error of refraction hecomcs a permanent one.

The atmosphere of the average sclloolroonl is extremely irritating. ft makes the children nearsighted. farsighted :end astigmatic. blot if they have a familiar Snellen test rard which they can react every day they are always able III overcome this adverse influence. When they can read tile letters on the test card which they know by heart, they are also able to read the writing on the blackboard and see other strange objects at the distance or the near-point with normal sight.

STORIES FROM THE CLINIC 6: The School Children BY EMILY C. LIERMAN

t\ great many children visit our clinic. Some arc scut by their teachers. or the school muse. OIlvvrs beat irons their friends that we cure people without ;;lasses and conic of their own accord. They arc a most irucrcsting class of patients; for they respond so quickly to treatment that one's work becomes a succession of thrills, and as a rule they are very grateful for what we do for them.

Grown people are often annoyed when they find that we do not prescribe glasses, Itut the children, with rare exceptilm•, arc delighted, for they usually hate to wear glasses. Only occasiormlly do (hey insist that they must have them, hecau+c the teacher or the muse said so. Before they leave the clinic, however, they are always convinced that whoever to!rl them they needed glasses made a miftake.

(htc clay a colored wirl tried to work me for a pair of I:uscs. Dr. Bates, after examining her eyes, turned bet over try me with the remark that she would be an easy case. I placed her at ten feet from the card and asked her to read what site could. Site said she could not read anything. I brought her to within one foot of it, and she still insisted that she could not see a letter. It occurred to me that Iterhalt< >Itc did not know the letters, but. she said she did. I talc( her to palm for a while, and then I tried her again at ten feet. She looked very mournful, atul said, "I can't sec." "Then I realized at last what was the matter with her.

"Well, if you want glasses." I said, "you will have to go elsewhere, we do not give glasses here."

I never saw a patient's sight improve as quickly as hers did nnw. She started at once to read the test card, and

gent 1'41,1 dun u to [lie bottom, mussing only twa 1cttere tat tltc last line.

In nu,sl cases the cluldren, after they are clued, prove to In• enthusiastic missionaries in the cause of better eyesight. On the same clay that I cured the case just mentioned another colored girl, ten year: old, who was as anxious to be cto-cd as the other one had been it) avoid it, came to the clinic. The school nurse had seal her to get glasses, bill slit said

°1 just hate glasses and I won't wear Ihcm."

I improved her sight in ten minutes from 15/70 to 15/30, and (lie next clinic clay slie (nought with her fourteen other children and the school nurse, all colored, including the nurse, who tvas a mulatto. That was a thrilling day at tile clinic. The nurse was thrilled and 1 was thrilled. for in ;m hour'• time I improved tile sight of every one of those children from abonu 15/50 to 15/20.

-I'Inc first child 1 treated ,vas very cross, and did not wish to be ;mnovel by ImIming or anything else. The nurse explained to ine that she was a very nervous child and never still a minute.

"That doesn't matter," I said; "I'm not going to make her M-1 Volts,"

1 then asked tile cluld what her name was, and site told tile it was Helen.

"Now Iiclcn." I said, "(he first thing you are going to do foi me is to smile," which site did.

"Nmt I u-ouder if you can read that test card for me?„ I asked

"Oh. sit re... she replied. "f'nt uc,t a baby!" She read 15/50.

"Re a nice girl uoty and cover your closed eves with tour palms," and I showed her !tow to do it.

Shc fnlh,wed my instructions. and by altcrn;ilcly flashing the letters and palming, her vision ralddly impro-d ni 15/20.

The next girl was one of the prettiest nullattos I li,oe ever seen. She had closely watched Helen. and from tlic look on her face I could sec that she would tic more ready to do as I wished tier to do than Helen had Been. Iler name was Clarice, and her vision was about tile -111c ;k, 7-Ielen's, naively 15/50. I told licr to palm. and ,hill' ,In was doing this I went to tile nest patient, ;i girl who t-,..minded tile of Topsy in Uncle Tom's Cabin. for Ill, r licn(l was just covered with pigbtils. After 1 had started her to palming, I %vent back to Clarice. :oid found that She could now read 15/20. And so it ircnt through file whole fourteen. The nurse asked tile a great many questions about tile treatment, and said she would treat the children the same way al school. At « later &,(c site canie to me ;igam for more instructions, and said that so far she Irid been getting such good results that she had not found it necessary to send any more of her rliarw, to the clinic. Slic studied f3ETTr.s I?YESIan'i very carefully and found Ilrtl it enabled her to give tile treatment correctly. Clarice and Helen also came back, not because it was necessary, since they and the other children were doing so well under ill(, instructions of the nurse, but because they liked io come. After palming for a short time bout of them Ncame atd< to read 15/10.

The influence of tile school iii producing imperfect Sight is sometimes startlingly illustrated by these child patients. A dear little blue-eved girl of twelve who came to us liecause'slic had severe headaches seemed In tic suffering unholy from fear of her teacher. Iii the morning liefore school "lie felt perfectly iv ell; after playing iii tile street ivilli Oil, other children she also felt ivcll ; but when she went into her classroom and began iv<nk her head began to ache. It

:d- ached when slte eras doing her Dome work, but not so hadlv. I asked her- to read the test card ;it twelve feet. and oucousciovsly l. raised my voice a little. Immediately f stay her start as ifsontnonc had scared the very life out of her, I guessed at once just what was the matter, and lowering my voice 1 told her as gently as possible dal there ,vas nothing to be fri,"iltcited about.

What you are not able to rcaui on that card To-day, you ,vill read next hate," I said.

Mien I showed her Itocv, to palm ;md left Isr for a time. ;is there were many other children waiting to he treated_ Coming Inick in fifteen minutes 1 told her to take her hands dfnvn and NO ale what she axwld rc;ul; ;tad I made my voice as low as I could, not much above a whisper, At once, will) each eye she read 15/10, more than normal vision, ;ill(] she said she had no pain. I asked her if she could ~ucss Iutw many children there were io her class.

"Yes, about sixty," she replied.

"t \1--," I said, "if Your Door lowlier had sixty children, tv"atldu'l slic be nervous and worried! And wouldn't you want to help her all you could! Suppose you make believe ilic teacher is your mother. and try to help her all you can." This had n Ilrell effect on her. The next time she came her ;tllitude toward her teacher seemed to have completely changed, awl al every tttlrsequent visit slic al,vavs had somethim to say about leer wonderful leachcr. 1 feel cure that her fear of her leachcr had been Unnecessary, tool also that it had had nlttch to do with her condition. She had little trouble with the headaches after her first visit, for when she felt nnc coming on, as sometimes happened when slic had a hard cx;uuple to do, the was able to ,get quick relief simply hY closing her ryes.

While the work wish the children is ;tlxx-ays thrilling, we comrtimtes Imve a case that is so u-ondcrful Iltat it stands

out from all the othcr_~. A boy of lei, cattle to as one day in a 'very had condition. He (lid not want to look at anyone, and did not even want to raise his head, because the light bothered pint so. After testing his sight and finding it to be about 15/70 I placed hint on a stool, which, by the. nay, is a very precious piece of furniture in the clinic. AU our poor patients have to stand while they pahn and practice with the test card No comfortable chairs for them. But most of thenn arc willing to do anything so Ilea tlx y may not need glasses, and they do not complain. For this bov, however, I was able to find a stool on which lit, could sit while he palmed. I told him not to open his eyes for a moment, and after I had attended to a few paliems I came back and asked him to take his hands from his eyes. What happened then seemed like a miracle. lit didn't look like the same boy. His fornnerly half-shut eyes were wide open. and without any trouble he read the bottom line of tire test card at fifteen feet. When I praised pint for what he hart done he smiled and said:

"When shall I come again?"

At the next visit he read 20/f0 with both eyes, and he told me that when the light bothered him he closed his eyes and covered them with the paints of his hands, and in a few minutes he was all right.

This boy brought a friend, aged twelve, who had been wearing glasses for two years of more. When he cane into the room he (lid not wait for his turn (I guess lie never thought about it in his eagerness), but placed himself right in front of me, took off his glasses, and said:

"You cured Jimmie's eyes. Will you cure line, too?" "Surely," I said, "if volt wait your turn," ;lit([ as soon as 1 could I tested his sight.

I found that he could ser• just as well without his glasses as with them--15/20. co I asked Ilr. hates to examine

him and his glasses, ;,ml it turned out ?I,ml he was wearing Ltr-sighted glasses for near-sight. I told hint to palm, and Itefore he left the clinic that day he smv distinctly some of lite letters on the bottom line al fifteen feet. This was an even store rent:u-kable cure th.:n 11nunic's, for patients )vl)o lute( worn Masses nee usually much harder to cure than Ill-SC Who Dave never morn them.

Sometimes the mothers come with the children, and then I always try to enlist them as my assistants, and if they wear glasses I try to persuade them to cure themselves, so that the children will not copy their had visual habits, and will not. he subjcclod to the influence of people who strain. Not long ago a mother who Imd trouble will) Imr eyes brought a child for treatment, and said that she would help file latter at hon)c. I said that would he fine, and Own f asked ill(- child to help tae. cure her mother.

"After mother has given you rt treatment." I said, "tell her to close her eyes and cover them with the palms of her I)m)ds, and to stay so until everything is black. Be very (Iuiet so that she will not he disturbed, and when she opens her eyes you will surely find that site can see better."

Both mother and child made rapid progress. At the first visit the child's vision, which had been 15/50, improved to 15/30, and in six weeks it became 20/1.5. The n)other note exhibits to her friends, with much pride, her ability to thread a needle without glasses.

Only one thin

, about this work with the children makes n)c sad and that is, we can do so little of it. Many chilrirer conic front other districts, and are, of course, turned away by the dispensary clerk, But even if the hospital rules did not require him to do this, we could not admit all %vlto come. ']'here is a limit to the number we can treat, and there is so little space in our little eye room that already

we are obliged to treat the overflow in the outside general waiting room. I wish that there could be such clinics in every hospital, and that the teachers and the nurses in the schools could tic instructed in the very simple art of preserving the eyesight of the coming generation.

THE SNELLEN TEST CARD IN NEWTON By U. G. Wutaa,tau Superintendent School Department, Newton, Mass_

We ore greatly indebted to Superintendent Wherlcr for rending ifs the following report of the n.sr of the Snetten test cord in one of the public schools of Newton, a-od We hope that the success which attended his r.rpcrirornt Will encourage outer schools to try this method of preventing and curing imperfect .si.ght in school children.

Last fall we purchaser) several copies of the school muuher of BETTER LYESICHT, and have been trying the suggested method for the prevetriion and cure of imperfect sight in one building in the city. The following is a copy of the report I received at the end of the school year from the principal of that school regarding the result of this trial

In the fourth grade the teacher began using the Snellen eye chart last October. "['here was one case where the child tested very low in one eye. One of the children in the grade worked with her four times a day as was suggested in the booklet. The child lost the fear of using her eye, and after some time could read the card fifteen feel away. At that time her mother requester) that we do no more work with her, as the oculist was afraid that she might strain her eyes.

The class as a whole used the card for months. Their eyes seen to he strengthened by the constant use of it.

In the fifth grade the teacher used the card with her class

and gained definite results. One interesting case was that of a girl who had trouble with her eyes. It seemed to he lureditary, its the father had the same froltlile. The girl used the Snellen test card and finally was able to read it across the room. If she neglected to lwactice for it few days, sit(, found it necessary to begin all over again. There was no chance fur memori-r,iog the card, as the teacher cut letters front newspapers and used them while testing her, and found that she had been helped a great dual. It is tbou Itt the children's eyes were really strengthened.

In the other grades-1, 11, Vl, VII and VIII-the card was used, and in settle cases it helped ; in others the eye defects were too serious. However, the teachers believe that if the card is put to flue right ttsc wonderftd results may he rc: i l no!.

MAKE YOUR SIGHT WORSE

SIT angc as it nuty .cent there i., no bcucr rcay of improving the sight than by making it. worse. I-o >c( (hing• worse when one is already seeing them badly requires mental control of a degree greater 111.111 that rcquircd to improve the sight. The importance of these facts i= vet t great. \'Vhen patients become able to lower their vision by conscious staring, they become better able to avoid unconscious staring. When they demonstrate by increasing, their eccentric fixation that trying to see objects not regarded lowers (lie vision, they may stop trying to do the same thing unconsciously.

What is true of the sight is also true of the inrigination and memory. If one's memory and imagination are imlxmrfeet, they can be improved by consciously making tbrnl worse than they arc. Persons with imperfect sight never remember or imagine the letters on (Ire test card as perfectly black and distinct, but to imagine them as grey and clouds is very difficult, or even impossible, and when a paticnl has done it, or tried to do it, he may become able to avoic! the unconscious strain which has prevented him front forming mental pictures as black and distinct as the reality.

To make imperfect sight worse is always more difficult than to lower normal vision. In other words, to make a letter which already appears grey and indistinct noticeably more cloudy is harder than to blur a letter scan distinctly. To make an imperfect mental picture woris harder than to blur a perfect one. Both practices require much effort, much hard disagreeable %vork; but Ilicc always, when successful, improve the memory. m,a,ginanon mid vision.

EXPERIENCES WITH CENTRAL FIXATION IIy M. II. STUART, IvI.D.

Moultrie, Ga.

li'r ore greatly indebted to Dr. Stuart for sending its this rentarkable story of his own cure and that of his palicnts, all of -,cdtich was accomplished without personal assislanec be means of llte information presented in this argrlat:inc.

Sonic sixteen years ago, when working as a stenographer, f developed indigestion and became extremely nervous, one of my symptoms being a tension in the spinal cord between the shoulder blades which was extremely uncomfortable. In the late afternoon and evening I would become so nervous that I could scarcely sit still, and I have walked five miles into the country and back again to get relief. 1 tried dieting for the indigestion, but after two months failed to get any relief. A medical student then suggested that the trouble might be due to my eyes. I went to an oculist, who fitted me with glasses, and all my troubles ceased.

"hbc glasses given to me were convex 0.25, axis 90. A few years later, when I was in New York doing postgraduate work at the Polyclinic, they were changed to concave

0.25, axis 180, my refraction having cltatt;el (Tool Ityl'crntctropia to myopia. In succeeding years Iltc niycyur malism increased to concave 0.75, axis 180, and Ilimlly, after 1 had worn glassr:s for some fourlcen ward, 1" 1"11cave 1.00, axis 180. ']'lie last correction I lmd worn for shout two years when 1 discarded glasses for good.

Slight as my error of refraction was. I w;, nni able to leave off my glasses for ,more than an hour or tun 'vnhout suffering from nervousness and the feeling of Icn•citeS3 in the spinal cord alluded to above. At other Innc, I was lurfcctly coil] fortab)c except for the last mir or two, during which I had so much to do that I iltlicrc~l ;if times from the old nervous trouble. I had no pain in my head or eyes, but the trouble in my back was so lrol le<t fall that I had to have file services of a masseur in tinder to do ntv work.

Five years ago I hrst read about Dr. Bates' cxpcriincnl.s upon 1'he ccc iuuscles of ;miumlc. While interested I w;i< not prepared to abandon file acccftted teachings on the subject, and I wailed to hear "tore, 12cceotly I read, in the May (1920)'u'mber of Burrs ISvrsn.~i r, I)r, r'-Ir'e'. story of how, his headaches were cured. ant] I ryas •,, impressed by it that I determined to try the relaxation ioelhod upon myself. I palmed for five minutes and then rc;ul [lie card three times will' each eye as far ac I could tvbhoul effort. f did this six times a day for five days, r;ud :it the end of this lime f had gained a very decided degree of relaxation. I had, of course. discarded glasses, and. altlvm~h this caused me a little discomfort at first, 1 tva.s tilde. ;tl,ool a week later, to perform, without them, three tonsilcctomies and one operation for cataract, and to c1liovc two blind eyes. Al the same tins I went through any flail, routine of treating ten to thirty patients. cx:uninin~ cc-,

cars, n-c< ;nut throats, touch of which work requires cslra good ci.inn. At noon I lay down to rest as usual ;tod read the Atlanta hobo. Al night 1 read the Moultric daily paper and anything else, that I wanted to,

Aflcr tlic figs( five days of systetnntic rclaxatioa I have Hero done ,nylllillg in ;a routine wcac fill myself, Intt if I I'd nervous. or my eyes feel drawn, 1 saving twenty time,

oad halts. In this way 1 ana always able to fret relic(. Auollacr method of

gaining rclaxalion thal I have resrntctl to is to loot: at an imaginary period in any dart:, di,t;urt object. In tlai,s hint-woods district there are Illou•aods or sttnnps, many of which have ltcen bullied and l,laclcencd. The third day after I discarded lily glasses l h;td to drive about twenty-eight miles, and whenever top eyes felt drawn I would tool: in an easy relaxed way at n anetll point nn one of Ihcse stumps and always got rcl;t xal ion.

tNcnrly every ;tflcrnoon al half past full' I go out for ;t game of golf. ;III,] often I balsa before going, ;as 1 find it gives me betlcr Control of my ncrvOMs system, and enables me to play a store consistcitl game.

I was so hlc;aactl %vilh the results of the new treatment in my own case that I have since taught central fixation to about forty of my patients, and in only about two did I fail lu improve the vision at the first sitting.

-life following arc sonic of nn, more notable cases. Mr. S, ;Ill ;urtontohile nrCCIMuir, had I)CCII mentally Ilerangl_ct far two weeks, following an alllack of nil. after which lie graduallq became rational, otly to trod that tar sore double ;std ]'is vision was imperfect ill each eye. At the lint cxaodnaticm lie read with his right 20/120, and with Ill, left 20/60. I suggested that he palm at least six timc> a day for floc minutes, and on (lie second day

lie was greatly inilnovcd. reading with tile right ryr 20,/90. left 20/40. On the third day lie read with it,,,,gl,l ey,. 20/40, left 20/30, nn incicasc of vision in the iii-lil r'Niof 200 her cent, and in tile left of 100 her cent. I lc I now at work, and %alicn, occasionally, lie leas I'. UN, ,(I. it is not on account of any Ironiblc with lies (-,e,, hot I,( cause of weakness in his knees.

A year ago a Mr. 1? consulted tile about the ,F,In of his right eye, tile left having been blind for year:. I -tic vision was 10/40, and could not lie improved by attq Ices. 1 advised him to have the left eye removed, sine i1 w;i; a menace to the other eve. I-le would not consent ti, fo, ;in(] I did not see him. again until Ma y• 5, of tlti: year. when lie cattle to my office practically blind in leis right eyc front syinpallictic oplhalmia. At one foot lie could only count fingers. I advised the immediate removal of tile blind eye and of a few tectli that had !ins about their; but 1 could not promise that his vision would be saved. That afternoon I removed the eye, and tile following daN I %vas gratified to find that lie could count fingers at tlucc feel. 1 sent hint 'hone with some large letters to its(, for tlu; practice of central fixation, and by tile lifte('11111

he was able to count lingers at live feet. I then told him how to practice the universal swing, and on the I%ccnty =ecoud lie could count fingers at seven feet. Ore the t%venlyninth lie could read tile, small type on the 20 line of tile test card at four inches, whereas lie had been cntirel1% onalile to see them previously. lie states that it(- call now see the small chickens running about near Iii: feet, and call see small cotton plants seven feel a%vac. I nm confident that in a year, ur some such mallet. he %vil! have sufficient vision to attend to the necess;irv woil: of his fare.

t ha". treated three cases of squint, ;Ill of Ilicni wide ,occcss. ()Iu. of diem, 1?clia S, aged twelve, came to too ,in May 15, Ivilh her right eye turned ill to such a degree 0sit Ill,. corucn cvas p;ully ludden. The eight of this eye was so imperfect that at duec feet she could only count fngers. With lie, left eye she could read 20/30, She was told In palm, and whco she returned on Alay 24 she was nldo, with the squinting eye, to count fingers at sir feet. I mice as far as at her first visit. and the eye was straighter. ()it June S she rune again, and counted fingers at eight feel, an increase of vision since the beginning of 700 per c cal. ( )it jnly 3, while I was writing this report, slte came in. and I found that her right eye had improved to 20100, uric- third of nornml, while Iler left had become entirely oornial, 20/20. llcr right eye was entirely straight at limes, and 1 feel sure that ill ;t few months this condilinn will have become permanent.

Another case of squint was that of a young girl of fourfeel, with rather large, pretty blue eyes, one of which, the right, was ,slightly crossed inwardly. Her sight was vet' imlrerfect--half normal ill the right eye and one-third normal ill the left-cshile, like most cross-eyed people, she was Ircmbled tviIll c10nhIC Vision. I asked her to palm at IC;ISt six times a day, ;md Ow came Inck with Iler eyes straighter and able to read 20/30 with both. The next week showed normal vision, IIIc eves being al times perfectly straight.

1 was lxvliculmle pleased to be able to relieve these little girls of a di,Ggurclnent which means so much more to them than it would mean to ;I lxw, ;md I teas much interested to note how nmch pr'nicr (heir eves wcrc. ;tparl from the di.sappcar;Ince of the squint, after a few treatments. They were wide ,pvo, sofo-r-looking, ill short, relaxed.

HOW I IMPROVED MY EYESIGHT By PAMELA SIT) ER

This patient :was 7ccorhrg when first %,-,-a the folloivino 17lassrs: each ,Iw, concave 5.00 D.S. comhiard scrtlt roacas,1.00 D.C. .4 mmiber of compelrw Inca had said that her rnvohia £Pas progressive, and lhal her vision spas certain to became vcre imperfect writ ecillt glasses. Thr1, all insistcd that she must -,orar plasscs rouslanllv. 1'rt « flcr she had discarded Nicm her vision i.nrl,roved III Iwo da\:s from 6/200 to 20/100.

1 lmvc alsvayS hcco oval-sighted. Wltcu I was six )ca, old, Iuv falltcr loot: nic Ire ;I fuoooS oculist in London, ;,Ivl he prescribed ;md Titled inc with niy firs[ glasses. \\itlt these Ien•es I ssas able to distin,oislt things at a dist;utco which before 1 had Clot been able to sec. 1 found tlrtl I Could re;ul nr see objcrts

11 dose range just 

ts well wilhoni the glass(,' The only dilfcrence that Iluy

made to my sight in this case ryas Ilsil print ;Ippcared 'Inaller and lcSG Ifacl<.

h:very scar stronger lenses were given to tile, and I visited scscral oculists in lIngland and America, in the hope of improvement. N\then 1 was tiftecn ;lit oculist Told me that my eyesight, instead of improving vac), wear a~ I had hoped, would gradually become worse. By thic lime I was wearing glasses all the time.

Then. quite by chance, lily father heard of 1)r. Kite, tloough a friend whose eyesight had been cured Irv him. I was takeo Ihcrc at once. The fns[ thin, 1)r. hales did was to lal:c

sway lily glasses. f sat[ down in a chair, opItosile svllicll seas ;t Snellen

[cal card, lift-it fccl ate;ic. I cottld not sec tltc largest ICIILCI, a "C" allout (0111' inch- liy three, which people with normal vision arc supposed to mail at two Innldrcd feet. tic brought the card five feel nc;u-rr :md then I read the "(." It appeared very blurred ;urrl

indistinct. 'I he sn,rdlcr leper_, wcrc s„ blurred Ihnl I could n' ,1 11, 1 l,c111 at  :,I1.

'I'hc most IIeII,fuI tIIi11, I ICal lied tr:ts how to "palm." 'I I, is 1 did I„ closing Ioy eves and then covering them with Ih, I,almm of ,nv ha n'ls. 9o that 1 sa\v black and remenrbered ii herfcctlc. Thi, perfect Mack rested lily eyes a great do al. Aft(, doing Ihi, for ome tell or fifteen minutes,

I I„nlwd :it Ilio card and found thal I could read the lcvo Icllcrr „n flu, ocst line.

After I had Icarncd to "p,alnl,» 1 learned to "wing." I It(, rcu-n 1 .slroincd toy eyes so wlicn looking al the (.;it d wa< Ilu,l I dared aI on c l,lacc. So i,y iIIIa IIiIIg Iluli'llcr wa< swinging like :, pcoduluin. I Moved my eyes inslcad of ta, mg as I ],;ill done before_ At first the swing aa.v a ton;; one, Inrt aflcr Inactich,g for some weeks, I hcg:m gcfling it shorter limit it w:ts only Irdf an inch o0 each si,le of ill(, letter. The short swill" cva, tome difficult t„ do than Ills l,mg one, bot it helped more in the end. "Then I Icarncd to "flash." 1 looked at a small letter al liftcen feel dist:mce and could not read it. The longer 1 I,,nked the worse it grew. So by closing uty eyes. remelnlcring the swing for a few seconds, 1 just glanced at the letter and closing ill) eyes at once. t saw the letter in ;, flash.

:111 these things 1771I51 be practised every day, and even Iwo I have to "paling every morning and night. 1'almmg, swinging and Ottalliog wcrc t lm tin cc fondantrot nls. As .quo, :„ the v wcrc mastered only practice remained. I have nu"c been fining to I)r. B:,tc, for over :t vcar, and my ccc,igk( i, almost ctucd. I often have flashes of perfect alght. 1)r. Hates has ccrfainly helped nle ill a rcmarkal,le degree. nuns indeed (tout I ever ll,otlgllt possible when I first weld I, him "cal mg sUnug glasses.

SLEEPINESS AND EYESTRAIN BV '10. 11, I;ArES. M.D.

I low IT ntch sleep i. nCcessaIy to iuainlain health? 'I hip ie a question which lias never been satisfacteaily ;unwered 'theoretically, mental or physical work should increase the need for steel), but it is a matter of conurnon knowledge that many in:wtive persons seem 10 nCCd itut as 11111C11 sled) as those who work, or even more.

Much tint has been devoted to the investigation (if tit(, symptoms of fatigue. Analyses have been made of the blood of fatigued subjects; the action of the muscles, nerve and brain, the changes in the structure of the cell, under the influence of fatigue, the changes following >Icep. have all been carefully studied. But so far very little light lm, )wen lluown upon the nature of either fatigue or .alcep,

"]'his is a fact, however: that eyestrain has alteays keen demonstrated when fatigue was present, and that fatigue has always been relieved when eyestrain was relieved. I'crfect sight is perfect rest, and cannot. coexist with f:cli,guc. liven the memory or imagination of fatigue is accompanied by the production of eyestrain and imperfect sight, while the memory of perfect sight will relieve both eyestrain and fatigue. Sleepiness is a common symptom of habitual cycstrain, and when the sight improves the need for sleep is often markedly reduced.

One patient reports that after gaining normal sight without glasses she was able to get on comfortably with even hours sleep, whereas she had formerly not been abl<! to avoid conlinml sleepiness :md yawning even on niuc and ten hours. The inclination to y;itan oil ;ill occasion, hall been so overpowering, she staled, that it often subjected her to great embarrassment. On one occe=ion she yawned s incessantly during a call made in the early ("mill- that Ow

visitor c„ncluded,'lot umuil'millv, that lice presence was a Inndrlt ;111(1 departed in high dudgeon, no explanations stlffchtg to nominee her dial (lie y;nmning \vas not the result ,if boredom. 'File patient was made very rtnhappv by this c-ortdilion, hot finally became reconciled to il in a nteastlre. lltinl;ing that what could not he cured nntst be endured. Great was her surprise and delight, therefore, when, after discarding It(-[ glasses and beginning to practice central liration, sltc found herself sleeping less and 1101 yawning; ao much. She made no conscious effort, she said, to check the y;twnin.q, and had iu<lecd almost forgotten alxtut it. She now gets sleepy only nl bedtime.

Another patient, although he never had any desire to steel) in the daytime, found it very difficult to keep awake i1( the evening. AI (lie opera or theatre, at lectures and •ocial gatherings, and al clutrch, he was always sleepy and often went to sleet). It was naturally more difficult for him to keel) atvrtl:e when he \vas not iluerested, bill %Oictliei It(, \vas interested or not he was sure to become more or less sleepy. l le never went to a lecture without going to sleep, ;md the world's most famous song-birds teere not always able to keep him awake at the opera. In the case of dull papers or sermons, it did no good to think of something else, for the sound of the speaker's voice acted like an opiate. When he learned how to relax by the aid of the memory, inrngiuation, shifting, swinging and palming. the trouble gradually became less. and now lie can stay awake ;tl all fillies and i1( all places where people are supposed to slay a\v;tkc•.

STORIES FROM THE CLINIC The \Nontau kith Asthma liy I•.n+u,v (-. I,I1CRNIAN

Ill /Irn evcslrait, is relics ed n11 nthcr .strain is relieved, and therefor, potirnts relieved of cyestrniu arc often relieved of rnauy other sinnptoms. ilsthrna. belarg.s to o !urge class of diseases eetilh sv"nptoms which may result fr-an "gyre,,+ disho'banrcs iwlvad of from organic ,hangrs. Tltcy hoe", been called functional neuroses. It was not strange, Ilrrr-cfore. that This palicnl should note an immedialc hnprovrmcnl ill lie,- breathiny after palming, and that this Irra/nr~wl, ill combination with Ir)vieni, nreasur,s, .should haer

l,rruno~cntlv relievc,l the !),ruble. Mann similar ,uses cor"ld Ill, reported, and even v./wit organic disease has been pre.s,ul, tilt subjeclivr si'mptouls hne'r been a'elirr~rrl.

One day during, the eununer of 1919, a Woman suffer_ ing from asthloa came to the clinic. She was only forty years of age, hot looked fifty, and it was evident, front the wrinkles ill her forchcad and her Half-shut eyes, that Ircr vision was very pool, She told one that she suffered fill" continual pain, and I could sec that she had ,";real diliiculty ill breathing; but Ircr spirit was unlnol<eu, and her exuberance was something of a problem to me. She tallied continually as long as she could find anyone to listen to lie: , and ill order to preserve any order ill the clinic 1 had to keep her as much as possible by herself. I was sorry• to do This, because her good lutmor was contagious, and made the patients forget their pain and other trouldcs, lint I could not have the rsork Irruuglu to a standstill, even for such a desirable end as this.

The state of In•r ctcsi,ht "lid not scan to Inrolrlc I"cr,

It was lie]- asthma about which sltc wss concerned. When I asked licr to read the test. card she said:

"Please nta'mu, help me to Incall,r first ; never mind my eves.^

YOU  ;u c in the e•rong 1011111 IM  ;tstlnno". I replied. "just let me do something for your eyes, ail tlxIn I will •cot you to another roost where a good doctor gill heal _you for the asthma."

Site .roiled, cvidcn0v pleased th;tt I Kid cot sciu her ;o% ay. and Inoccerled to read The card, as I had asked lu•r to do. Ilcr vision was 20/30 in each eye. 1 told her In palm

rod on no account to remove her hands from her eyes until l came lmck. It was

fully half an hour before I was able I,, do this. ;uul when I fold It(,, to uncover tier elves, sloe .isl:ml:

"~~-1col makes me Incatlte so case ~.,

"The palming has helped you",. I replied.

'I let vision was now 15/20, and she said the pain in her chest :rod back had gone. I gave her some advice about her diet, told her to drink plenty of water, and asked her 1o cone to the clinic Three clays a week.

()n Ihe• next clinic clay, to my great disappointment, I did not see ler. I concluded that she did not care to bother abonl llCr eyes, clod was not willing to give up the foods

Ill,[ drinks 1 bad told. her not to take, ioduding meats, pastry, strrntg tea

and other liquids much stronger than tea. Other patients were continually corning in, however, so tlu poor woman with asiltnta went completely ctrl Of 111N loilld until two months later when slte rushed into the clinic lilac a cyclone. Most of these poor people do not think about ta;uting for Iltcir turn, and are so anxious to fell ntc about their relief front cceslrain :uld other lroultles that I have to forgive then Mien they break the rules. This tvooan

not only did not wait her turn but (lid not think it necessary to wait till 1 had finished with the patient I was attending to. AsIsoon as she saw me she yelled in a lout excited voice:

"Please, ma'am, 1 didn't forget you. I didn't. forget ON self either. I felt so good after you treated nu•, I just palmed and palmed, and I began to breathe so much better I went out and got a job right away. During the day m\ madam allowed me to rest my eyes, and t ate very sparingly. Sure, ma'am, it was no joke either, for 1 just love to eat good and lots of it; but 1 remembered what you said, and so I behaved myself. I must have starved the asthma all away."

"l am very glad to hear all this" I said. "Now let toc sec what the palming did for your eyes."

Her vision had improved to 15/10. And it Imd all Iryppened ip two months. She did it and not I. bVlien I told her this and praised her for it, she replied:

"God bless you! You don't know how happy I am. 1 am working and supporting myself now for the first time in four years. But what surprises me the most is that 1 have not been drowned by this time with all the water i have been drinking."

i?UICSVIt)NS AND ANS\VI?RS.

"I-Ins editor has received sn many questions front the readrrs of BJrT'Ire FN eSIcuT il1at Itc ff'Cls it sufticicntlp inrpnIYant to open :1 or", deparlnx•nt oluch will start next month. All prrsons ;IT(, incited to send in qutslions lvhicli hill lu inslrrrrd a. pronipll. a.< possibl( by moil or the questions anIl an~lci r~ kill be pnhlivllvd in 111c nshazinc. fiiudly rnch-. a ~Itunllrrl, self-addrexsrd e"orlupc.

GO TO THE MOVIES

Cinematograph pictures are commonly supposed to be. very injurious to the eyes. and it is a fact that Iliey often cause much discomfort and lowering of vision. They can, however, tic made a incans of improving the sight. When they hurt the eyes it is because the subject pstrain. lap sec thetmc,'lf this tendency to strain can lie overcome, the vision is always improved, and, if the practice of viewing t lie pictiv-cs is continued Icuig enoiIgh. IIcaI'i,glII, nstigmal ism and other troubles are cured. `.

If your sight is imperfect, therefore. you will lied it an advantage to go to the movies frequently and learn to look at the pictures without strain. If they hurt your eyes, loot: away to the dark for a while, then look at a corner of the picture; look away again, and then look a little nearer to the center; and so on. In this way you may soon become able to look directly at the picture without discomfort. If this does not help, try palming for five minutes or longer. 'Dodge the pain, in short, and prevent the eyestrain by constain shifting, or by palming.

If you become able to look at the movies without discomfort, nothing else will bother you.

THE PROBLEM OF IMPERFECT SIGHT By W. H. RATI',S, M. D.

The lnoblem, of imperfect sigh( is such a tremendous one Ihal few, even of those who specialize in such matters, realize its proportions, while outside this circle there is not the. remotest conception of what it means.

The literature of (lie subject is very confusing and contradictory; but from the facts available there can be no doubt that the great majority of school children suffer from some degree of imperfect sight, while among adults normal vision is a rare exception.

The very careful investigation of Risley showed that in the public schools of Philadelphia, among children between eight and a half and seventeen and a half, the proportion of imperfect sight was about ninety per cent,' other investigators report lower figures, but in many cases this simply nican.s a lower standard. The findings of Risley agree with those obtained by myself in a study of 100,!x10 children made under all sorts of conditions in both city and country schools.

As to the sight of the adult population the operation of the draft la%v has supplied us with some unimpeachable

data. It was found impossible to raise an anuy \+ith ccen half normal vision in one eye, and in order to get the number of soldiers required it was necessary to accept for general service men whose vision could be brought up to half normal with glasses.'

Such figures as the foregoing, terrible as Ihcy :n-c, by no means exhaust the subject. In fact they are only the beginning.

Errors of refraction are so common that we have learned to take them lightly. They are usually reckoned among minor physical defects, and the average lay person has no idea of their real character. It is well known, of course, that they sometimes produce very serious nervous conditions, but the fact that they also lead to all sorts of eye diseases is known only to specialists, and not fully appreciated even by them. The complications of myopia (ncarsight) constitute a large and melancholy chapter in ilw science of the eye, but most eye specialists say that no organic changes occur in hypernutropia (farsigltt). That this is very far from being the case was proven by Risley in the investigation alluded to above, and it is strange than his report on the subject has attracted so little attention. His studies also showed that these organic changes occurring in all states of refraction, are very common among children and have often progressed to an extent that would lie expected only after long years of eyestrain.

In the case of myopic astigmatism the percentage of diseased eyes among all the children examined ran as high as eighty-seven per cent, and in the secondary school not a single myopic eye was found with a healthy cycground.

'l lx condoom known a.v romrs in which the choroid, or middle coat of the eye, is destroyed in the neighborhood of the optic nerve exposing the white outer coat (sclera) and furnuni, hi:st a crescent and later even a complete circle is commondy regarded as one of the 'symplmos of myopia :md ;otrilndcd to the len.sion resulting, from the lengthening of the globe, but Risley's statistics show that while it is -mcwliat more common in this state of refraction than in

hypermetropia it is by no means peculiar to it. In hypermetropia it was found in twenty per cent of the cases, and in hypcmretropic astigmatism in forty-five per cent. In simple myopia it was present in forty-one per cent of the cases, and in myopic astigmatism it reached isixty per cent. It is a terrible thing to think that the eyes of our children should show a symptom of this character in such is large proportion of cases.

My own experience is that errors of refraction are always accompanied by some organic change. It Tray be only a slight congestion, but this may be sufficient to lower the vision.

By wearing glasses, avoiding poor lights and limilink the use of the eyes for near work, it is supposed that we can do something to prevent the development of these organic diseases and to check their progress; but for none of the traditional methods of treatment is it even claimed that they can be depended upon to preserve the sight as long as it may be needed, and Sidler I-Iuguenin, in a paper several times referred to in this magazine, has slated that in the thousands of cases of myopia that have come 'under his observation they never were of any material benclit.'

That imperfect sight is a fruitful cause of retardation in school is well known. According to the New York City Board of flealth it is responsible for a quarter of Ilic habitually left backs." But that this condition cannot he remedied by glasses has not been generally observed. By making the patient more comfortable glasses do often unprove his mental condition, but since they cannot relieve the mental strain that underlies the visual one, they cannot improve it to normal and by confirming it in a bad Habit they may make it worse.

From the foregoing facts it will be seen that in the condition of the eyesight of our people we have a health problem, an educational problem, and a military problem, of the first magnitude, and one would think ;that if any method of either prevention or cure that was even trderably successful had been found it would inunediatcly be put into general use.

STORIES FROM THE CLINIC 8: Atrophy of tltc Optic Nerve Br Lnttt.Y C. LtrizMAN

About tvocaly-frrc years ago a patient canoe to the New York El" Irrfiriuary with quell-marked atrophy of the optic nerve. Arcorrling to all that zero kna4Cr of the lours of I'alhology he should have been totally blind; yet his vision was normal. I lie case was considered so remarkable that it ,vas exhibited before a n,onber of medical societies, but it was by no nceans an isolated one. On February 8, 1917, the editor published in /lie "Nem York Medical Journal," under llte title, "Blindness Rclirved 1)y a NC4u Method of Trcatmrrel," a rrl,ort of a core in which /lie vision was improved from prrcclrlion of light to normal. Ile has had gaitc a nanrbrr of such cases.

Some lime ago a colored woman was led into the clinic by a friend. She had heard of Dr. Bales, and had come to him in the hope that lie might be able to restore her sight. The doctor examined her eyes, and found that slic had atrophy of the o~tic nerve complicated with other troubles. She could not count her fingers, nor had she any perception of light whatever. The doctor turned her over to me saying:

"Help her, will you?"

"She was the real "mammy" type of negro, very goodnatured and motherly. She greeted me with a smile and said:

"May de good Lor' bless you, ma'am, of you can gives me again de light ob clay."

The words came from a very humble heart, and were very hopeful. When I heard them I can tell you that I lost some of my courage. It might turn out that I could do

nothing for her, and f dreaded to disappoint her. NIv work is not always case: yet I like the hard cases to collie my way, because when I can help them I feel dial t h;done something worth while.

"Won't you tell me IIOw long you have been blind?" I asked.

"Yes, nniatn;' site replied. "1's Irtsn'l seal nothin' for two years, I's been in the hospital all dot time an' de doctors says dot incblie I's nchbcr sec again. Some friend ob mine says to me, Wou jes goes to de 1-larlem 1-lospital Clinic. Uere you find de doctor what makes you sec.'

come; dat's all."

I told her to cover her eves with the palms of her hands and asked if she could remember anything black. Shc replied

"Yes, ma'am, I 'member stove polish black, all right." "That's fine." 1 said. "Now, keep ren,emlwring I he black stove polish. ;uxl dull will slop the strain io your cyc'. When your eyes first began to trouble you, yon strained Ir, sec, and every time you did that your eyes bCCenlC worse. Now let its see what will happcu when YOU still, the. .stt:vn." I stood her against the wall to make things easier for her. for we have few chairs at the clinic, and left her to treat other patients, telling her not to open her eyes, nor to remove her palms from theta, not for a moment, till I came back. Presently I became aware of a strange sound, a sort of mumbling. I was greatly puzzled, but tried not to show it for fear I would disturb the patients. All of a suddcu,

is I approached my blind liaticnt, I discovered where the sound came from. She

was saying in a low tone, "Black polish, black polish," just as fast

is site could. I now held a Ic>I card covered with B's of various

sizes turned in different directions a foot away from her eyes, and told her to take

lu r I]:u]d, down and loot:

it it. 'I lie doctor, the other palicnls and myself were quite scared at

tile outburst that followed.

"n1:]'an], lot's a 1;; lot's a sure-rough I;. I's :tire dat's a black I: on some white paper."

This Nv;ts a large letter on tile first litre, read by tile lie] - nial eve al two htodred feet.

l1ul the next moment it faded (cool her eyes. That was ny fault. f was not quick cnoar'Il. What 1 should 1mvc done \vas to have her close her eyes and palm again tile nllnnr]]t she saw 'tile h;. But l was greatly encouraged, not onlv because the patient had had a flash of vision, but hecause I)r. Bales had said lie t,•as sure I would licit) her to xc again_ I again told her to palm and remember black, :ltd 01C]], in a few ntp]:ICmts, I asked her to take down her Bands and look at t lie card, site again saw tile I:, and blacker thin] tl]c firs( Hair. 1 now told It(.[ to close ]let- eyes for :] minute, ;nod opcit (lien] for just :t second, alternately, renu nthcrin" rile slow polish as site ]lid .ao. She did this for a time. ;nnl w;]s able to sec tile 13 cash tittle she opened her QT,

"Now," I said, as I raised my hand aid held it one foot from her eyes, "how many fingers can you see?" "'I-hree," she replied, which was correct.

I told her to rest her eyes by painting many times a day, and to cone and sec tile three times a week. I also gave her sonic advice about her diet, and told her that cnenms were quite uccessary to relieve her constipation.

Next clinic day she saw the scvcnty line of letters at one foot, and they did not fade away as did tile B the first time she saw it. I told her to palm some more, and in a few minutes she counted my fingers correctly every time I asked her to, with only one exception.

"If dis here secin' keeps up, Ina'atn," she remarked, "I sure will he able to earn near livin' again. I)c lmr' bless you ola'aul."

She continued to collie and made slow but sure progrcs,< for a lime. Then came a time when she staved away for several months. As I was very anxious to cure her, I worried about her considerably during this tinge. Then one clay she turned up again. She seemed to be very much frightened about something, but her eyes looked much letter. I was so glad to sec her, and she seemed so much upset, that I refrained from scolding her, as I felt like doing, and in course of tinge I discovered the reason for her absence. She had been under trcatincnt for sonic other troubles, and sonic doctor or nurse had scared her into discontinuing her visits to our clinic. She had, however, continued to palm several hours a day with most gratifying results.

"Do you know, ma'am," she said, "I's can see every house number as I go visitin', an' I goes out to a day's work once it) a while."

,Sit(-. continued to come quite regulrtrly, and Irer iioprovr_ nlent continued. Sontctintes I would find that she did not see as well as at her previous visit, but immediate improvement always followed palming. Her gratitude was pathetic. and every little while she would bring a bundle, saying:

"Dis here is fo' you, ma'am. You sabe ntc from blindness. Yes, you did, an' I's mighty grateful."

These bundles contained gifts of various kinds-a cocoanut front the West Indies at one time, grapefruit and cuctunhers at another, and a third a necklace made of tropical leans of various colors.

The greatest clay of her life came a few weeks ago when she washed a full set of Dresden china for her employer, without freaking a single piece, and earned four dollars and

I,city cents by her day's work. If she continues to practice the Imlming, ,hick she tu- forgets sometimes, 1 have no doubt That she will, in lime, obtain ru>nnal vision. She now sees the largest letter on the card twenty feet away, and reads the licadlines in the newspapers. Recently Dr. Bales examined her eyes with the ophthalmoscope, and found the appearance of the optic nerve very much improved, more blood-vessels being visible in the papilla, or hcrtd of the nerve.

HOW I LEARNED TO SEE

By IHMA Mb1¢I6

I his patient ;ins fourteen years old zc/ren first .seen, and ecaao wearing llba folln7virig Itla.SsCs: 2irlht eve, cconcavr 3.12 1). S. rornbinad 7oitlr roncavr 0.75 D. C., 90 degrees; left eye, ranrave 325 U .S. combined with concave 0.50 D. C., 90 drtlr,-rs_ Al thr ,reond trealmrnt her sight had inr.prnvrrl trraIvrorily lu 20120, and al the third she had ra flash of perfert sighl.

The time had conic for me to consult an oculist again. I had been wearing glasses for over a year, and they had always I)ccn a torment to my parents.

We were discussing the question of oculists at table. My father contended that if there were physicians who could correct defective sight with glasses, there must be those who could cure such defects so that glasses would not be necess:uy. He had beard of a Dr. Bates who had cured people so that llrcy no longer had to wear glasses.

So instead of going to an eye speciatist who would probahl}• have Ivc.scrihcd new glasses, father and I went to sec

tions and teachings implicitly until it is permanent. I sincerely:hope that I shall never go back to wearing glasses, and that this recital of my experiences may help others sinr ilarly afflicted. .

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

"• All readers of this magazine are invited to send questions to the.'editor regarding any difficulties they may experience in using the various methods of treatment which it recommends.' These will be answered as promptly as possible. kindly enclose a stamped addressed envelope.

Q, I. When objects at a distance clear up they are double, Can you suggest a remedy for this double vision? 2. When I: open my eyes after palming my sight gradually clears, but an intense pain often comes in my eyes, so that they close, The pain always starts with very clear vision. Is, this eyestrain?-H. M.

`'A'.L'If`'the' objects are double when they clear up, relaxation is not complete, and the only remedy is to secure a_greater degree *of `relaxation. This may be done in many ways;:"Use the' method you have found most effective. Z.'"Yes. "Your sight should be best when you open your 'eyes." If it'clears up afterward, it is because you are making an,effort to;see.This produces the pain.

'; Q.;.1.. How long should one palm and'how often? 2. .E3ow,young• a patient can you treat by this method, and up to f.what;t,age can ;you expect results? How would 'you handle,a child that did not know its letters? 3. Is astigmatism;`curable, by this method? 4. How long has the method?-J. H. W.

A. 1. As often and as long as possible.; 2. The age, is immaterial. It is a matter of intelligence. Patients as old as eighty-two have been relieved. Children'cati be.treated as soon as they are able to talk. Any small object can be

used for eye training, and in the case of children IF do not know their letters, kindergarten and Montessori equipment

is often useful. 3..IYes., 4, Its evolution began this.', ty-five years ago. It has improved as experience' was gained, and is still. im royin

<img border=0 width=63 height=23 src="bem_files/image001.jpg">

MAKE YOUR SQUINT WORSE

- There is no better way of curing squint than by making it worse; or by producing other kinds of squint. This can be

'done as.Iollows:

~!~To produce convergent squint, strain to see a point about "tree inches from the eyes, such as the end of the nose. To produce divergent squint, fix a point at the distance to one side of any object, and strain to see it as well as when directly regarded.

To produce a vertical squint, look at a point below an object at the distance, and at the same time strain to see the latter:: .

To produce an oblique divergent squint, look at a point below' and to one side of an object at the distance while $straining to see the latter.

When successful two images will be seen arranged boric

-zorltally,~vertically, or obliquely, according to the direction of, the strain, , ,

The of convergent squint is usually easier than that of the other varieties, and most patients succeed better with a.,light as the object of vision than with a letter, or other' non-luminous object.

SQUINT AND AMBLYOPIA: THEIR CUREir

By W. H. BATES, M. D.

Squint, or strabismus, is that condition of the eyes in, which both are not directed to the same point at the, same: timel One eye may turn out more or less persistently; while. the other is normal (divergent squint), or it may turn in (can-, vergent squint), or it may look too high or .too' low:; while deviating at the same time in an outward or inward direction (vertical squint), Sometimes these conditions change from one eye to another (alternating squint),, and,. sometimes the character of the squint changes in -the same,-eye; divergent squint becoming convergent and vice versai•Soqn&" times the patient is conscious of seeing two images; of3,the, object regarded, and sometimes he is not, i';Usuallyrthemi:ib? a lowering of vision in the deviating ,eyerwhich:':cannotlbe•' improved by glasses, and, for which no:;apparent:~oyjsu{; ficient cause can be found. This condition,,is,knownt`as amblyopia, literally dim-sightedness, and' is supposed ^tolbe,", incurable after a very early age, even though the squint,may' be corrected. ~. •, • , of Operations, which are now seldom advised, are admitted

to be a gamble. According to Fuchs, "'their results are as a rule simply cosmetic. The sight of the squinting eye is not influenced by the operation, and only in a few instances is even binocular vision restored." This is an understatement rather than the reverse, for a desirable cosmetic effect cannot be counted upon, and in not a few cases the condition is made worse. Sometimes the affected eye becomes straight and remains straight permanently, but often, after it has remained straight for a shorter or a longer time, it suddenly turns, in the opposite direction.

I myself have had both failures and successes from operations. In one case the eyes not only became straight, but binocular single vision-that is, the power of fusing the

' two visual images into one-was restored, and when I last saw the patient, thirty years after the operation, there had been' no change in these conditions. Yet when I reported to the ophthalmological section of the New York Academy of Medicine that I had cut away a quarter of an inch from the . tendon of the internal reclus of each eye, the members were unanimous, in their opinion that the eyes would certainly :- turn in the opposite direction in a very short time. In other f cases:the:eyes;-after remaining straight for a time, have '~ reverted to their old condition, or turned in the opposite `^,direction: n.The latter happened once after an apparently ' perfect result, including the restoration of binocular single yision,swhich had been permanent for five years. The con -sequent,deformity was terrible. Sometimes I tried to undo f~~the ,rharmiresultin& from operations, my own and those of others,^.but.invariably I failed.

:•IGlasses,,prescribed on the theory, that the existence of ~~ crrors`of, refraction is responsible for the failure of the two •,eyes to act together, sometimes appear to do good; but exceptions are numerous, and in many cases they, fail, even to prevent the condition from becoming steadily worse.:: `„j The fusion training of Worth is not believed to be of much use after the age of five or six, and often fails even then, in which case Worth recommends operations.,; a^'xtt

Fortunately for the victims of this distressing; condition, their eyes often become straight spontaneously,^, regardless of what is or is not done to them. More rarely the, vision of the squinting eye is restored. If the sight.of the good eyetis^, destroyed, the amblyopic eye is very.likely,to recover normal, vision, often in an incredibly short space of time:^,-.dn,*spitet of the fact that the text-books^-agree in assuring, us; that! amblyopia is incurable, many cases of the latter class-are' on record.

The fact is that both squint and amblyopia, like errors of refraction, are functional troubles, originating entirely in the mind. Both can be produced in normal eyes by a strain to. see, and both are immediately relieved when the patient looks at a blank surface and remembers something perfectly. A permanent cure is a mere matter of making this temporary relaxation permanent.

Permanent relaxation can be obtained by .apy^,.of cthe.; methods used in the cure of errors of refraction, but in the.. case of young children who do not know their letters these methods have to be modified. Such children can be-cured by encouraging them to use their eyes on any small objects that interest them. There are many ways in which this can ibe:j_, done, and it is important to devise a variety of'exercisesiso that the child will not weary of them. For the sameseason the presence of other children is at times desirable.; Mere must be no compulsion and no harshness, for as soon as:any^,

~,; exercise ceases to be pleasant it ceases to be beneficial. ' '"

The needle, the brush, the pencil, kindergarten and Montessori material, picture books, playing cards, etc., may all be utilized for purposes of eye training. At first it will be ;necessaryt_ouse rather large objects and forms, but as the •Lsight improves the size must be reduced. A child may begin to sew, "for instance, with a coarse needle and thread, and will'naturallytake large stitches. As its sight improves a finer'needle should be provided, and the stitches will natural'jy besmaller.Painting the openings of letters in different colors is an excellent practice, and as the sight improves the size of the letters can be reduced. Map drawing and the study of maps is a good thing, and can be easily adapted to 'the~state'of'thevision." With a map of the United States a chiWcan begin by'picking out all the states of a particular color,,and as its sight improves it can pick out the rivers and cities, %'Jn drawing maps it can proceed in the same way, ' beginning with the outlines of countries or states, and with improved vision putting in the details. A paper covered with spots in various colors is another useful thing, as the child gets much^, amusement and benefit from picking out all the spots'of'the same color. With improved vision the size of the spots can be reduced and their number increased. fMany'interesting games can be devised with playing cards. ':`Slap'UJaek`• is`'a'good one,'as it awakens intense interest .' and' great' quickness' of vision is required to slap the Jack with'the~hand the moment its face appears on the table. UThese~ideas'^;are^: 'only 'suggestions, and any intelligent parent will' be' able to add to them.

P. >Bothfchildren and adults are greatly benefited by making their?squint worse or producing new kinds of squint (see t page'2). !The voluntary production of squint is a favorite amusement with children, and if they show an inclination to

indulge in it, they should be encouraged. Most parents' fear -that the temporary squint will become permanent; but-the fact is just the contrary. Anyone who can squinf'voluntarily will never squint involuntarily.  ;; `;t ifor1; A f 1

<img border=0 width=167 height=20 src="bem_files/image002.jpg">

HOW I CURED MY CHILD OF.SQUINV-4 By MRS. B. F.'GLtsxrce'^:i;TF'^{^?,}

The following remarkable story is published in thelhope that it may help other parents in_. the treatment, of,sguinting! children. The patient was first seen on April 24,11920,'her age being four years. When her sight was! tested, with pot,-' hooks her eyes were straight and her vision normal.. Wltetn.' tested with the letters of the Snellen test' "card; which she could not read, or with figures, which she did not,know s%ler` eyes turned, and the retinoscope showed that she had~co~_ pound myopic astigmatism. When she looked a(,a:blankwall without trying to see, her eyes were again straight and her vision normal.

When my little daughter was quite young I noticedt~hat<sub>`</sub> her eyes were crossed at times, while at others'they;: were., perfectly straight. . Later the squint became'more<sup>r</sup> continu- l ous, and when she was four years old she iva's taken'to<sup>l</sup>bt f Bates. He said the trouble' was entirely a'nerpous<sup>l</sup>onetd " called my attention `to the fact'that when the child. vas^t~ctoⁿrjt~ fortablc and happy her eyes were straight,~and'When she w'~s'r nervous they turned. He said that she should be'encooutag^led⁴ to use her eyes as' much as'possible on'objects ihatinfe~ ~9ted s' her, and that she must never'be scolded or putiishedltY;T-Ye- also recommended a cold sponge bath and massagelfirs~t.'"

thing in the morning, . for the' purpose of 'quieting' arid~^°

strengthening her nerves and improving her general health. As I had been a teacher of drawing before my marriage ,and understood something of kindergarten methods, I did not find it difficult to follow his instructions. I drew pictures of animals, and asked Marie to tell me if they were running, walking, or standing still, whether they were looking at her, or facing in some other direction, whether

. thhey had four legs or two. I showed her a picture of the :moon, and asked her to tell me whether the horns were _,'pointing upward, downward, or sideways. We played that ','the moon was full of water and had to be held right side up

~so' that'the water would not run out. She became very 'much interested in these pictures, and as long as the inter`est lasted her_. eyes were straight. When they ceased to in'terest her the squint returned.

Sometimes I would ask her to look at the windows and . tell me whether they were open at the top or bottom, whether 'the shades were partly down, or all the way down. Then .ewe would look at the windows across the street and do the same thing. We also watched the passing motors, and I 'asked her to tell me how many people there were in them ,and whether these people were men, women or children. We studied the patterns of the wall paper, and when visitors came I asked her after they had gone to tell me what ikind of,clothes they had on. I taught her to sew and paint, 4to,,match ,colors, and braid mats, to thread beads, and do things with building blocks. Her father, who is a printer, showed her specimens of diamond type, and of minion which !`_lis,even,smaller than diamond., She enjoyed picking out the smallest letters, and when she did so her eyes were straight. '. ;;Threading beads was the most beneficial work undertaken, ,its, tediousness being overcome by the fact that the child's

doll and all her stuffed animals, Teddy bear, bunny, dog, etc., each received its own particular necklace of beads, The cold baths and massage were also a great help.

The combined results of the treatment were wonderful. yIer eyes began to be straight all the time. Her nervous condition and her appetite improved, and she slept better.' Then we had some set-backs. First she had an attack'of 'grippe with cough, headaches and fever. The squint came back and stayed with her for several weeks, until she was well, ..-Then her eyes became straight again.

Later on when she was playing with her little brother they disagreed about something, and Marie got so nervous that her eyes became worse than on any previous occasion since she had been under treatment. The squint alternated from, one eye to the other, the left eye being the worse, and next day we were very much worried when we found that the left.: eye was practically blind. But we went on encouraging her_, to use her eyes, and in ten days she was as well as ever.

<img border=0 width=41 height=61 src="bem_files/image003.jpg">

STORIES FROM THE CLINIC 9: Three Cases of Squint By EMILY C. LIERMAN

One day as I entered the clinic I saw two mothers stand='" ing side by side, each holding a little boy by the hand,'The' children were both about the same age, five years, and both'. were cross-eyed; but there the resemblance" ceased, 4Orie~ seemed happy and contented, and it was_.quite evidenttliat'he was much loved and well cared for. Athough'cheap'and„ plain, the clothes of both mother and child were clearira~d' neat, and often the boy would look at the mother for a smile,'

which was always there. The other boy was plainly unhappy and neglected. I could read the mind of the mother, who was anything but clean, as she stood there grasping his hand a little too tightly, and even without her frequent whispered threats of dire things to happen if the child did not keep still, I would have known that she considered him a nuisance, and not a precious possession as boy No. 1 plainly was to his mother.

I was at a loss to know which child to treat first, but decided upon Nathan, the clean one, and tried to keep the other interested while he waited. Nathan had beautiful black curls, and should have been pretty, but for tile convergent squint of his right eye, which gave him a very peculiar appearance. His vision was very poor. With both eyes together he could read at ten feet only tile fifty line of the test card, and with the squinting eye he read only tile seventy line. I showed hinr how to palm, and while he was doing so I had time to talk to his mother. She said that his right eye had turned in since lie was two years old and that all the doctors she had taken him to had prescribed glasses. These, however, had not helped hinr. I now asked Nathan to read the card again, and was delighted to find that tile vision of the bad eye had become equal to that of the good one, namely 10/50. I had difficulty in keeping his head straight while I was testing lum, for like most children with squint, lie tried to improve his sight by looking at the object

of vision from all sorts of angles. After lie had palmed for a sufficient length of time, however, lie became able to correct this habit. The extraordinary sympathy which existed between mother and child came out again during the treatment, for no matter what I said or did, the child would nut smile until the mother did.

Nathan cane to the clinic very regularly for a year, and for the first six months he always wore a black patch over his better eye, the left, while atropine was also used in this eye to prevent its use in case the patch was not worn constantly. Nathan did not like the patch, and his mother had to promise all sorts of things to keep it on. After it was removed the atropine was continued. Dr. Bates had told me what to expect when the patch was removed, and so I was not shocked to see the eye turn in. I knew the. condition would be temporary, and that in time both eyes would be straight. Treatment was continued for six months, and now the boy reads at times 10/15 with both eyes, and always will) a smile.

The dirty little boy, to whom we must now go back, was called George, and his condition was worse than that of Nathan, for lie had squint in both eyes. At ten feet lie read the fifty line, but complained that lie saw double. I showed him how to palm, and while he was doing so his mother told me how very I)ad lie was, adding that I must spank him if lie did not mind me.

"I think lie gets enough of that already," I said, but I was careful to say it with a smile, fearing that she might lose her temper and say more than I would lilac.

George had now been palming five n)inutcs, and I asked him to uncover his eyes and look at the card. He was much surprised to find that he could read the forty line without seeing the letters double. I asked his mother very quietly to be a little patient with him and help him at home, and I gave her a test card for him to practice with.

"Madam," slip r<•.hlicd, "I am the mother of six, and I haven't time to Sass with him."

"No wonder the kiddy is cross-eyed," I thought, and seeing I Could get no help in that quarter, I appealed to George. When I revealed to him the possibility of a Christmas present if he came to the clinic regularly and did what I told him he became interested. I did not know how much could be done for his eyes in the eight weeks that remained before the holidays, but I felt sure that with his co-operation we could at least make a good start. This he gave me in full measure. Never did I have a more enthusiastic patient. He carne to the clinic regularly three days a week, and often when I came late I would find him waiting for me on the hospital steps and yelling:

"Here she is. I saw her first."

After he had been practicing faithfully for two weekspalming six times a day, and perhaps more, according to his own report-he was able to keep his eyes straight while he read the test card at twelve feet.

After he had done this I asked him to spell a word with four letters, and instantly his eyes turned. I had him palm again, and then I asked him to count tip to twenty. His eyes remained straight, because he could do this without strain.

Two days before Christmas I brought my bundle of presents for the children. George was there bright and early, and with him had come three of his brothers, to get their share too, "if there was any," as George explained. Fortunately a little fairy had prepared me for this, and I had gifts for everyone. That day George was able to keep his eyes straight both before and after his treatment, and to read 15/10 with each eye separately. I have never seen him since, and can only hope that be kept up the treatment until permanently cured.

When little Ruth, aged three, first came to us Dr. Bates suggested to tier mother, who was nearsighted, that she should have her own eyes cured, because her condition had a had effect on the child. She consented, and now has nearly normal vision. Ruth had squint and was so tiny that I had to put her on a table to treat her. As she could not, of course, read the letters on the test card, I held before tier a card covered with L's of various sizes turned in different directions. Her mother was quite positive that she couldn't understand what I wanted her to do, but Ruth, as often happens in such cases, had more intelligence than her mother gave tier credit for. I asked her to tell me whether a certain T? pointed upward, or to the right or left, by merely indicating the direction with her forger, and it did not take an instant for her to show Mother how bright she was. I showed her how to palm, and in a little while she indicated correctly the direction of the letters on several, lines. When the letters became indistinct, as I moved the card further away, she became excited and wanted to cry, and her left eye turned in markedly. She palmed again and while she was doing so, I asked her all about her dolly, whether her eyes were blue, or some other color, what kind of clothes she wore, and so on. When she removed her hands from her eyes both were straight. Her mother was instructed to practice with her many times a day at short intervals, so that she would not tire of it, and in three months her eyes were straight every time I tested tier sight. I was much interested to learn from tier mother that if Ruth's daddy raised his voice in the slightest degree when he spoke to her, tier eyes were sure to turn in. This merely confirmed my own experience that it is necessary to treat children who have defects of vision with the utmost gentleness if one

wants to cure them. Ruth is not cured yet, but she hopes to be before Christmas, because Santa Claus is sure to visit Roan 6, Harlem Hospital Clinic, and he does not like to see children squinting.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

All readers of this. magazine are invited to send questions to the editor regarding any difficulties they may e:cperience in using the various methods of treatment which it raco;nwends. These will be answered as promptly as possible. Kindly enclose a stamped addressed envelope.

Q. Can opacity of the cornea be cured?-Id. B.

A. Yes. A patient with opacity of the cornea came to the eye clinic of the Harlem Hospital with a vision of 20/70, and in half an hour became able to read 20/40. Later his vision became normal, much to my surprise. Other cases have also been cured.

Q. Is retinitis pigmentosa curable?-R. V.

A. Yes. See Better Eyesight, for April, 1920.

Q. My eyes are weak, and cannot stand the light. Can anything be done for them?-Mrs. W. T.

Q. Is it possible to regain the ability to read without glasses when it fails after the age of forty, the sight at the distance being perfect? If so how can this be done?-H. C.

A. The failure of the sight at the near-point after forty is due to the same cause as its failure at any other point and at any other age, namely strain. The sight can be restored by practicing at the near-point the same methods used ti? improve the vision at the distance-palming, shifting, swinging, etc. The sight is never perfect at the distance when imperfect at the near-point, but will become so when the sight at the near point has become normal.

A. Yes. Stop wearing dark glasses, and go out into the bright sunshine. As they get stronger accustom them to the direct light of the sun. Let the sun shine on the closed eyelids. Then gradually open them until able to keep them wide open while the sun shines directly into them. Be careful not to overdo this, as much discomfort and lowered vision might result temporarily from a premature exposure of the eyes to strong light. See Better Eyesight for Noventher, 1919.

VOLUNTARY PRODUCTION OF EYE TENSION A SAFEGUARD AGAINST GLAUCOMA

It is a good thing to know how to inci ease the tension of the eyeball voluntarily, as this enables one to avoid not only the strain that produces glaucoma, but. other kinds of strain also. To do this proceed as follows 7

Put the fingers on the upper part of the eyeball while looking downward, and note its softness. Then do any one of the following things:

Try to see a letter, or other object, imperfectly, or (with the eyes either closed or open) to imagine it imperfectly.

Try to see a letter, or a number of letters, all alike at one time, or to imagine them in this way.

Try to imagine that a letter, or mental picture of a letter, is stationary.

Try to see a letter, or other object, double, or to imagine it double.

When successful the awtball will become harder in proportion to the degree of the strain ; but, as pit. isp very difficult to see, imagine, or remember, things imperfectly, all may not be able at first to demonstrate the facts.

<img border=0 width=97 height=65 src="bem_files/image004.jpg">

<img border=0 width=124 height=21 src="bem_files/image005.jpg">

. By W., H. BATEs, K, D.

becomes abiipr;na~ll~ hard,^, arid '00 6tp;'y'tb a4 cause e are endless. The hamhow is SO I §sCq to be due to a rise iii i4traocular pressure, and `the` other symptotns, chief ainon~ which is .an txc'avafI'^_n^'i>.f the . ~^,e ^;,"youth optic nerve,"forming in adyahced~,Ipses "a cy C c

supposed to be th'e" f~e49#s of overhanging edges', at, s

this pressure. A , alt 'th _e L $vrnpf6m§ tomra

44IV, a's~s,o

tens

-ciated with ':increased ' ipn'bave been found n'eyes*in -which the tension was normal.

The increased tefisiot~ i3 SUP osed to be due fo'ari'ejk6e4: -of fluid in the eyeball

J,'4n4`1his is commonly ttri uleo tovap.^, impeded outflow. 'I hdiyx6r,'which'is ^secvery rapidly, is SUPP050a^, 6" escape it ilh6 angle formed by,~~ ^-the junction of the iris ~ik~, t&' 'cornea, and' ifigla6corn4 fV

is believed that the iris -aA'6qs to the pcornea. sop that tn~' .angle is obstructed. Yet, it,^,Ie w

,ell-knovyn f iathat in, uses no such obstxqcxioi .Z be found.

^-For'more.than fiftj'yea'rs"iridenij.beLld fhe'Wd only treatment which gave aly^-'hope 01"Ilk Q*

<img border=0 width=45 height=67 src="bem_files/image006.jpg">

Tlie operation, which means the removal of a piece of the iris, was introduced by von Graefe, and often gives relief for a longer or shorter time. If the patient lives long enough, however, the condition always returns. I have seen this happen after the tension had been normal for fifteen years. It is a fact mentioned by all the text-books, moreover, that it often fails to give even temporary relief, and sometimes the condition is made worse than it was before.

The beneficial results of the operation, when it does succeed, have never been satisfactorily explained, but the accepted opinion at the present time is that they are due to the formation of a scar which is more pervious to the fluids of the eye than the normal tissue, and the object of modern operations is to obtain such a scar. For this reason sclerotomy, usually performed by the method of Elliott has gained great vogue. A piece of the entire thickness of the sclera is removed, and thus a permanent fistula covered only by the conjunctiva is formed. Through this the fluids of the interior escape. Like iridectomy this operation sometimes succeeds temporarily, but, according to Elliott himself, it may fail to check the optic atrophy and decline of vision even when the relief of tension is complete.

Although it is the concensus of medical opinion that a glaucomatous eye must eventually be operated upon, and that the sooner this is done the better, some men have attempted to hold the process at bay by the use of myotics. These drugs, by contracting the pupil and thus stretching the iris, are believed to draw the latter away from the "filtration angle" and allow the excess of fluid to escape. They are commonly employed for the purpose of giving temporary relief, but some specialists advise their continuous use. Posey claimes that such treatment gives a larger proportion of successes than iridectomy.

Until a few years ago 1 always treated glaucoma by the old methods, not knowing anything better to do; but I never used the Elliot operation, having early learned that it is very dangerous to allow the fluids of the eyeball to escape, and having seen glaucoma produced by fistula of the cornea. I would not have ventured to predict that the condition could be relieved by relaxation, and only learned by accident that it was amenable to such treatment.

On May 9, 1915, a patient (mentioned in Blindness Relicvcd by a New Method, N. Y. Med. Jour. Feb. 3, 1917) came to me with a complication of diseases which had reduced the vision of the right eye to light perception and that of the left to 20/100 (the field being also contracted). She was fifty-four years of age, and had been wearing since 1910 the following glasses: both eyes, convex 2.00 D.S. combined with convex 1.50 D.C., axis 90. As her pupils were much contracted, I prescribed atropine to dilate them, two grains to an ounce of normal salt solution, one drop three times a clay.

On the afternoon of May 10, she had all attack of acute glaucoma in the left or better eye. As atropine and other mydriactics arc thought sometimes to produce glaucoma, the fact that the disease attacked only one eye and that the better of the two is interesting. The cnndilion got worse as the day advanced, and during the night the pain was so intense that the patient vomited repeatedly. The next morning she came to the office, and I noted that there was blood in the anterior chamber. The vision had been reduced to light perception, and the pain again produced vomiting. I prescribed escrine-two grains to the ounce, one drop three times a day. Afterward I visited her three or four times a clay in her home, and as there had been no improvement, I increased lite strength of the escrine solution to four ,grains

to the ounce and alternated it with a three per cent solution of pilocarpine, both of these drugs being myolics. Still there was no improvement, and after a few days 1 decided upon an operation. It was performed on May 15, and was accompanied by considerable hemorrhage. Mild hemorrhages also occurred at different times during the following week. When the blood cleared away an opaque mass was left covering the pupil. On May 23, the tension was normal and there was no pain ; but, owing to the opaque matter covering the pupil, there had been no improvement in the vision.

After the operation the patient resumed the relaxation treatment. Under its influence the vision of the right eye improved, and when a few weeks after the operation there was an increase of tension in this eye, it was at once relieved by palming. For some months the vision of the left eye remained unchanged, owing to the opacity of the pupil. Then the obstruction began to clear away, and the vision improved. In a year there was normal vision in both eyes. From time to time during this period, and up to the present time, the patient had attacks of increased tension in both eyes; but they were always relieved in a few minutes by palming.

Since then I have used the same treatment in many cases, and I have never seen one in which the pain and tension could not be relieved in a few minutes by palming, while permanent relief was obtained by more prolonged treatment.

One of the worst cases of.glaucoma I ever met with came to me on Feb. 2, 1920. The patient was sixty years of age, and his vision in the right eye or better eye was only 20/100, with marked contraction of the field on the nasal side. In the left he had only light perception. The eyeballs felt as hard as the glass shell of an artificial eye, which, technically, is tension plus 3. The glaucomatous excavation of the

optic nerve was so marked that it seemed as if the whole nerve had been pushed backward. The patient had been under treatment a long time, but had received no benefit.

On March 2, after swinging and palming, the vision of the right eye was 20/20-while that of the left was 20/100 in the eccentric field. On March 4, the field of the left eye had improved, and by alternating the universal swing with palming he became able, for short periods, to read diamond type with the right eye at six inches. This was twelve days after he had begun the treatment. On March 7, he flashed 20/40 with the left eye, and by the aid of the universal swing read fine print at five inches with the right, while the field of both eyes was normal. For the first time in several years he became able to see the food on his plate. Previously he had had to be fed, which was very humiliating to him. He also became able to go about without an attendant, to attend to his correspondence at the office, and to read his letters without glasses. At this point he stopped the treatment against my advice, and I have not seen him since. He was greatly helped by the universal swing, which he practiced all day.

The truth about glaucoma is that it is a functional neurosis caused by strain, and as such is curable. You can produce hardness in a normal eye by having the patient strain to see (see page 2), and you can soften a glaucomatous eyeball by relief of strain. These changes are so rapid that no change in the contents of the eyeball could account for them. I therefore concluded, before I had any experimental evidence of the fact, that they were due to muscular action. Later I was able to produce glaucoma in a rabbit's eye by operations upon the muscles. I shortened the superior rectos by tucking, and thereby produced a tension of plus 1. I repeated the operation upon the superior oblique, and the tension increased to plus 2. 1 did the same to the inferior oblique,

and the tension increased to the maximum, plus 3. All this time the tension of the other eyeball remained normal.

GETTING CURED OF GLAUCOMA

By r. C. STEWART.

This patient when first seen was able to read 20/50 with each eye, but the right eye was absolutely blind on the nasal side, a vertical line dividing the sexing front the blind area. The tension of the right eye was usually greater than that of the left, but at limes the reverse was the case, and for short periods the tension of both eyes was normal. Ile had been using ntyotics (drops which contract the pupil) for some tittle, but had obtained no benefit front them. His age was fifty-eight, and he was wearing the following glasses: distance, both eyes, convex 2.75 D.S.; reading, both eyes, convex 5.00 D.S. The improvement in his field since lie has been under treattn.cat has been very remarkable, as the accepted methods of treatment, even when the results are most favorable arc not expected to enlarge the field, or even to prevent a further loss.

In the summer of 1917 I had the first symptoms of glaucome in the form of an attack of rainbow vision. I did not know what the symptoms meant, and was not alarmed; but I went to an optician and had my glasses changed, thinking the trouble was the consequence of eyestrain. The symptoms continued, however, and I went to another optician and had the glasses changed again. Still I was no better. Then I went to a succession of oculists, some six or seven, all of them being men of considerable eminence in the profession. The first two put drops in my eyes and examined my field, but did not tell me that I had glaucoma. It was only from

the third, about a year and a half after the first symptoms appeared, that I learned what was the matter with me. The last began to talk operation, but I let him talk. I think I may claim to be as game as anyone about operations. When the doctors told me that they wanted to take my stomach out and put it back again, I said, "Go ahead." If they had told me that they wanted to take off my leg, I would probably have said the same thing. But when it came to letting anyone cut into my eye it was a different matter. About the first of last July the oculist in whose care I then was told me that my field was getting less. He asked me to come back in October, and said if the field continued to contract he would talk operation again.

Sometime previous to this an acquaintance who said that Dr. Bates had cured him of glaucoma gave me a copy of Bcticr Eyesight. I did not become seriously interested at the time, but later I asked the man for details. He told me something about Dr. Bates' methods, and said he not only had great faith in Dr. Bates, but that lie was the only eye specialist in whom lie did have any faith.

Finally, on September It, of this year, I went to Dr. Bates. He told me to stop the eye drops and take off my glasses, which I did. Having worn the latter for twenty-five years, I had considerable difficulty at first in getting on without them; but after three or four days things began to go better, and before the end of the month I read the address on the Doctor's card without artificial aid. I could not have done this when I took off my glasses i£ a hundred million dollars had been at stake. I can now, six weeks after the beginning of the treatment, read ordinary print at twelve inches, and under favorable conditions can read diamond type at six inches or less. There has also been a considerable improven,eut in my field.

My progress has been slow, but it is sure, and I sec no reason why it should not continue until I get a complete cure. I have spent many hours a day palming, and this, when it is successful, softens the eyeball and improves the sight very materially. I am also able to soften the eyeball simply by a thought-that is, by the memory of some object or incident. A white cloud, the blue sky, some incident of my boyhood, or of a more recent period-anything so long as it is remembered perfectly-has this extraordinary effect. Often when I wake in the morning my eyeballs are hard, but by the aid of my memory I am always able to soften them. One morning I woke at two o'clock, and went to the bathroom. There, in accordance with a habit of mine, I washed my face in cold water. As I touched my eyeballs I was shocked to find how hard they were. They were like two rocks. Immediately I paid a mental visit to Van Cortland Park and began to examine the trees, noticing the texture of the bark, the gum oozing out of it, the outlines of the leaves, etc., and before

I had reached the second tree the eyeballs were soft. Often since then I have resorted to the same expedient, and always with the same result. Fortunately I know the different kinds of trees very well, and my visits to the park are interesting as well as profitable.

On the streets and elsewhere I try to imagine that everything is moving, and as long as I am able to do this the eyeballs remain soft. Since I have been under treatment I have been trying to learn to sleep on my back, as the Doctor says that the body is always under a strain unless the spine is straight. When I am able to do this I waken without pain or hardness in the eyeballs.

Recently I sent one of Dr. Bates' reprints to the specialist who wanted to operate on me, and he said he was much interested.

STORIES FROM THE CLINIC 10: Absolute Glaucoma

By EMILY C. LIHRMAN

In absolute glaucoma there is )to perception of light, and the condition is considered to be incurable. It may or "toy not be accompanied by pain, and in the latter case the only remedy is believed to be the ¢nucleation, or removal of the eye. So far as the editor is aware there is no case of absolute glaucoma on record in which the pain has been relieved, or any measure of sight restored, by any method except the one described below.

A few months ago there came to the clinic a woman of seventy-nine. At first glance one could see that she was a lady, and I guessed that at one time she had been very well off. As she stood apart from the rest of the patients waiting to be attended to she took not the slightest notice of what was going on around her, and occasionally I heard her moan with pain.

When at last Dr. Bates was able to examine her he found that she had glaucoma in both eyes, and that the right was stone blind, possessing not even light perception. He turned her over to me, asking me to do what I could to help her and stop her pain. Fortunately I was able to find a stool for her, a rare thing at the clinic, and placing it before a table upon which she could rest her elbows, I showed her how to, palm, which she did very readily. After a few minutes the pain ceased and the eyeballs became soft. I now told her to take down her hands, but she still kept her eyes shut. I thought this was because I had not told her to open them, but when I told her she might do so she asked:

"Are you sure the limn will not come back if 1 open them. For many days I have suffered such constant pain that I cannot sleep at night, and now I feel such a sense of relief that I would really like to keep my eyes closed."

"I don't think the pain will come back," I said, "and if it does you can palm again."

I now held a test card about two feet from her eyes, and told her to cover her better eye and look at the card with the blind one. We had several visiting doctors at the clinic that day, and Dr. Bates had told them about this case of absolute glaucoma. They were all standing by, with Dr. Bates himself, when I asked the patient to look at the card. and the excitement was intense when she said that she saw the large letter at the top.

"Oh, Doclor," I said, "she sees it !"

"Yes, I see it, I really see it," added the patient, scarcely able to credit her senses.

After a little more treatment I told her she must keep her eyes shut as much as possible when she was at home, and palm every minute she could get. I also told her never to look at any point more than a second, but to keep constantly shifting. She went away very happy and grateful, for the pain had not come back.

The next time she came Dr. Bates treated her, and was able to improve the vision of the right eye to 9/200, while that of the left eye improved to 9/40. He then turned her over to me again. She was very happy and wanted to talk, which I let her do. She said she was living in a furnished room and that I hadn't any idea how worried she had been about going blind, because she had no one to look after her.

"But now," she added, "I have all sorts of hopes for the relief of my trouble, because you and Dr. Bates have done so much for me. Palming, helps me so much that I ant now

able to sleep at night. I like to do it for hours at a time, because it lakes the terrible pain away."

I now told tier to use tier imagination to improve her sight and relieve the pain. Most of the clinic patients become confused when f ask them to do this, but this dear old lady did not find it a bit difficult. I told her to palm, and then imagine a florist's window filled with flowers. Next I told her to imagine that she had entered the shop and was observing the flowers, and I called to her mind the red rose and the white rose, the carnation, the violet and other blossoms. Then I asked her if she could imagine the green fields in the country where the daisies grow, and she said:

"Yes, and I can imagine that I am picking the daisies also." 1 now told her to remove her hands from her eyes, and Dr. Bates was thrilled when she saw the T on the thirty line at ten feet. The patient herself laughed out loud and said:

"I cannot believe it."

She came to the clinic regularly, three days a week, for quite a while, and always happy because she was steadily improving. I was not prepared, therefore, to find her one day looking very much depressed. The trouble was that she had had a visitor who talked to her-or at her, I should say -for two long hours; this had upset her nerves so that the pain had returned and her vision had been lowered. I pictured to myself what it must mean to listen to a steady stream of gossip for two hours, and my sight at once became imperfect. I told her what a dangerous thing it was for her to allow herself to be tortured in this way, and said that if her friends insisted upon talking to her for such a length of time she must keep her eyes closed as much as possible. Otherwise the strain would cause her to go blind.

For a time she got along nicely. Then I left the city for

a much-needed vacation, and while I was away I got word that she was getting worse. I came back to town, and, as she was not able to come to the clinic, I called upon her.

"Oh, nurse," she said, as soon as site saw me, "uty right eye pains me so that I think of nothing but death."

Her thin face was lined with pain, and I could see that she was in agony. I began to talk to her about the days when she did not suffer, and how she had stopped the pain by remembering the daisies. She began to pahn without my telling her to, and became able to imagine the daisy waving in the breeze. I asked her to imagine that her body was swinging with the flower. She did this, and a few minutes her pain left her and she smiled.

"Now, isn't it strange," she remarked, "but I forgot all about using my imagination."

She said that I had worked a miracle; but I explained that when she used her imagination she had to relax enough to relieve the strain in her eyes, and that had stopped the pain. We often hear the remark, "This person makes me sick," or "That person makes me nervous," but it remained for my glaucoma patient to make me realize that these observations are literal statements of fact. All about the walls of her little room, which was very clean and sunshiny, were photographs of her children and their families. With great pride she named each one in turn, but when she came to the picture of a man and woman hanging a little apart from the rest her tone changed.

"This is my daughter," she said of the woman, and I could see that she was very fond of her, but when she pointed to the man she said:

"I cannot bear him. He makes me nervous and sick, because he is not a good man."

She began to strain at once, and had to do some palming

before 1 left to relieve her pain. Evidently it is important, if we want to avoid eyestrain, that we should keep away frnm the people we dislike, and think of them as little as posslblc.

I called on her a few times more, and by resting her eyes between each line of letters she became able to read 10/20 with the once blind eye and 10/10 with the other. The last time I saw her she was happy and comfortable.

THE TREATMENT OF CATARACT

Prow "A Case of Cataract," by Victoria. Cootidge, rn "Better Cyesigltt" for June, 1920.

The treatment prescribed was as follows

Palming six times a day, a half hour or longer at a till^,

Reading the Snellen test card at five, ten, and twenty feet.

Reading fine print at six inches, five minutes at a time, especially soon after rising in the morning and just before retiring at night, and reading books and newspapers.

Besides this, he was to subject his eyes, especially the left, to the sunlight whenever an opportunity offered, to drink twelve glasses of water a day, walk five miles a day, and later, when he was in better training, to run half a mile of so every day.

The results of this treatment have been most gratifying. Not only have his eyes improved steadily, but his general health has been so much benefited that at eiglrty-two he looks, acts and feels better and younger than he did at eighty-one.

CATARACT: ITS CAUSE AND CURE

By W. H. 13Arrs, M. D.

Cataract is a condition in which the lens becomes opaque. It is commonly associated with advancing years, but may occur at any age. It may also be congenital (present at birth). The opacities lake many different forms, and may occur in a hard or a soft lens. According to the orthodox teaching the condition is incurable except by the removal of the lens, although in the earlier stages it is sometimes ameliorate(] by means of drops that expand the pupil and by glasses. The text-books are full of statements to this effect.

Yet it is perfectly well known that cataract does sometimes recover spontaneously. Many such cases are on record, and probably most ophthalmologists who have been practicing for any length of time have seen them. Fifteen or twenty years ago, when I was assistant surgeon at the New York Eye and Gar Infirmary, I collected, at the request of the executive surgeon, Dr. Henry D. Noyes, a large number of records of such cases.

The removal of the tells, when it is soft, is usually accomplished by the operation of needling, whereby the tissues are broken up so that they may be absorbed. A hard lens is

extracted through an opeiung at the margin ~,f the. corn-, and the best results are believed to be oblaincd when the opacity has become complete. Otherwise part of the Icm substance is liable to be left behind and cause trouble. Thus the patient may be kept for years in a condition of scow blindness.

The results of the nlwration are not always as satisfactory as might be desired. A considerable proportion of palivnlz regain what is considered In be normal acuteness of vision with very strong glasses, and the results arc considered good when they become able In read large print at the near-point and 20/50 at the distance. The patient is obliged, usually to have two sets of glasses, one for distant vision to replace tho focusing power of the lost Ices, and the other for reading to compensate for the impairment of the accommodative power which Usually follows the operation.

This impairment of accommodative power is not due to the removal of the lens, which has noticing to do with accommodation. but to the fact that the patient strains so to see that the muscles that control the shape of the ryeball fail to act properly. In some cases it is regained, after tho patient becomes accusloined to the new situation, without treatment, and in rare cases patients have become able to do without glasses entirely, because the eyeball elongated sufficiently to compensate for the loss of the lens.

I began to treat cataract by the operative method, because I did not know anything better to do. Then f learned from Dr. James Ii. Kelly of New York that incipient cases would yield to hygienic treatment. My first inkling of the value of central fixation in such conditions came to me through a patient who had incipient cataract in one eye and hypermetropia (farsight) in the other. By the time the error of refraction had been relieved the cataract had disappeared.

After this I had many^- ,imilar c\_l'.knees, Ill:! it did not "'Cur In nrC (flat a rlh(- Cataract, (,I- ^ra congenital cataract, ronld he cured by (his or anv other Irnatmcn.

In 1'>12. hov,ever , a young girl of seventeen came to nil^, c lill ic wills the ICfI eve cnnclented and a congenital cataract in the right. The left had been olwra,c~l upon for the same condition, and. having hceonre infected, was taken out to save the letter eye. The Iallcr having recently become worse, the patient had came to have il operated upon. Before performing the operation I thought it best to treat her by the iocllrod of relaxation. for the purpose of intpruvit:g the condilion of the eye its ]]inch as possible so that the operation nrigln have a letter chance of success. To my surpris,• the vision improved and kept on improving, untif in three niontlts ii was normril and the cataract hall disappeared.

()ne clay, some half a dozen years later, a lady, fifty-five mars of age, carne to me to be cured of presbyopia (old-age sight). IIer distant vision in the right eye was 20/20, and in the left she had only light perception, This was due to the presence, in this eye. of a mature cataract, f began to treat her by file aid of the memory and imagination for prcslrcopia, and, in order to prove to her life relation between iluse mental facilities and the state of the vision, I asked her to cover tier right eye and note that site could not remember

or imagine a black period as well as when it was open. She replied that she could, and I said it was impossible. She insisted that, nevertheless, she did it. Thinking that at the near-point she would realize the imperfection of the sight of the left eye more clearly than at the distance, I brought the card closer and said:

"Yon cannot remember the period looking at this card with your good eye covered."

She replied: "f call. and what is more, I can read 1hcard," which she did, both at two feet and at tv~en±-•.

This was naturally a shock to me. It did not seem to me possible that a mature cataract could melt away in such a short time, but the ophthalmoscope confirmed the statements of the patient. When she remembered a period perfectly 1 could see the optic nerve and other details of the eye-ground. Since then I have cured a great many similar cases, one of the most remarkable having been reported in Better Eyesight for June, 1920.

I had another shock when a few months ago a traumuti, cataract began to melt away under the influence of relaxation treatment. The patient came to my clinic with an eye which had been completely blind for four years from traumatic cataract complicated with detachment of the retina. "11h( opacity completely covered the pupil, and with the ophthalmoseope no red reflex (light reflected from the retina) could be seen. After a few treatments the patient became able to see the movements of his hand on the temporal side. Later he became able to see the hand in all parts of the field. Now he is beginning to read.

Another case of the cure of traumatic cataract is reported in the following article.

These cures are very remarkable. A traumatic cataract is one which follows an injury (trauma) to the lens, the opacity being due largely to the formation of connective tissue in the pupil, and, in advance of the event, I should have pronounced the cure of such a condition impossible, although I had previously demonstrated that when patients practice central fixation connective tissue is absorbed in the optic nerve, retina and cornea. In the retina and optic nerve the circulation can be seen to improve as the connective tissue disappears, and I can only assume that this is the cause of its disappearance.

Equally remarkable is the cure of diabetic cataract without

relief of the disease. A patient with such a cataract came to me on April 29, 1918, her vision being 10/200-in the right eye and 20/30- in the left. She had been seen a year and a half previously by a well-known ophthalmologist who bad advised several operations, but, fortunately, she had not sutnoitted to client. By the aid of palming, singing, imagination and memnry, her vision improved rapidly. On May 15 that of the left eye was 20/%0, while later it became normal. On May 22 the vision of the right became normal temporarily. Since then she has hit([ slight relapses in the right eye, but few or none in the left. The general diabetic condition has not changed, and it is remarkable that when it is at its worst there is very little lowering of the vision.

It is quite evident from the foregoing facts that the cause of cataract (other than traumatic) is strain, and I have found much other evidence, both clinical and experimental, to the same effect. I have not been able to produce cataract in a normal eye by strain, but in a cataractous eye I have seen the opacity come and go according as the mind of the patient was relaxed or under a strain. In one of these cases the opacity was so dense that no red rellex could be seen. Another doctor who was present looked at the eye and made the same observation. I asked the patient to remember a swinging O perfectly black, with a perfectly white center. This meant perfect relaxation, and when she did it I saw some of the details of the retina and the optic nerve, while the other doctor again confirmed my observation. I then asked her to think of the O as stationary, with grey outlines and a clouded center. This meant a great strain, and while she did it neither I nor my colleague could see the red reflex. In experimental anhnals I have produced cataract by operating upon the external eye muscles in such a way as to increase their pressure, and have (lien relieved ii by cutting these muscles.

TRAUMATIC CATARACT DISAPPEARS

By AIARGARF- Uf1WNTE.

This patient was fitsl seen on October 18, 1920, when irrr vision in the right eye was 20/100 and in life left 14/200, She had compound myopic asligmatistn in lite right t_ve. and the pupil of the left eye was covered by a tramnalic cataract which prevented ophlhalmoscopir earamination of the eye-ground. On December (), the cataract had beets absorbed except for a spot about the sine of a. pin-head, and l rwac able to see the optic nerve and the retina clearly. With o glaw to replace the focasmy poswer of the lens-convex 7.(X) D. S. combined with convex 3,00 D. C., 75 degrees-she was able eaiNI, this cye to read 20/40, and, on, the same day. after painting nrrd swinging, site obtained temporary normal visdrni its both eves, the left eveball having elongated sufficiently to compensate for the loss o f llte lcus. The fact that nsEignwtism should have developed in the right eye after lite injury to llte left is interesting, as astigmatism has been supposed, trnli.l recenll1S to be congenital.

When I was thirteen years of otgc of Iwllct ir(im an airgun, rebounding from a tree, struck my left eye and injured the lens. This resulted in the formation of a cataract which was operated upon three times. After the third operation about one third of the cataract remained, but the doctor was afraid to operate again. I was now able with this eye to distinguish, with the aid of a strong glass; only the outline of near-by objects.

Previous to the accident my eyes had been straight, :utd the vision of both normal, so far as I was aware. After the last operation, however. I found myself iambic to read writing on the blackboard at school. I went to the specialist who had performed the operations, and lie %vas astounded to find

that I luid e had case of it, liencttisin in the rood eve. II gave uic the following glass: convex 3.00 D. C., 105 degrees, combined with concave 2.50 D. C., 15 degrees. T.ater my left eye began to turn out.

T wore lily glasses constantly, putting them on the firs( thing in the inwning, and taking them oil (lie last thing at night. f went -ionniug with them, and if they were lost or broken, I remained ill n(y room until they were found or repaired. My condition caused me much unhappiness, and I was particularly disturbed about. the squint. 1 wrote to uvcrv inediral journal that 1 knew about and to many other publications, asking if there was any^, cure for squint; but none of them was able it) sugLest anything but an operation, A few months ago 1 happened to hear about Dr. Bates, and I resolved to see him as soon as an opportunity offered. At the beginning of the season I carne to New York from my home in Texas to study music, but with Dr. Bates in the background of my mind. Nevertheless I did not look hint ill) immediately.

One clay in the elevator of a department store my glasses were swept from lily face, disappearing as completely as if they had never existed. I went to the Lost Property Office, bit( after waiting there a long time failed to recover them. It was a horrihle experience, and the realizalioii of niv helplessness without glasses depressed ins terribly. However, ^,;IS it resulted in my looking up Dr. Tiales immediately, it was a good thing.

I went to him with the hope that lie, might be able to cure lily squint and astigmatism, but I never dreamed that he could cure the cataract also. When lie told me he could do so T hardly knew what to think, hot I resolved to do everything I could to help him cure ate. I carried out the swinging treatment so vigorously that I used to get dizzy, and fall

over on my bed. Of course I wasn't doing it right. but the ductor had told me to swing, and I was determined to do so. I was positively terrified when lie told me to palm and remember all sorts of strange things, such as the letter h on a piece of white starch, because I thought lie was trying to hypnotize me, but I did my best, nevertheless, to carryout his instructions. Later I bought and read all the back numhers of the magazine, and learned the scientific principles on which the treatment is based.

My eyesight is now steadily improving, and I intend to keep up the treatment until I have normal vision. I have given up the music for the time being-my eyes are more important, ten times more important-and the ridicule of my friends does not disturb rue. As long as that old cataract continues to melt away nothing else matters.

In addition to the improvement in my eyesight I have noticed an improvement in my memory. My memory for the things I learned out of books at school was always poor, while my memory for music has always been exceptionally good. I suppose the difference was due to the fact that one set of impressions reached me through my eyes, and the other through my ears. Now that my vision is improving I can remember the things that I see better.

I wish everyone could know of this remarkable method of curing defects of vision. I know in the end it must surmount all opposition, but meantime how many persons as afflicted as

I once was will remain unhelped 1 It is right that we should be dubious of the new, but to hang so tightly to tradition as the medical profession seems to do makes progress unnecessarily hard.

INCIPIENT CATARACT RELIEVED

fly C. l.. Sret.-NsoN, h1. D. Ncw 1'nrk.

This patient when fitsl seen had a vision of 20/200 in each eye, and Xas nearing, for distant adsion, the following' glasses: right eye, concave 6.00 1). S. combined Wills 1.00 D. C., 90 rlc,prers; left eye, 10.00 D. S. combined with 1.00 D. C., 60 degrees. Owi>tg to the presence of incipient cataract in each eye these lenses improved his vision only 20/50 in the right rye and 20/100 in the left. For reading his glasses were three diapters weaker. IIe now has flashes of normal arision. IIe -was helped inosl by lite use of his imagination.

Since boyhood-1 atn now sixty-five-1 have had myopia and astigmatism, for the correction of which I have worn ,glasses and spectacles. About two years ago cataract developed in my right eye, and a few months later in my left cyc. Both were in mild degree, but still bad enough to seriously obscure the field of vision. I had previously been annoyed by vitreous opacities which made little black spots dance in the field of vision. I also suffered from frequent severe headaches. My glasses were often changed without mach relief.

About November 1st of this year (1920) I consulted Dr. Rates, of whom I had heard much and favorably. His methods of treatment seemed exceedingly rational, and he gave me great hopes of getting rid of my eye troubles. First of all lie made the discard my glasses, which, at first, seemed rather hard, but to which I have gradually become reconciled. Through what I would call a system of progressive education of sight, I have now almost got rid of the myopia, the vitreous opacities do not bother me any more, and, apparent

ly, the cataracts are disappearing by degrees. The headaches

have also disappeared. 1 have resumed, to a great extent, tbc literary and research work on which 1 have been engaged since my retirement from active practice, and I lm- iui dould that, ultimately, I shall be in possession of full visual power. Upon my future progress 1 will report at a later dale.

No. 122 West Ninety-ninth Street.

STORIES FROM THE CLINIC 11: A Case of Cataract fly I?MIIN C. I.Ih;RIVAN.

Une clay last July a matt of forty Carl(: tU the clinic suffering from cataract and a complication of other trollblts. As I approached him he was palming. This was nn unustuil thing for a stranger to do, but he evidently thought th;d if covering the eyes with the palms was good for others it might help him also. 1 stood before him and said:

"Call I help you?"

He paid no attention to me whatever, and I soon discovered that lie was deaf, so deaf than One had almost to scream into his left or better cm- to nmkc hint hear. When I had at last succeeded in making him understand ire lit asked:

"Is it possible that you will be aide to du %utything for me?„

1 answered: "I am going to try, with your help."

Then I said I wanted to know something about the history of his case, and this is what lie told me:

At the age of six he fell down a flight of stairs, ;in([ struck his forehead on a newel post, severing an artery in the bead. Later, when it was noted that his sight was deficient, physicians attributed the condition to this fall. During the thirtvfottr subsequent ),cars he had been treated by many Ne,

York physlrians, hoth at their offices and clinics. During that period lie had been blind three times, and surgical treatoicnt had been repeatedly necessary. As a boy lie could never sec a blackboard at school, and could read but little. lictivecn his twenty-first and his thirty-fifth year he had cnjoycil tit(' best vision of his life; but for tile past live years his sight had been steadily declining, and several doctors had lnld him that this would continue until lie became completely blind. I le was now prtctically blind in one eye so far as useful vision was concerned. I tested his sight, and found tlutt he could count his fingers al about three feat with the right eye, and with the left could sec only the movements of his hand. Dr, Bales had previously examined hint, and had found tlrt[ he lead an inflammatory cataract in the left eye, together wish other inflatrunatory conditions.

1 told him to palm again, and lie complained that he saw all sorts of bright colors, and that these disturbed bull very much. I []tell told him to remove his hands front his eyes :utd look at the large letter on the test card, which I held a foot away front hint. After he had tried a few times he was able it) remember the letter with his eyes closed; then the bright colors faded away. and after palming for fifteen minutes his vision improved front 1/200 to 1/50 in (lie right eye, while in the left he became able to count my fingers at three feet. Next clinic day he becanie able to read 3/30 with the right eye and 1/10 with the left, while at the end of two weeks the vision of the right eye had improved to 3/10 and

of the left to 3/70. At the same time his general health had improved so much that he asked me if I had time to let him wl} me about it. I told hill that I would be very glad to hear the story, and what lie had to say interested me so much that I thought the readers of Beltrr Eyesight might be interested also.

"For many years," Ire related, "I have suffered from insonmia, and in recent months it has been nothing unusual for me to remain awake the entire night. rre_quc:ttl_y I sta_y up all night, realizing the futility of trying to induce sl Ir. A short time ago I did this twice in a single week. I do sleep my slumber has been very light and disturbed by the wildest imaginable dreaming-fires, murders, hairbreadth escapes, etc. As a result of the insomnia and eyestrain f had frequently splitting headaches, sometimes every day, and sometimes even twice a dav. From these I could secure relief only by the use of what I knew to be harmful medicines. Since I came to you I have been sleeping very nitich better, the dreams have become much less disturbing, and the headaches have practically ceased."

Hearing this, I was encouraged to try to do even more for him; so I handed him a test card, and asked pIii.inp to look al a small letter, close his eyes and remember it, and then imagine it blacker and clearer than he saw it. He was able to do this, and the constant twitching of his eyelids ceased. For a moment I forgot that lie was deaf and said in an even voice: "How do your eyes feel now?"

He heard me, and answered:

"They feel so rested just now I do not feel that I have eyes at all, but am seeing without them."

He came three days every week for three months, and then as he improved, he came less frequently. When I last saw him he was able, with his left eye, to read 3/10 at times, and with his right 5/10, while his hearing had improved so much that I was able to talk into his better car without raising my voice much above my ordinary conversational tone. At the same time lie had been relieved of head noises, including a drumming in the ears, which, lie said, had often continued for from three to ten days. When lie first carne he could not go about alone, and alwavs walked like an intoxicatcd person, for which lie was frequently taken. Whet] lie left the clinic 1 noticed that he bumped against the benches and lie told „ie. that !lie condition had been atiributed by physicians whom lie had consulted to incipient locomotor ataxia. After his first visit, however, lie never bumped into the furniture, and before he Icft us his walk was almost normal.

THE PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF PAIN BY THE MIND

Anyone who has normal y.Aon can demonstrate in a few momrnts that when the memory is perfect no pain is felt, and can produce pain by an attempt to keep the attention fixed on a point. To do this proceed as follows

Look at a black letter, close the eyes and remember it. Look at the letter main and again close tlic eyes and remember it. Repeat until the memory is equal to the sight: Now press the nail of one finger against the tip of another. If the letter is remembered perfectly, no pain will be felt. With practice it may become possible to remember the letter with the eyes open.

Remember the letter imperfectly, with blurred edges and clouded openings, and again press the nail of one finger against the tip of another. In this case it will be found impossible to continue the pressure for more than a moment on account of the pain.

Try to remember one point of a letter continuously. It will be found impossible to do so, and if the effort is continued long enough pain will be produced.

Try to look continuously at one point of a letter or other object. If the effort is continued long enough, pain will be produced

PAIN; ITS CAUSE AND CURE By W. IL BATEs, 6I. D.

Pain is supposed to be a beneficent provision on the part of Nature for advising us of injurious processes going on in the body, but, like many of Nature's arrangements, it is a very clumsy one. Many of our most serious diseases are quite painless in their early stage (the only time when the warning of pain would be of any use), while a physiological process like childbirth is accompanied by such severe pain that the pangs of the wornan in travail have become proverbial. Pain also occurs with no local cause whatever, being purely a creation of the mind, and it has, besides a very destructive effect upon the body, not infrequently causing death and more often handicapping the organism in its attempts to recover from the condition that caused it. Nature's protective mechanism is, in fact, a two-edged sword striking both ways, and its control is one of the most serious problems that the medical profession has to deal with.

]'here has been much discussion as to the nature of pain, and the mode by which it is produced, one,school

holding that there are special nerves for its transmission and another that it is merely the expression of a certain grade of irritation. Whatever may be said in favor of either of these points of view, it can be demonstrated that pain occurs only when the mind is under a strain and is immediately relieved when the strain is relieved. Thi~train may be due -to a local cause, or it may occur wit out any local cause whatever.

That pain can be produced voluntarily by the mind has long been known. When I was a student at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Dr. T. Gaillard Thomas used to tell us that pain could be produced in the little finger, or any other part of the body, simply by concentrating the mind upon it. Since then I have repeatedly demonstrated that pain can be produced by such a simple thing as imagining a letter or object imperfectly, or trying to look at a point for an appreciable length of time. I never knew these experiments to fail when patients could be induced to make them; but they are so uncomfortable that few are willing to do so. A physician under treatment for imperfect sight boasted that he had never had a headache or pain in his eyes in his life. I told him that I could easily show him how to produce such a pain, and that -it would do him good to have one. After a week of talk lie consented to make the experiment, and in a few minutes lie had acquired a headache that was more interesting than pleasant. He did it by trying to look fixedly at a point. This effect was purely mental. It was not the physical strain of looking at a point that produced the pain, because there was no physical strain, the eye being incapable of looking at a point. It was the mental effort of trying to do what was impossible.

As pain can be produced by the mind without any

local cause, so it can be prevented or relieved by the o T11-LC. .. .: gnat .h- local irritation may be. In other words pain is a mental interpretation of certain stimuli, and under certain circumstances such stimuli are not interpreted as pain. This, too, has long been known, there being cases on record in which individuals have poss, ssed the power of preventing pain to an extraorJinnry extent. f may claim to have discovered, however, that everyone may become the possessor of this power.

It is only when the mind is in an abnormal condition that pain can be felt, or even imagined, and irritations of the nerves are followed by pain only when such irritations produce mental strain. If the mind is not disturbed by theta, there is no pain, and therefore, by learning to avoid this disturbance pain can be prevented, or relieved.

As the mind is always at rest when the memory is perfect, the mental condition necessary for the prevention and relief of pain can be obtained by the use of the memory. One of the simplest things to remember is n small black spot or period, and under certain circumstances anyone may become able to remember such an object. This cannot be done, it is true, at the actual moment of suffering, but, fortunately, pain is never continuous. One can see, or hear, or smell, continuously; but one cannot feel pain continuously. There are always moments of freedom, and during these intermissions one can get control of the memory. In this way the pain of glaucoma, one of the most terrible conditions known to medical science, has been repeatedly relieved (see Ratter I?wsight, December, 1920). Many cases of triz,•einhml neuralgia have been cured after various operations commonly resorted in for the relief of this conchtion had failed, and the pain of childbirth and ,f opera tions has been prevented.

Persons with perfect sight never have any difficulty in preventing pain by the aid of the memory. Persons whose sight is not normal have more difficulty, because imperfect sight is the result of mental strain, and it is sometimes very difficult to relieve this strain. With the help of a person who has normal sight and understands the use of the memory for this purpose, phowever. itp can always be clone.

RELIEF OF TIC DOULOUREUX

By EVELYN M. TnomSON

1 do not remember a time when I was able to see comfortably. At fifteen, following an attack of grippe, 1 began to have so much trouble with my eyes that I was taken out of school, and the late Dr. II. D. Noyes gave me my first glasses. From that time on I wore glasses constantly, with many changes ordered by many different specialists, until I came to Dr. Bates. SO III Cti Ill" they helped me; but I never was able to do any near work without discomfort, and I could not play tennis because it hurt my eyes to follow the ball.

When I was eighteen a polyp in the right middle car broke through the drum, and a great quantity of pus poured out. This was the beginning of a long series of treatment and operations, during which I suffered increasing pain on the right side of my head, and which left me with no bones in the middle ear and an opening in the drum. Adtcr the last operation I was ill for nine months, and for a much longer time there was weakness and loss of sensibility oil the left side of the body.

In 1905 1 had trouble with the antrutn on the left side .,. the face, and in of-de, to rciease the pus which had collected here, a wisdom tooth was extracted, the wound being kept open for three months. A second tooth was then extracted, and one by one all the teeth on the left side of the tipper jaw were taken out. Then the dentist declined to extract any more, saying that it was only increasing the trouble, instead of relieving it.

From the beginning of this condition I had a continual pain in the left side of the face, and this developed into what is known as tic doulouretsz-, a painful contraction of the facial muscles, Much continued for fifteen years. Everything possible was resorted to for the relief of this trouble except drugs, which I refused to take, and nerve-cutting which 1 refused to submit to. Spinal treatment gave the more help than anything else.

From 1914 to 1918, in spite of the discomfort resulting from the use of my eyes at the near-point, I read aloud for many hours every day. At the end of this time my eyes went to pieces completely. All winter I went every week to a specialist for treatment, but received no benefit. Then I went to another specialist. He gave me new glasses, but these seemed only to make the condition worse. I could not read without pain in my eyes and a contraction of the nerves and muscles on the left side of my face. At night the lid of the left eye became partially paralyzed, so that 1 had to force the eye open when I wakened and was afraid the time might come when I would not be able to keep it open. On the street the muscles on the left side of the face contracted all around the eye, across the bridge of the nose, and toward the temple. This 1 attributed to the increase of eyestrain by the wind and light.

Oil April 22 of last year i went to Dr. Bates in despair. My eyesight was getting worse fr_o'., n.o„„, ,,, .n'! ...„ lacial condition seemed also to be getting worse. In^(laddition I sufrered from noises in my left car so loud and continuous that it seemed at times as if the top of my head would blow off.

Palming was the first thing Dr. Bates told me to do. At first I saw all sorts of lights. Then I saw grey, and at last I became sufficiently relaxed to see black. I found the use of the imagination and memory a great aid in palming. I visualized the out-of-doors anti the things I had seen in my travels. This produced relaxation, and I forgot the pain and the noise in my car. I also found it a help to be read to while palming. The universal swing relieved the tension which I had always experienced on the street.

For some months my eyes did not seem to respond to the treatment. The first intimation of gain was the natural opening of my loft eye at night. Next my right. eye, which had been very numb and blurred, began to have a feeling of life.. Later I experienced an increase of pain in the center of both eyes. Strange to say this encouraged me; for the new pain was quite different from the dull ache I had had before, and anode me feel that life was returning to my eyes.

One day, when the pulling of the facial muscles was very severe, Dr. Bates asked me to flash a little card which he held close to my nose. This was very unpleasant at first; but suddenly the muscles relaxed, the pain in my face and eyes ceased, and I saw things at the distance clearly. It was only a flash; but after that .1 seemed to understand better the goal toward which I was working. Since then I have often obtained relief in this way. These glimpses of paradise are what has

sustained me through n,n„•Ia ^f trea_t„n-~ wouid oibciwise have been unbearably monotonous. .

I\•fy vision has improved slowly, but the progress has been a constant source of excitement to me. When I first saw lie faces of my friends clearly I rejoiced, and I cannot describe the feeling of relief that came to me when the dishes on the table ceased to hurt me, as all near objects had previously done. The light and the color I now see are a revelation to me. I had been told that printer's ink was black, but until I went to Dr. Bates I never saw it so. Neither did I ever see anything like the white I see now. I have a delightful time reading the signs in the subway and enjoying their colors. Not rnily in color, but in forth, things look different to me. Instead of being flat, as they once were, they seem

to have a fnurth dimension. Distant objects appear surprisingly near. Sitting in the balcony at a concert one afternoon, the orchestra seemed to be almost in my lap. In the dress circle at the opera I seemed to be almost on the stage. When I wore glasses the stage was always miles away. My vision is not normal yet; I cannot read print with comfort. But after such marvellous improvement I feel sure that this will soon come. As for the facial pain and contraction, they are practically cured. When the trouble returns, as it sometime does, I know how to relieve it.

I am very glad to have an opportunity to tell this storv, and I wish I knew how to make it known to all who are suffering from the pain of defective eyesight, or of facial neuralgia, that these conditions can be cured by relaxation, and that the dreadful operations which are resorted to in the case of the neuralgia are unnecessary.

STORIES FROM THE CLINIC

...: The Relief Of Pain.

By EMILY C. LIERMAN

In March, 1919, an Austrian woman, thirty-seven years of age, came to the clinic. She was suffering from myopia, with great pain in her eyes and head, and looked so sad that one could not imagine her smiling. At the age of two years she had become totally blind after a fever, and had remained so for a year and a half, during all of which time she suffered continual pain in tier eyes. When tier sight returned strong glasses were given to her, but they did not relieve her pain. Neither did the glasses given to her later by various physicians. Finally an optician, finding that the glasses he had given her did not help her, suggested that she should try Dr. Bates and our clinic.

At tier first visit her pain was relieved by palming, and her vision improved from 5/70 to 5/40. She was so pleased that she smiled and kissed my hands. The pain had made tier sick at her stomach most of the time, she said, so that she was often unable to retain her too(], and no day was site ever free from it.

I told her to continue the pahning at home, and to keep it up for an hour at a time whenever possible. For a white she got on very nicely. Her vision improved to 10/40, and whenever she felt the pain coming on she palmed, invariably obtaining relief.

Then came a day when I found tier with tears in tier eyes. She had had a sleepless night, she explained, and had suffered so intensely that her family were frightened. Her eyes felt as though sand was pouring out of them onto the pillow. I asked tier if her eyes were still paining her, and she answered tearfully, "Yes".

1 placed her comfortably on a stool, and while her eyes

verc covered I began to talk to her about her children. She soon

forgot her pain in telling the what beautiful eyes her baby had, how thrilled the family had been when the first tooth appeared, and so on. When she uncovered her eyes the most remarkable change had come over her face. All traces of pain had disappeared, and she smiled.

One clay after she had been coming to the clinic for a year or more she was arranging to send some money to Austria and trying to fill out the necessary papers. As ^,she was about to write her mother's name everything before. her became a blank, and she experienced an intense pain accompanied by a burning sensation in her eyes. She was so frightened that she wanted to cry, but suddenly she thought about the clinic and how her pain had been relieved by the palming. She covered her eyes with the palms of her hands for a tittle while, and then the pain became less and the questions on the blank began to clear up. When she tried to write, however, everything became a blank once more. Again she palmed, and this time her sister, who was with her, reminded her that she roust palm for a longer time if she wanted to get results. She then palmed for fifteen minutes, her sister encouraging her as she did so. When she removed her hands from her eyes the print before her appeared perfectly distinct, she wrote the necessary answers without any difficulty, and had no more trouble with her eyes that clay. She was extremely happy when she told me this. To think that she had been able to improve her sight and relieve her pain without assistance thrilled her.

When 1 last saw her, six months ago, her vision was 10/10 without glasses, and she had no pain.

BACKACHE CURED BY CENTRAL FIXATION

B_y ISLSSIE I IiROWN

The editor is tvuach pleased to be able to pablish dlrs. Brown's report of lire simultaneous relief of her n.rtigwatisrn and the backache front Which Site had differed so long, It was front lter lie learned the value of central p_a-_aation in relieving pain in parts of the body other than tlw head and eyes, and he lakes great pleasure io giving lies credit for tire discovery.

It is about six, or perhaps seven, years a,qo tllnt I (list consulted Dr. Bates concerning my eyes. I had beco wearing glasses to correct astigmatism for live years. During those years of "correction" my eyes seldom gave me a comfortable clay. I spared them in every way, using them as little as possible. My sight was not noticeably impaired, but I will cite a few of tlx• many discomforts from which I suffered.

A smarting sensation in the eyes was nearly always present; also a general lassitude and a dull ache in the back. The last mentioned was never attributed to eyestrain, but to many other causes, and was treated accordingly by a physician; but without results. I was obliged to retire early every night in order to forget my pains in sleep, only to wake in the morning with eyes which felt as though a cinder from every chimney in New York City had dropped into them. This was because we strain our eyes during our sleep as well as during waking hours. To watch a stage or moving picture performance was torture; and when driving, or riding on railroad trains, I would keep my eyes close(), only taking occasional peeps at the passing landscape. I could not endure the glare of the sunlight on the beach

or pavements, and artificial lights on the streets, in the shops or theatre, were an abomination.

My first glasses were prescribed by an optometrist, and 1 received no relief while wearing them. Friends advised me to consult an eye specialist of high standing in New York. I did so. Ile said after examination that lie was not surprised that I had received no benefit from the glasses which I was wearing, and proceeded to fit me with what he considered to be the correct lenses. I was supremely happy for a few clays, in the anticipation of enjoying perfect comfort as soon as I should become accustomed to the new lenses.

But alasl my happiness was short-lived. The glasses prescribed by the eminent physician gave no more satisfaction than those from the optometrist.

I returned to see the doctor after a few weeks, and complained that his glasses had not helped me. He made another examination and said that lie could make a slight change in the lenses, but it would not be worth while to do so. He also said that my eyes were not working together properly, but this condition would improve with my general health. However toy health did not improve under his treatment; I felt that I was doomed to a life of sufTering, and tried to become reconciled to my fate.

Hope was revived a few months later when I heard of Dr. Bates and his cure of eyestrain without glasses. Dr. Bates took possession of my glasses upon my first visit to him, and I have not worn them since.

IIe told me to do, or attempt to do, the most amazing things. Looking at the sun was one treatment. I protested, saying that even the reflected sunlight was intolerable; but Dr. Bates insisted, and I found that I could look a at point near the sun with one eye, covering the other with my hand, then alternating. After prac-

,.,,,.n g this for several clays, f was able to look directly

at the sun with both eyes wide open. The glare of sunlight on the ground ceased to worry me and became as delightful as the pale moonlight. When the sun failed to shine, or was not convenient, I practiced looking at a large incandescent electric light, and very soon the artificial lights troubled me no more than the stars which twinkle in the heavens at night; and that reminds me that Dr. Bates told me that the apparent twinkle of the stars is only in 'the eye of the beholder.

After a few weeks of treatment I forgot to spare my eyes, as had been my habit for years. I could read or sew until midnight if I wished, and began to go out evenings and enjoy life like a normal human being. As I write to-night, the clock is striking eleven; and my eyes are feeling fine and dandy, althouldi I have been using them constantly all (lay sewing and embroidering.

My animation and efficiency have greatly increased. Friends have remarked that I am a new woman, and continue to congratulate me upon my youthful appearance. An acquaintance of mine whorn I had not met since I stopped wearing glasses failed to recognize me a few clays ago at the house of a mutual friend. "Why," she exclaimed, "the D-1rs. Brown whom I used to know was all extremely pale and worn-looking creature." Through relaxation the expression of eyes and face have become greatly changed.

I had been under treatment with Dr. Bates about three months when suddenly one (lay I noticed that my old and constant companion the backache was no longer with me, and it has never returned.

At the present time when I feel the strain coming into my eyes I rest them by palming and remembering or recalling different familiar objects-the colors of my

frocks, recalled one at a time, or the forms and shapes of pieces of china which are in constant use in my home. or the color of the eyes of members of the family. It .ccms marvellous to be able to go about in the shops for a good part of the day and then keep my eyes open otnd enjoy to the fullest extent a performance or social affair in the evening. Also what a delight to ride through the country and feast my eyes with comfort upon the hcanty of the passing landscape!

HOW TO OBTAIN PERCEPTION OF

LIGHT IN BLINDNESS

Two things have always brought perception of light to blind patients. One is palming, and the other is the swing The swing may take two forms:

l. Let the patient stand with feet apart, and sway the body, including the head and eyes, from side to side, while shifting the weight fro,n one foot to the other.

2. Let him move his hand from one side to the other in front of his face, all the time trying to imagine that Ite sees it moving. As soon as he becomes able to do this it can be demonstrated that lie really does see the movement.

Simple as these nicasurcs are they have always, either singly or together. brought relaxation, and with it perception of light, in from fifteen minutes or less to half an hour.

In palming the patient should rcmc+nber that this (toes not bring relief unless mental relaxation is obtained, as evidenced by the disappearance of the white, grey and other colors which most blind people sec ;it first with their eyes closed and covered.

BLINDNESS: ITS CAUSE AND CURE Itr \V. 11. BATES, M I).

As urditsvily ttocd the ward blimlncss signifies a degree of defective sight which unfits the patient for any occupation requiring the its(^, of the eyes. Scientificafly it means ,t slate in which there is no perception of light. Speaking of This condition in his Cause and Prevention of Blindness I•uchs tells Its I hat except in extraordinarily rare cases it is incurable, and this is the accepted opinion of ophthalmology today.

It, lie facts that have come to  ;it(^, during thirty-five yearn of ophthalmological practice have convinced iuc that the above statement should be reversed, and pmade. top read: "Fxce)l in extraordinarily rare cases blimJne~s is curable." In fact, unless the eyeball has been removed from the head, I should be unwilling to set any limits whatever to lie possibility of relieving this greatest of human ills, for 1 have never seen a case of injury or disease of the eye which was sufficient to prcvcut improvement of vision. In all cases of blindness, whaICVer their cause, a mental strain has been demonstrated. :utd when this strait] has been relieved pcrscption of light has always been obtained.

Even when the eyeball has been so shrunken that tile !-i-71 ., t L[ItIV , .. "_'_rued to II,....v.,.. .... eye s:ghl Ims b,JJI rcstored. In one such case. the cornea of the left eye haul shrunk to an eighth of an inch in diameter, and only a suggestion of tile sclera was visible, while the right eve tv:ts reduced to a quarter of its normal size anll showed only ;t hazy cornea and a blurred piece of iris, will, no pupil. The patient was ten years old, and tile condition of her right eye was congenital (present at hirtli) : that of tile left t,, due to an inflammation which she suiTercd when sit(! was it year old. Ftoln that lime sit(- had haul ii, perccplhm of light; but in fifteen nunules sloe Lecanu ablr to src ill, furniture of the roost indistinctly :lit(] it^, imagine deli it w;n swinging. In spite, however, of Iltis rcneu9:ahle dclnon.ll:tiou of what could be accolnpli.shed by relaxation Iler parents did not bring tier :tg;on.

Atrophy of (lie optic nerve is one of ;t coosider«hle nunttier of diseases, lilac dctachtncttt of tile rclhm, irido-cyclitis and altsolute glauconet, which have been placed h(wolid tile pale of Iw1se by it,, scicncc of ophtialnudgr. l rl ill ISlats with atrophy of the optic nerve conlntiutcs have nnroml vision, and person, blind (tutu this calls^, slnntt{nns reenter .spontaneously. ,1t tile New York Nyc and liar Inlirnruy. thirty years ago, a patient was cxluhilcd a-lit, had ;lit Ilm syntptolns of atrophy of tile optic ucrvc, Int wilt, nevcrlllcless possessed perfect sight. The ease Nv;u exhibited later ;tt the Manhattan li,ye and )^,';it^- Hospital, the New York Ophtlialmological Sncicly, ;uttl. the Ophlhnlnullogic;tl Suction of the New York Acadclnv of Medicine. l,alcr I split, several similar cacec, [),It when a coh,rad tr  ;to cant lie my clinic a few years ago tvith atrophy of tile Ilplic ucrvc it did not occur to are that it wonid he ppossible. top help her. Not knowing what to (to I asked her to sit donan while I

:,ilcvdcd to ooo, olhcr patients, and meanwhile In), assistant, h1rs. Licromo. wlu. fell, tit(. rest of (tic •(evy in a later article, got hold of her and made her see. I .tiler many similar cases were relieved. A few obtained norurd vision, but roost of them did not have the courage to continue the Irevnmenl long enough for Ild.s littrpnse.

c\ few weeks ago ;t patient conic to me completely blind in path cye'.a from atrophy of the optic nerve. Before tic left flu office he had become ahle, by flu- aid of the swing, to see the light will] Will eyes, lie went ;"cav grm:tly encouraged, ;In(] proniisvd to come again e, ooh ;is lie returned from a twilfhhoring cif a l,;o,'r lie sent nu a :tatcincnl, signed by an 'enlist and wilncascd by a nolnry public, to the effect that he iv;ts coiollcICJ; ;md incurably blind froth primary optic ;'trophy. I h;ne not seen Itim since.

Tlw Inlh.wio; reui:o'I:able :;Ic,ry of n ,spookoioms cure w;ts told nv recently liy;I lmlient: A commercial traveller, a friend of the roan cvho told loc file slow, wars treated far Icvo yu;trs in a (.lifcagu IIospital for total blindness front atrophy of file optic ucrvc. nllliou,gh life doctors told hill" III;,( his case was quill" holu•Icss, he refused to Ixlicve it. Ile talked much of ;t grey cloud that he had seen before his eyes at file time he became blind, and stud that if lie could only rcrncniltcr itcov it looked Ile was sure it would help him. One cloy lie lmd a perfect mental picture of that grey cloud, and ;III 0I1Ce he found Iliat hr could sec. 1-Ic is Flow IMck in his old position, doing his usu;d mrcnmt of work, attendill, to lira cot re.vlwndencc, and reading as well as he ever did. Poet- who lutve examined Ills eyes since .say lie still has all ophy of fife optic nerve and ought still to be blind.

Irido-cyclilis, it efrnbined infaninialioo of the iris and ciliary bode, is a frequent cause of hl~ndness. Often it results fronn ;m injury to the adjoining eye, and ill that case

.., .c„o- `

. s synnpathet:c oplithalmia. in severe cases it is believed to lead inevitably to blindness, which is, of course, thought to be incurable. Yet in all cases in which blindness has resulted from this disease i have seen perception ~,f light, and even normal vision, restored.

One day a young girl came to my clinic with one eye a• soft as mush front irido-eyelids (the other having been removed four years before). The iris and pupil were covered by a white scar, and she had no perception of light. After palming, swinging and using her imagination for about fifteen iuinutes, the scar cleared up sufficiently for me to sec the iris and pupil indistinctly, and two visiti,+g dDCtOrs al.s, saw them, while the patient saw the light. baler stn bcca me able to see people on the street, and to see [lie pavement and imagine that it was swinging. At that point she reased coming to the clinic.

A case of practical blindness front this muse was cured within a month by the use of the imagination. When the patient looked at the large letter at the top of the card al one foot and was told what it was, hr Was able to imagmc [hat he saw it, and thus lie became able to sec it actually. Then lie did the same thing at ten feet. Next he bnagined that lie saw the first letter of the second line^, at ten feel. and became iltle la recognize the second letter. The -n, nictlind was used with all the other dines, tuttil he becanu able to nnagine the rust letter of the hottoni line. and then go on and read the other letters,

When his eye was examined With the oph[halmuscupe the vitreous was so opaque that one could not distinguish the optic nerve and retina. He said that the light bothered him, and prevented him from imagining ;toy of Ill, Icttton the Snellcn test card. With the ctinoscope at six feel, however, fie stated [liar ill(- light did not burlier him so much,

and he was able to imagine, while it was being used, that he. saw a letter on the bottom line perfectly. The refraction was then normal, and a clear red reflex (light reflected from the retina) was obtained, indicating that the vitreous was now quite clear. When he failed to imagine that lie saw the letter, the reflex was much blurred, indicating cloudiness of the vitreous. These are facts. T cannot offer any explanation for them.

Of detachment of the retina Iruchs says: "it is generally possible in recent and not too excessive cases of separation, of the retina to obtain an improvement of the sight by a partial attachment, and in especially favorable cases even to cause the detacluncw to disappear completely. Unfortunately pit. isp only in file rarest cases that these good results arc lasting. As a rule, after solve time, the scliaration dezulnps anew, and ultimately, in spite of all our therapeutic endeavors, becomes total . . . In inveterate cases of total detachment it is better to abstain from any treatment."' Conilmic this statcntetn with the results obtained by central' tixaiion, as told in the following particle. inp niany other such cases useful vision has obtained.

The incurability of blindness resulting from glaucoma is taken so completely for granted that Nettleship derives ab10110C glnucotn:a a.e "glaucoma that has gone on io permanent blindness." yet in the December (1920) issue of Betterhvesighl, and again in this issue, is re;xirted a case in whicly light perception was restored in in eye stone blind withi glaucoma after a few minutes of palming. This was witnessed liy several visiting doctors, Later the patient became able to read the twenty line at ten feet with this eye. As n<•arly half of our blind population at the prcscut tinic is believed to be over sixty years of age, and a great part of the blindness of later life is attributed to glaucoma,. the

diiiy of ...; condition a tact of immense importance. ^mStatisticsindicate that in^, this country, at the present time, external injury is the most frequent cause of loss of vision between the ages of twenty and thirty-four. I believe that a great part of this blindness could be relieved, for, as I have already stated, 1 have never seen an eye so badly injured that its vision could not be improved. To cite only one of many similar cases, a patient injured in an automobile accident became suddenly and completely blind, either from hemorrhage into the orbit, or from injury to the optic nerve. By palming and the use of his imagination he at once became able to count his fingers.

Perhaps the most remarkable cures of blindness are those in which the loss of vision is supposed to be clue to general disease. These have frequently been relieved, partially or completely, without relief of the disease. Thirty years agu a man stone blind with what 1 diagnosed to be albiuninttric retinitis was led into my clinic at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary. This condition is so closely associated with disease of the kidneys that its existence is considered sufficient evidence of the existence of the latter. Yet the patient ,regained normal vision and held it up to the time of his death without any improvement in the condition of the kidneys. On the contrary the disease of these organs became worse, and when lie died a few years later the physicians who performed the autopsy wondered how lie had been able to live so long. The evidence seems to me coalplate that the blindness was not due to the kidney trouble but to strain.

Many diseases of the eye are attributed to syphilis. Yet in every case these conditions have been relieved by rest, and often the sight has become normal without any improvement in the syphilis.

In spite of the very prompt improvement which patients obtain in these cases, they often, as the cases mentioned in the foregoing pages show, fail to continue the treatment. The weight of public and professional opinion is too much for them, and they are practically compelled to take this course. Such dogmatism is both unwise and unscientific. The causes of disease are obscure and variable, and we do not know it all. It does out seem to ine that a doctor is justified in telling a patient that he is incurable just because lie has never seen such a case cured, or has forgotten, because it was contrary to rule, any case that he has seen. This may cause the patient to accept as inevitable a condition which might have been cured, and may even prevent Nature, because of the depressing effects of discouragement from doing what the doctor has failed to do. Still less pis. itp justifiable for the uedical profession to assume, as it now seems to do, that we have learned all there is to be known about blindness. Such an attitude throttles research, and actually exposes to the suspicion of being a quack any man who tries to help these unfortunates.

RELIEF OF RETINAL DETACHMENT

By CL.ARA b;. CRANDALT.

"Twenty-five years ago Samuel D was struck in the left eye by a nail thrown carelessly from a roof, and nineteen years later, while lie was chopping wood, a stick flew up, hitting him in the face and injuring the same eye.

There were, apparently, no serious consequences from either of these accidents, but about a vcar after the second one the patient noted that his sight was getting dim. I-Ic consulted an oculist, thinking that he probably required glasses, and was told that lie had iritis. lie was given drops

.... this condition, „.... had been. .„ ng hern .or a ntontli when, on May 12, 1916, while digging in the garden, lie went suddenly and completely blind in his left eye. The cause proved to be a detached retina, and the oculist whom he consulted sent him to a hospital where he underwent a thorough examination. His teeth were X-rayed, and it was thought best to remove his tonsils. He was then kept for eight weeks motionless, flat upon his back.

At the end of this time it was found that the retina, as a result of the complete rest, had become partially reattached, and the vision was, to some extent, improved. Hoping to improve it still further, the doctors operated upon the eye. but without success. Two weeks later a second operation was performed, after which the eye became totally blind again. The condition of the left eye was complicated by a traumatic cataract and senile cataract now developed in the right. He was sent to another hospital in the autumn whcrc lie was again thoroughly examined, but the doctors decided that nothing more could be done for him.

And so, with one eye totally blind and cataract rapidly obscuring the sight of the other, Samuel went back to Itis work as a gardener, trying to resign himself to the dart: future before him. From utonth to month he struggled on but lie found it increasingly difficult to do his work, and fell that the lime would soon come when he would have to give it up. He suffered greatly from the strain of trying to see. and complained of a constant yellow glare in the blind eye. together with many other painful and unpleasant symptom, which, lie said, interfered with the sight of his right c~c also.

From a time several )cars antcd;tling hi^,suddcn attack of blindness Samuel has been in the employ of my family. After he became blind I went to Dr. Rates to have sonic eye

troubles „„, aiy c^-wn imaied, and, hearing of the many remarkable cures that were effected by his method of treatment, it occurred to me that he might be able to do something for Samuel. It seemed to Samuel a forlorn hope, but as it was the only one he allowed me to take him last May to Dr. Bates' clinic in the Harlem Hospital.

At this lime he was still without light perception in the left eye, and with the right was unable to make out the smaller letters on the test card when it was held a foot front his face, while even the largest letters appeared grey and blurred. Dr. Rates told him that the cataracts could he cored, and encouraged hill to hope for improvement in Ill condition of the detached retina also. lie told hill to Ieace off the dark glasses he had been wearing, to palm as often and as long as possible, to drink twelve glasses of water a day, to imagine and flash Ibe letters on the Snellen test card. and to imagine everything, himself included, as swinging.

Samuel followerl these instructions conscientiously, and in a short time the strain and other distressing symptoms froto which lie had previously suffered were greatly relieved. The sight of the blind eye improved gradually. At the first visit lie became able to distinguish light, and later he saw the. shadowy image of a moving object, at first only when held close to the left side of his head, but afterward in all parts „f his field of vision. The perception of light in the blind cyc leas grown steadily, and the vision has so improved that now, at a distance of fourteen feet, lie can see a moving ldiject Against a strong light, while at the near-point he even thinks that lie can sometimes catch a glimpse of the large letter on the Snellen test card. With the right lie can read the snsillcsl letter; oil the test card at the near-point, and tluy appear Mack and distinct. At fourteen feet he c:ui flash them.

Among those who have benefited by Dr. Bates' remarkable discoveries, there is no one who owes more to them than Samuel D.; for now, instead of having to look forward to blindness and utter dependence on others, lie has been enabled to take tip his life with renewed courage and interest, confident that if lie faithfully continues the treatment lie will eventually obtain good vision in both eyes.

STORIES FROM THE CLINIC 13: The Relief of Blindness BY EMILY C. LIERMAN

Clinic day is always a happy clay for me. It is true ooe sees at the hospital a great deal of suffering, sorrow and poverty; but it is a pleasure to be ahle to relieve soine of Iliv suffering, and sometimes things happen which ;ire very amusing.

Some time ago a blind negro was led into the clinic

a friend. This was a case which really ought to have been very sad, but it turned out, instead, to he vary aunisirtg. In spite of his affliction the patient scented to be in a happy stood and very well pleased with himself. Ile was ne:itl) dressed and his shoes, though worn, were carefully shined. while over their] lie wore spats. I-lis cravat was a very bright red, and his hat was a light shade of tan. A cane, which his blindness compelled him to carry, completed a costume which I ani sure lie considered to lie that of a real swell gentleman. When I approached him lie said, in a very gracious manner

"Glad to see you, ma'am ! Glad to see you, ina'ant l"

And yet lie could not. see me, as I soon found out. I held my forgers before his eyes and asked him if he could see them. He answered that he could not. Fuitlnrr tests showed

Iliat lie had no light nercemion whatever, n,1 flr tj,tr•_y ,aid that his condition %vas clue to atrophy of the optic nerve, f showed hhn how to palm, and after five minutes lu• pointed to an electric light in the ceiling and said:

"It looks light there."

I told him at once to painn again, and when he opened his vies lie saw the shadow of niy fingers moving front side to side before his face. In a few moments, however, the blindness returned. Again I told him to palm, and while he was doing so I asked him if he could remember something black, or something else that lie had seen before he became blind, such as a beautiful stniset, or white clouds. lie thonglit a while, and then remembered that in the days when lie had been a house-painter he had used black paint. I told him to remember the black paint while he was palming, and then 1 left him to attend to other patients. When I came back to him I held two of ill y fingers close to his face. and asked hitn if lie could sec them.

"Ma'am," lie said, "I'm not at all sure, but I. think I see. Iwu fingers."

I think the man must Imve been quite popular with the ladies, for lie now renmrked that one of his lady friends would he pleased if he could see tier. He came quite regularly for a time, and each tinic f noted improvement in his vision. Sometimes this was not very marked, and then I knew that lie had not heen palming very much at home. lie was greatly helped by the, focusing of the sun's rays upon the white of

his eyes with a burning glass. This had a very soothing effect. lie was soon able to dispense with his guide, and, when leaving the clinic, used to use his cane to obviate collisions with the benches, nurses and patients. One day as lie was leaving the room Dr. Dates called niy attention to hint, and I i,ntcd that instead of tapping with his cane upon the floor

lie was carrying it oil his arm. With head erect lie walked down the long corridor, opetud the door and left tile hospital, with apparently no more difficulty than a person with perfect sight. A little later lie came without the cane. lie became able at last to read the fifty line at five feet with both eyes, and then he stopped coming. Probably lie thought he would be able to continue the treatment by himself.

In the October (1920) number of Better livrsi,ght I wrote about another case of blindness from atrophy of the optic nerve, the patient having no light perception. Unlike the preceding patient she was very much depressed by her condition, and begged tile piteously to give her back the light of day. She had heard of our clinic through sonic of the patients, and had confidence that Dr. Bates or myself would give her some relief. But I was very far from feeling this confidence. Sometimes I am a doubting Thomas. I always try, however, not to reveal this fact to the patients, hut. simply go ahead and do the best I can. After this woman had palmed for ten minutes or longer, all the time remembering black stove polish, she became able to see the 200 letter a foot in front of her eyes. Since my previous article was written she has become able to read the ten line at this distance. She is able to go out to work during the day, and to work for herself at night, and she says she sleeps better.

In the December (1920) number I told the story of a woman who had absolute glaucoma of the right eye. This meant that she was stone blind. She was also suffering terrible pain in this eye. I had to do a great deal of coaxing to get her to palm, but I was willing to give her more time than I do to most of tile patients, because her age was seventy-nine. With the exception of one or two relapses she got on nicely, and the last time I saw her site had halfnormal vision for tile distance in the once blind eye and

normal vision in the outer. She had learned how to keep her eyes at rest by palming and using her imagination for flowers and other objects, and this relieved the strain which had been the cause of all the trouble.

We have had many cases of total blindness at the clinic, most of them due to glaucoma and atrophy of the optic nerve, a few to detachment of the retina and irido-cyclitis, and all have gained at least perception of light, while many have been more materially benefited. But most of them did not come more than a few times. It is unfortunate that the blind, as a rule, consider their condition so hopeless that it is difficult to convince them that any treatment is worth while, even after they have received some benefit from it.

METHODS THAT HAVE SUCCEEDED IN

PRESIIYOPIA

4he cure of presbyopia, a, of any other error of refraction, is rest, and many presbyopic patients arc able to obtain this rest simply by closing the cycs.'jfhcy are kept closed until tlic lliattent feels rclievcd. which may be in a few minutes, half all hour, or longer. Then some fine print is regarded for a few seconds. By alternately resting the eyes and looking at fine print uiany patients quickly become able ill read it at eighteen inches, and by continued practice they are able to reduce the distance until it can be read at six inches in a dim light. At first the letters are seen only in flashes. Then they are seen for a longer time, until finally they are seen continuously. When this method fails, palming maybe tried, combined with the use of the memory, imagination and swing. Particularly good results have been obtained from the following procedure:

Close the eyes in([ remember the letter o in diamond type, with the open space as white as starch and tile outline as black as possible.

When the white center is at the maximum imagine that the letter is moving, and that all objects, no matter how large or small, are moving with it,

Open the eyes and continue to imagine the universal swing,

Alternate the imagination of the swing with the eyes open with its imagination with the eyes closed.

When the imagination is just as good with the eyes open as when they are closed the cure will be complete.

PRESBYOPIA: ITS CAUSE AND CURE

13y W. 11. l3Arra, M. D.

NESBYOPIA is the name given to the loss of power to use the eyes at the near point, without the aid of glasses, which usually occurs after the age of forty.

The teat-books leach that this change is a normal one: but it is a noteworthy fact that many other eye troubles often date from the time of its appearance, or develop a little later. Many cases of glaucoma start about this time, and so do many cases of cataract and inflammation of the interior of the eye. Patients with presbyopia are very likely to have conjunc_tivitis. They are also subject to congestion and hemorrhages of the interior of the eye. One patient developed a lot of muscular trouble and a marked degree of double vision at the time he became presbyopic, and suffered three nervous Inrcakdowns in quick succession. IIe was operated on for the muscular condition, and took prism exercises, but obtained very little relief. In another case a patient began to suffer, at the time she became unable to read without glasses, from a contraction of the muscles

of the fare, ,go,tion _of the

headaches. The strain was so great that site had fo^r keep tier eyes partly closed. and glasses did nothing to relieve her discomfort. Up to the time when her preshyopia appeared she had had none of these troubles.

The accepted explanation for the loss u( near vision with advancing years is that it is (lue to the hardening of the lens, but it is quite impossible to reconcile the facts will) this theory; for not only floes prcsbyopia occur much below the age of forty and even in childhood, but it is often delayed beyond the age of fifty, and sometimes does not occur at all. "there are also cases in which near vision is restored after having Iicen lost. We are. loll! that Incsbyopia a,mcs early in the hypertuetropic (farsighted) cyc, and late in lite myopic (nearsighted) eye; that lit cn)attne hardening of the lens and weakness of the ciliary muscle (supposed to control the acconuuodation) may cause it to appear in youth; and that the swelling of the lens in incipient cataract. may account for the restoration of near vision after it has been lost; but there are still many cases to which these explanations cannot be made to al,ply.

It is true that hypermetropia does hasten and myopia prevent or postpone the advent of In csbyopia, and as myopia may exist in only one eye, without the paticut's being aware of it, he may think that his vision is normal both for the near-point and tile: distance., 'Cl)cre are cases, however, in which the vision has remained absolutely normal in both eyes long after the pi esliyopic age, and a considerable munber of these cases have been brought to my attention. ' One of them, a man of sixty-five, examined in a moderate light indoors, was found to have a vision of 20/10. In other words he could see twice as far as the normal cyc is expected to see. He also read diamond type at less than six inches, and at other distances, to more than eighteen inches. In

reply to a query as to how lie came to possess visual powers so unusual at his age, or, indeed, at any age, he said that when he was about forty lie began to experience difficulty, at times, in reading. He consulted an optician who advised glasses. He could not believe, however, that the glasses were necessary, because at times he could read perfectly without them. The matter interested him so much that he began to observe facts, a thing that people seldom do. He noted, first, that when lie tried hard to see either at the near-point or at the distance, his vision invariably became worse, and the harder he tried the worse it became. Evidently something was wrong with this method of using the eyes. "Then he trial hmkiug at things without effort, without trying to see them. He also tried resting his eyes by closing them for five minutes or longer, or by looking away from the page that lie wished to read, or the distant object he wished to sec. These practices always improved his sight, and by keeping them up he not only regained normal vision but retained it for twenty-five years.

"Doctor," he said, in concluding his story, "when my eyes are at rest and comfortable, my vision is always good and 1 forget all about them. When they do not feet comfortable 1 never see so well, and then I always proceed to rest them until they feel all right again."

Nile fact is that presbyopia is due to a strain. It_ is a_ strain similar to the one that produces hyperrnetropia_, but differs from it in the fact that it affects chiefly vision at the near-point. This can be demonstrated with the retinoscope. When a person with presbyopia tries to read, the retinoscope will show that he has hyperrnetropia, but when he looks at a distant object the retinoscope will show either that his eyes are normal, or that the hyperrnetropia is less. Simultaneous rclinoscopy is difficult in the case of a reading patient, for not only is the pupil small, but in order to find the shadow

.. .s necessary for the patient to look in one general direction all the time, and this is not easy. It is also difficult to hold a glass at one side of the eye for the measurement of the refraction in such a way that the observer can look through it while the patient does not. With a sufficient zeal for the truth, however, these difficulties can be overcome.

The strain which produces presbyopia is accompanied by a strain, more or less pronounced, of all the other nerves of the body. Hence the many distressing sysnrptoms from which presbyopic patients suffer. Glasses, by neutralizing the effect of the imperfect action of the muscles, may enable the patient to read; but they cannot relieve any of these strains. On the contrary they usually make them worse, and it is a matter of common experience that the vision declines rapidly after the patient begins to wear them. When 'people put on glasses I,CCIUSC lhcy cannot read fill(' print they often find that in a couple of weeks they cannot, without them, read the coarse print that was perfectly plain to them before. Occasionally the eye resists the artificial conditions imposed upon them by glasses to an astonishing degree, as in the case of a woman of seventy who had worn glasses for twenty years, in spite of the fact that they tired her eyes and blurred her vision, but was still able to read diamond type without theta. This however is very rmusual. As a rule the eyes go from bad to worse, and, if the patient lives long enough, rte is almost certain to develop sonic serious disease which ends so frequently in blindness that nearly half of our blind population at the present time is believed to be over sixty years of age. Persons with pre, byopin who are satisfied with the relief given to then, hy• glasses should bear this fact in mind.

iPresbyopia is cured just as any other error of refraction is cured, by rest. But there is a great difference in 11re way

.._... . ,_V..„ ... .„,s Some arc^. cored very quickly, even in as short a time as fifteen minutes; others are very slow; but as a rule relief is obtained wtihin a reasonable time.

One of my earliest cures of presbyopia was accomplished in less than fifteen minutes by the aid of the imagination. The patient had worn glasses for reading for ten years. When I showed him a specimen of diamond type and asked him to read it without glasses he said he knew the letters were black but they looked grey.

"If you know they are black, and yet see them grey," I said. "you must imagine that they are grey. Suppose you imagine that they are black. Can you do that?"

"Yes", he said, " 1 can imagine that they are black," and immediately he proceeded to read them.

~n another case a patient was cured simply by closing his eyes for half an hour] His wife was cured in the same way, and when I saw the couple six months later they had had no relapse. Both had worn reading glasses for more Ihat five years.

sWhile it is sometimes very difficult to cure presbyopia, it is, fortunately. very easy to prevent it.' Oliver Wendell' Itolmes told us how to do it in The Autocrat of the Break-fart Table, and it is astonishing, not only that no attention: whatever should have been paid to his advice, but that we• should have been warned against the very course which was found so beneficial in the case he records.

"There is now living in New York State," he says, "an old gentleman who. perceiving his sight to fail, immediately look to exercising it on the finest print, and in this way fairly bullied Nature out of her foolish habit of taking liberties at the age of forty-five or thereabouts. And now this old gentleman performs the most extraordinary feats with his pen, showing that his eyes must be a pair of micro-

_'s. , o~ .airahi to say u- touch he writes in the compass of^Ua half-dhne, whether the Psalms or the Gospels, or the Psalms and the Gospels, I won't be positive." Persons whose sight is beginning to fail at the nearpoint, or who are approaching the preshyopic age, should imitate the example of this remarkable old gentleman. Get a specinreu of diamond type, and read it every day in an _a_rtificial light, bringing it closer and closer to the eye till it can he read at six inches or less. Or get a specimen of type reduced by photography until it is much smaller than diamond type, and (to (tic same. You will thus escape, not only the necessity of wearing glasses for reading and near work, but all of those eye• troubles which now so often darken (lie later years of life.

HOW I WAS CURED OF PRESBYOPIA

By FRANcts E. MCSWECNY

This patient was first seen on March 11, 1919. His right vision was 20/50 and his left vision 20/70, and, although he was fifty-one years of age, /to read diamond type at night inches. He had not worn glasses for souse months, wtd with the help of a cured patient tied been able to improve his sight considerably. His last prescription for reading glasses xvas: right eye, convex 3.00 D. S.; left eye, convex 3.75 D. S'., combined with convex 0.50 D. C., 180 degrees.

f am a church organist, choir director and music teacher. Those familiar with the duties of my profession will understand what an important part good vision plays in its successful practice. I realized this, and from the first consulted the best oculists periodically in order to preserve and

protect my eyesight. Notwithstanding m_y care, t was told upon reaching the "dead line" of forty-five years that I had presbyopia, and would henceforth be obliged to wear at least two pair of glasses, one for near and one for distant vision. I rebelled at [his, but submitted for some years to the annoyance with as good grace as possible.

I knew that braces and crutches never cured weak limbs, but that exercise and use of the weak muscles, when the patient had the necessary perseverance, had often made them strong and vigorous. I began to think that glasses were like the braces and crutches, and I expected some day a method of treatment would be found that would strengthen and build up the eyes instead of wcakcuing their).

I was in (his mood when Dr. Bates' treatment of imperfect sight without glasses was brought to my attention. My father and sister had received benefit from the treatment, and I believed that I could be benefited too.

When I first took off my glasses I could see nothing on the front page of the newspaper but the larger headlines. I could read down to the 30 line of the Snellen test card at 5 feet. My sister showed me how to "shift" from the top to the bottom of the letters on Dr. Bates' professional card. I read a column of the Saturday Evening Post that day by this method.

A( first I tried to wear iuy glasses for close work, but after a few months felt that this was retarding my cure and f left them off altogether. That was in January, 1919. With the exception of a few Sundays at the beginning I have done all my work without putting on my glasses even once.

It would be well for anyone who would follow my exainple to understand, however, that this result was not accomplished without many mistakes. I often misunderstood and lost valuable time doing things wrong. There

were ruany tiisennragrou~ui. on, .n" -' ' ."«!! o" "Gw foolish I was to try to do the impossible. I had the consolation, on the other hand, of knowing that my vision was improving all the time.

The exercises which 1 found most helpful were: l. 1'alnr ing-I think that nothing so relieves strain :is this exercise does. 2. Plashing-This exercise helps particularly when one has been straining or using the eyes wrongly. 3. Menr ory practice-This has been my best exercise. One remembers a letter, picture, or other familiar object, at first with the eyes closed, then with [lie eyes open. If he can retain the memory of the object while looking in the direction of the test card he will be able to read the letter easily. 4. Imagination-lmagining that the white part of a certain letter is whiter than the margin of the card. ']'his has helped me greatlv.

My present vision is: Distance (I-th eyes) : 10/10, 15/15, some of 15/10, 20/20 and 30/30. line print (both eyes) best at 12 inches, somie at 20 inclics, can see period at 20 inches.

f should advise anyone who conicniplales taking up this treatment, to first see Or. Bates personally for diagnosis and to get right ideas in the beginning. 11y doing this one would save much time and many missteps.

To those who cannot do this I should say that the first thing to do is to discard glasses altogether. Relax the mind and eye by palming. Learn to know how the eyes feel when relaxed and when doing your accustomed tasks try to keep this feeling oI relaxation (lack of effort) present at all times. Do not allow the eyes to become strained. Let objects that you wish to see come to you, do not try to go to them. You will fail sometimes. If you persist, however, your failures will be less and less frequent and as your vision improves, wlticl1 it surely will, you will gain

confidence. The exercises which I refer to are described in Dr. Bates' book, which contains many valuable suggestions besides interesting matter bearing on his experiments and achievements.

STORIES FROM THE CLINIC

14: Three Cases of Presbyopia

By LMILY C. LIERMAN

As a title more children than adults come to the clinic. They are sent to us by the schools, usually because they cannot see the blackboard. But during the war it was astonishing how many women came to us. Many of them were employed in factories where American flags were manufactnred and could not see to do the work properly, although their sight al the distance seemed to be satisfactory. Some had trouble in threading their needles. Others complained that they saw double. One told me that she sometimes stitched her fingers to the blue field of the flag along with the stars. They all asked for glasses, of course, but were very glad to learn that they could be cured so that they could see without them.

Among these very interesting patients was a woman of about fifty who had great trouble in threading her needle, and who begged tile to help her because she had her living to earn. She spoke with a pronounced Irish accent, and was very amusing. Her distant vision was quickly improved by palming and flashing the letters on tile Snellen test card. Then I suggested that she practice with fine ,rint six inches from her eyes. Even though she did not seethe letters, I told her, it would help her to alternately rest her eyes by closing for a few minutes and then look at the small letter, for a couple of seconds. She got im-

e -on, ie this, ami wa, enthusiastic m her expressions of appreciation.

"Sure, ma'am, may the good angels bless you for that!" she exclaimed. "I think this very minute I would be threadin' a needle if I had one. Me old man and the young ones at home will think it foine to have meself threadin' a needle."

It seemed that members of her fandly had been called upon to thread her needles, and had found the task somewhat irksome.

The next clinic day she came again, and, although it was afternoon greeted me vociferously with the. Irish salutation: "Top o' the mornin' to you!"

"Top o' the morning to yourself!" said 1, and then 1 suggested that she should not speak so loud, as I was afraid she would disturb the other patients.

I am not sure that she did any harm, however. The patients all smiled at her remark, even the Jewish patients, who, I imagine, could not have understood it. It does me good to see these poor unfortunates snide a little, and I think it must do them good also.

She soon became able to thread her needle without any trouble, and she wanted everyone in the room to know it. The last time I saw her she said:

"Sure, ma'am, me eyes are very sharp now, for the mintue I sot eyes on me man when lie conies home at night I can tell by the twinkle in his eye whither lie has had anything stronger than water or tea."

Another woman, forty-eight years of age, told me that the first time she carne to the chuic she thought she had got into the wrong place. Half a dozen people had their eyes covered with the paltus of their bands, to rest them, and she thought it was a prayer meeting. It was she who sewed her fingers to the flag along with the stars.

"What I need is glasses," she said, "and that's what I am here for"; but I soon convinced tier that the glasses were unnecessary.

fly having her alternately close and open her eyes I hit - proved tier sight for the Snellen test card from 15/40 to 15/20. Thin I gave tier some fine print to read, but it was only a blur to her. I now told her to palm, and imagine that she was sewing stars to the flag. When she opened her eyes her sight was worse. The very thought of those stars increased tier strain and made her vision worse. This convinced tier that tier trouble was due to strain, and that all she needed was to get rid of the strain. I now asked her to imagine more agreeable objects at the near-point. She at once became able to read the fine print, and her sight for the distance also improved. After four visits to the clinic her vision both for the distance and the near-point had become almost normal. It was quite easy for her to tlu-cad a needle and to do her work without glasses.

A woman of seventy-four who has been coming to the clinic for some time works every day in an orphanage where she mends the children's clothes, and does other sewing. She complained that tier glasses did not tit tier, and she could no longer see to sew with them. 1 gave her a small card with sonic fine print on the back.

"Do you mean to tell rne," she asked, "that I will ever read that?"

"It is possible," 1 said.

tier smiling face was good to see, as she tried to do as l instructed her. The print was larger on one side of the card than on the other, and I asked her to read the name printed in the larger letters. She could not do so at first. I told tier to close her eyes, count ten, then open them and look al the card while she counted two, then repeat. In a few minutes she saw the name on the card and also the

phone number. I then had her do the same thing with the diamond type on the reverse side, and after a while she became able to see sonic of the letters_ At later visits she. obtained further improvement, and after sonic nrontlrs she had no difficulty in sewing the buttons on the children's clothes, without her glasses, although as she said, there were a lot of them and they kept her busy. puce during the treatment t asked her to remember the daisy in the green field as she saw it in the country last summer.

"There weren't an v daisies but me while t was there," she answered. " I was the only daisy."

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

dll readers of this naayacine art, invited to send qurslions to the etfitor regarding any difficultir.s they may experiener in wing thr various methods of trcatrnew which it recommends. Those will be at~szvered as promptly as possible, iii the magacine, if space permits, olhrrwisr by mail. Kindly pe-nrla.sep a stamped, addressed crwrlopr.

Q. While I can see the letters on drc $ucllen lest card distinctly with both eyes down to the 50 line, the right eye sees double below that point. What is the reason? J. C. H.

A. While you see the letters down to the 50 title singly and well enough to rccogaize Ihctu, you do not see them perfectly. Otherwise you would sec thein perfectly below that point. The double vision of the right eye below that point is not due to its error of refraction but to imagination. With both eyes closed imagine the letters single. Then look

at the test card for a moment. Repeal until the letters can be regarded continuously without doubling. Practice first with both eyes together, then with the right eye separately.

Q. t leave conical corrca. Cau it be cured or relieved xrilhout glasses or operation? A. K.

A. Yes. Onc such. case secured normal vision in six veccks by the aid of tire ructhods presented in this uragazine. Another case was cured in two weeks. Conical cornea is simply an anterior stalrlylon1a, or bulging of the front of tlic eyeball, similar to the posterior staplyloma which so often occurs in myopia. Both are cureabic by the, same methods.

HOW TO IMPROVE THE SIGHT BY MEANS OF

THE IMAGINATION

Remember the letter o in diamond type, with the eyes closed and covered. If you are able to do this, it will apI', pear to have a short, slow swing, less than its own diameter.

Look at an unknown letter on the test card which you can see only as a gray spot, at ten feet or more, and imagine that it has a swing,of not more than a quarter of an inch.

Imagine the top of the unknown letter to be straight, still maintaining the swing. If this is in accordance with the fact, the swing will be unchanged_ If it is not, the swing will become uneven, or longer, or will be lost.

If the swing is altered, try another guess. If you can't tell the difference between two guesses, it is because the swing is too long. Palm and remember the o with its short swing, and you may become able to shorten that of the larger letter.

In this way you can ascertain, without seeing the letter, whether its four sides are straight, curved, or open. You may then be able to imagine the whole letter. This is easiest with the eyes closed and covered. If the swing is modified, you will know that you have made a mistake. In that case repeat from the beginning.

When you get the right letter imagine it alternately with the eyes closed and open, until you are able to imagine it as well when you look at it as when your eyes are closed and covered. In that case you will actually see the letter.

IMAGINATION ESSENTIAL TO SIGHT

13y W. 11. 13AT¢s, bf. D.

T is a well-known fact that vision is a process of mental interpretation. The picture which the mind sees is not I^.the impression on the retina, but a mental interpretation of it. To the mind objects seen appear to be in an upright position, but the picture on the retina is upside down. When the sight is normal the margins and openings of black letters on a white card appear whiter than the rest of the card, but this, of course, is not the fact, the whole background being of the same whiteness. One may seem to see a whole letter all alike at one time, but, as a matter of fact, the eye is shifting rapidly from one part to another. The letter may also seem to move although it is stationagA

When the vision is imperfect the imagination is also imperfect. The mind, in short, adds imperfections to the imperfect retinal image.' A great part of the phenomena of imperfect sight are, therefore, imaginary and not in any way to be accounted for by the derangement of the visual apparatus. The color, size, form, position and number of objects regarded are altered, and non-existent objects may

he seen. So- per-c with imperfect sight literally see ghosts. A boy, or a grown person either, in a dark cellar, is often under such a strain that he thinks he sees sheeted figures, and one of my patients, in broad daylight, used to see little devils dancing on the tops of high buildings.

It is a great relief to patients to learn that these appearances are imaginary, and helps them to bring the hnagination under control. /And as it is impossible to imagine perfectly without perfect relaxation, any improvement in the interpretation of the retinal images means an improvement in the conditions which have led to a distortion of those images; for relaxation, as all regular readers of this magazine know, is the cure for most eye troubles There is no more effective method of improving the sight, therefore, than by the aid of the imagination, and wonderful results have been obtained by this means. At times imagination almost seems to take the place of sight, as in the case of a patient who gained a high degree of central fixation in spite of the fact that the macula (center of sight) had been destroyed, or in those cases in which patients become able to imagine correctly letters which are seen only as grey spots without knowing what they are.

How patients manage to see best where they are looking without a macula is hard to explain;~but the imagination of letters which are not consciously seen is probably made possible by a certain degree of unconscious vision When one looks at a letter on the Snellen lest card which can be seen distinctly and tries to imagine the lop straight or open when it is curved, or curved when it is straight or open, it will be found impossible to do so, and the vision will be lowered by the effort, to a greater or less degree. In one case the mere suggestion to a patient that he should imagine the top of the big C straight caused the whole card to become blank. When one looks at a letter seen indistinctly without knowing

what it is and tries to imagine it to be other than it is, one is usually able to do so, but not without strain, evidenced by the fact that the letter becomes more blurred, or by the impossibility of imagining that it has a slow, easy swing of not more than a quarter of an inch. This fact makes it possible to find out what the letter is without seeing it.

The patient begins by imagining each of the four sides of the letter taken in turn to be straight, curved, or open, and observing the effect of each guess upon the swing. If the right side is straight, for instance, and be imagines it to be straight, the swing will be unchanged; but if he imagines it to be curved, the swing will be lengthened or lost, or will become less even and easy. If he is unable to tell the difference between two guesses it is because the swing is too long, and he is told to palm and remember a letter of diamond type, with its short swing, until he is able to shorten it. Having imagined each of the four sides of the letter correctly, he becomes able to imagine the whole letter, first with the eyes closed and covered, and then with the eyes open.

When one knows what the four sides of a letter are, its identification, in some cases, is a simple process of reason. A letter which is straight on top and on the left side, and open on the two other sides, cannot be anything but an F. If, on the contrary, it is straight on the bottom and on the left side, and open on the other two, it must be an L. Such letters can be imagined with a lower degree of relaxation than the less simple ones, like a V, a Y, or a K. If the letter is not imagined correctly, the swing will be altered, and in that case the process should be repeated from the beginning.

Having imagined the letter correctly, the patient is told to imagine it first with the eyes closed and covered and then with the eyes open and looking at the card, until he is able

to imagine it as well when looking at the card as when palming. In this way it finally becomes possible for him to imagine it so vividly when looking at the card that he actually sees it.

With most patients this method of improving the sight produces results more quickly than any other. Others, for some unknown reason, do not succeed with it. Temporary improvement is often obtained in an incredibly short space of time, and by continued practice this temporary improvement becomes permanent.

The patient who describes her case in a later article looked at the Snellen test card at ten feet one day, and did not see any of the letters, even as grey spots. 13y the method described above she became able in half an hour to read the whole card. A little girl of ten could not see anything at ten feet below the large letter at the top of the card. She was told how to make out the letters by the aid of her imagination, and then left alone for half an hour. At the end of this time she had read the whole of an unfamiliar card. A child of about the same age whose left macula had been destroyed by atrophy of the choroid (middle coat of the eye) was able with the affected eye to see only the 200 letter, on the test card, and that only when she looked to one side of the card. She was treated by means of her imagination, and after a few months, during which time she came very irregularly, she obtained normal vision in both eyes. She is still under treatment.

A school girl of sixteen with such a high degree of myopic astigmatism that she could see only the large letter at ten feet became able in four or five visits, by the aid of her imagination, to read 20/20 temporarily, and at her last visit she read 20/15 temporarily. A college student twenty-five years old, with compound hypermetropic astigmatism (four diopters in each eye). could read only 201100 with his right

eve and 14/20f1 will, h;s l_cf_{t Y}..„ „aj '_v- ~-,,

mpeiied to stop his studies because of the pain and fatigue resulting from the use of his eyes at the near-point. In four visits his vision was improved by the aid of his imagination to 20/30 and he became able to read diamond type at six inches without glasses and without discomfort.

These and many other cases of the same kind have demonstrated that imagination is necessary to normal sight.

STORIES FROM THE CLINIC

I5: Imagination Relieves Pain

By EMmv C. LIERMAN

A few weeks ago there came to the clinic a very tiredleaking mother, with her daughter, aged twelve, who was. suffering intense pain in her eyes and head. Both began: to talk to me at once, and the mother told me that the child: kept her awake at night with her moaning. She had taken her to another doctor in the hospital, and he, failing to^, relieve the pain, had sent her to Dr. Bates, thinking that her eyes might need attention. Dr. Bates examined the child. and without telling me what the trouble was, said:: "Here is a good case for you; cure her quick."

The poor child could scarcely open her eyes, and Tier forehead was a mass of wrinkles. I tested her sight, and at twelve feet she read the fifty line on the test card. While reading the card she said that her pain was not so bad. I told her to palm. and while her eyes were covered, I asked her to imagine that she saw the blackboard at school, and that she was writing the figure 7 upon it with white chalk. She could do this, she said, and then I asked her to remove her hands from her eyes, and look at the black 7 on the test card. She saw it very distinctly, and I noticed that her

eyes had opened and that the wrinkles in her forehead had disappeared. The mother noticed this too, and said: "See how wide open her eyes are!"

Evidently the pain had gone, for after a moment, the little girl exclaimed in great excitement:

`Oh, that pain is coming back!"

I told her to close her eyes at once and palm again. Noticing how much she had been helped by her imagination, I told her to imagine the black figure blacker than she had seen it with her eyes open. She did this, and when she opened her eyes in a few minutes the pain had again disappeared and her vision had improved to 12/30. After telling her mother that the cause of all the child's trouble had been eyestrain, and that if she would palm and use her imagination she would be well in two weeks, I sent her home. Imagine my surprise when two days later she came to the clinic, with her eyes wide open, grinning from ear to ear, and having a gay old time with a school friend whom she had brought with her. She told me that only once, during the first evening after she came to the clinic, had she suffered any return of the pain. Then she had closed her eyes and covered them with the palcus of her hands and imagined first that she saw a figure 7, black on a white background, and then that she saw white roses, daisies with yellow centers and green fields. She went to sleep soon after and did not wake up till morning. She had had no pain at all since that night, and when I tested her sight I found it normal, with both eyes together and each eye separately. It goes without saying that I was very happy to have accomplished in two days what I expected to take two weeks to do. The patient was instructed to keep on practicing and to report at least once a week at the clinic, but she did not come again.

A boy named Harry, aged eleven years, now being treated

at the clinic, came to us about two weeks ago with pain in both eyes. He had been sent to us trom the public schools for glasses. Reading made him nervous, he said, and he did not wish to read anything on the test card but the large letters. I had him stand fifteen feet from the card, and asked him to read the letters slowly and only to see one at a time. Noticing that he was extremely nervous I lowered my voice as much as possible and talked to him as I would to a child much younger. This seemed to have a soothing effect, for immediately he seemed less nervous and shy, and he was able to read the forty line with his left eye and the fifty with his right. I now showed him how to palm. This seemed to afford him much amusement, but he did it faithfully because he wanted to please me, not because he thought it would help his sight. When he opened his eyes he read the twenty line with the left eye, but the vision of the right had not improved, and he complained that the pain in it was still as bad as ever.

I told him to palm again, and while his eyes were covered I asked him if he ever saw a large ship getting ready to sail. He said, yes, he had seen some of our warships on the Hudson River. I asked him how much he could imagine lie saw on one of these vessels. He became intensely interested, and was no longer inclined to be restless.

"Why," he said, "I can imagine a rope ladder on the side of the ship and sailors walking on the deck, and I can imagine black smoke coming out of the smoke-stack. Before I had told him to lie uncovered his right eye and read all the letters on the forty line and some of those on the thirty line. He said that the pain had gone, and that the letters looked blacker to him and the card whiter than before. He has come to the clinic regularly, and now reads 15/10better than normal-with both eyes. He still complains about a little pain in the right eye, but when he palms and

,ag;uc, [lrai l,e is piaying baseball, or doing other pleasant things, his pain stops and he always leaves the clinic smiling.

IMAGINATION IN RETINITIS PIGMENTOSA

By MARY BLAKE

This patient carne for examination ou 1^,cbruary 9, 1921, and for treatment on ttilarch 11. Her distant vision with glasses (concave 6.00 D. S., both eyes) was 20/40 in the right eye and 20/50 in the left, and her field had been reduced to ten degrees, so that she could see nothing above, below, or to one side of her line of vision. She was treated almost entirely by rrmans of her imagination, and has thus become able, temporarily, to read the bottom line of an unfamiliar card at ten feet. By the sarne means her field and color perception have at times become normal. IVhen her imagination fails her vision fails also. Sun-gazing and the focusing of the rays of the sun with a barring glass upon the upper part of the sclera (white of the eye) proved very effective in overcoming her ex-trerne sensitiveness to light.

I began to wear glasses for shortsight when I was fifteen, and from that time I wore them constantly until I came to Dr. Bates five weeks ago. For the last two or three years I never took them off, except for close work, until I got into bed at night, and before I got out of bed in the morning I put them on again.

In spite of these precautions my sight became steadily worse, and for the last ten years I have spent my time and money going from one specialist to another both in this country and in Europe. Three of the most famous specialists in Switzerland told me that I had rctinitis pigmentosa, a condition in which pigment is deposited in the retina, and which, I was told, always ended in complete blindness if the

patient lived long enough. Nothing could be done to prevent this outcome, they said, but they advised me to wear dark glasses when I went out of doors on bright days, because by exposing my eyes to strong light I was spending my capital. For the last three years (up to five weeks ago) I did this, and for the last year, on very sunny days, I often wore dark glasses in the house also, because my eyes had become so sensitive to the light that I could sometimes find relief only by going into a darkened room. Even with dark glasses and drawn blinds, there was a kind of razzle-dazzle before my eyes which was so maddening that I almost longed for the blindness with which I had been threatened, so that I might be free from such distresses. When I looked out of a window onto a sunny street and then back into the room again, everything became perfectly black for a minute. For the last two years and a half I have not been able to go out alone in the city.

In this state of utter hopelessness, with my sight rapidly getting worse, I heard of Dr. Rates through a patient whom he was treating, and, in spite of what I felt to be the incredulity of my friends, although they were considerate enough not to express it, I lost no time in consulting him. The unusualness of his methods, while it excited the suspicion of others, was a recommendation to me. I knew what the old methods accomplished, or rather what they did not accomplish, and I wanted something different. It seemed to me that Dr. Bates was the very man I had been looking for.

My friends have now been converted, but, in spite of the fact that I am able to report substantial improvement in my vision, I still meet with much scepticism in other quarters. A doctor to whom my progress was reported by a friend wrote to her that if my trouble were imaginary Dr. Bates might help me through hypnotism or mind cure, but that if

there were anvthine really the matter _with o . 1- -W do nothing by his methods. Having a relative in New York who is an eye specialist. this doctor took the trouble to write to him and ask what he knew about Dr. Bates. The reply was that Dr. Bates was the laughing stock of all the oculists in New York. This report, when it was comntnnicated to me, disturbed me not at all. It did not matter to me how much the other eye specialists laughed at Dr. Bates so long as he was helping me, as none of them had been able to do. Other doctors were more open-minded, but were not prepared to believe that such diseases as retinitis pigmentosa could be cured by this or any other method. One who had met some of Dr. Bates' cured patients, and was inclined to believe in him, said, when, told that I was being treated for this condition

"Good gracious, he surely doesn't pretend to cure retinitis pigmentosa! That is an organic disease."

I said that he not only pretended to cure it, but had made substantial progress in my case. The doctor said:

"I think he'll help you, but I don't believe you are ever going to see without limitations."

The improvement in my vision since I have been under treatment has been indisputable. After two weeks the intangible suffering caused by light left me, and it has never returned. I can go out in the brightest sunlight without glasses of any kind, and, although my eyes feel weak and I squint a little, there is no real distress. I can look out of a window onto a sunny street, and when I turn back again into the room there is no blindness. When I first took off my glasses I had to bend over close to my plate when I was eating, in order to see what was on it. Now I sit in an almost normal position, with such a slight bend that I don't think anyone would notice it. I also operate a typewriter while sitting in a normal position. For three years it has

been very difficult for me to read or sew, with or without :!asses. ..c„ 1 uu but uuut gla.. ,. and instead of the distress which these activities formerly caused me, I experience a delightful feeling of freedom. And not only can I :cad ordinary print, but I can read diamond type and photographic reductions. About a year ago I began to lose my color perception, and up to two weeks ago I was unable to distinguish the rug from the floor in the doctor's office. Now I can see that the floor is red and the rug blue, tan and black. At the present writing I have just become able to observe that a couch coves in my apartment, which had always appeared blue to me, is green. I am still unable to see very much at the distance. But I am beginning to make out the features of the people around me and to read signs in the streets and street-cars, and when I look out of the windows on the Subway I see the people on the platforms. My field is still very limited, but I am conscious that it is slowly enlarging. The other day I pinned a piece of paper three inches from the test card, and was able to see it while looking at the card. After such improvement, in the brief period of five weeks, I do not feel inclined to credit the prediction of my medical friend that I am going to regain my sight only with limitations. I hope I am going to get normal vision.

Along with the improvement in my sight there has come also a remarkable improvement in my physical condition, the natural result of freedom from suffering. I used to be a very restless sleeper, and when I woke in the morning I was greatly fatigued. Now the bed is as smooth in the morning as if I had never stirred all night, and I am much more refreshed than I used to be. although not so much so as I hope to be later. Formerly I had to force myself to write a letter. Now it is a pleasure to do so, and I am clearing off all my correspondence. I could not attend to my accounts.

Now I have them all straightened out. If I get nothing more from the treatment than this physical comfort and increased ability to do things, it will be worth while.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

All readers of this magazine are invited to send questions to the editor regarding any difcullies thel^, may experience in using the various methods of treatment which it recommends. These will be answered as promptly as possible, in the magazine, if space permits, otherwise by mail. Kindly enclose a stamprd, addressed envclnpr.

Q. I began to wear glasses for farsight Mien I was twenty-six. I began with convex 1.00 D. S. and now at forty-two 1 am wearing convex 2.501). S., or was until a fe%% weeks ago when I decided to try the methods presented in this magazine. I can react and sew with ease in the daylight, but cannot read fine print even in a strong electric light for more than a few minutes without getting a dull ache at the back of my eyeballs. What I want to ask is this: 1. Do you advise the use of the test card in my case, or is it only for children? 2, Ob'rrsM th~- sxi-g Ihettp roc, atrr, if ;Fr wi l p,,n explain it a little more clearly? 3. Is it best to go without the glasses as much as I can, or am I injuring my eyes by so doing? 4. Would it retard the cure to use the glasses just for evening reading? How long will it take for my eyes to become young again, if that is possible? G. I-f.

A. 1. The test card is for everybody. 2. Yes, the swing would help you. ']'he normal eye is constantly shifting, and thus an apparent movement of objects regarded is produced. By consciously imitating this unconscious shifting of the normal eye and realizing the apparent movement which it produces, imperfect sight is always improved. 3. You should discard your glasses permanently. They are never a benefit

and always an injury to the peyes. 4. Yes. 5. Itp is entirely possible for your eyes to bCCU1nC young again, but it is impossible to guess how long this will take, because it is impossible to tell how well or intelligently you will practice central fixation.

Q. Why is it that when I look at an electric light half a mile away it looks as if there were ten or a dozen rays of light going in all directions? R. R. T.

A. Because when you look at an object half a mile away you strain to see it, and under the influence of the strain you Imagine rays of light going in all directions so vividly that you seem to see them. It is for the same reason tha: the stars twinkle. If you could look at the light, or at the stars, without effort, there would be no twinkling.

HOW TO DEMONSTRATE THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE OF TREATMENT

`h he object of all the methods used in the treatment of in, perfect sight without glasses is to secure rest or relaxation, of the mind first_ and then_ of the eyes.,, Rest always improves the vision. Effort always lowers it. Persons who wish to improve their vision should begin by demonstrating these facts.

Close the eyes and keep tlaein closed for fifteen minutes. Think of nothing particular, at think of something pleasant. When the eyes are opened, it will usually be found that the vision has improved temporarilc. If it has not, it ovill be because, while the eyes were closed. the mind was not at re t

7.

One symptom of strain is a twitching of the eyelids which can be seen by an observer and felt by the patient with the fingers. This can usually be corrected if the period of rest I is long enough. '

Many persons fail to secure a temporary improvement of vision by closing their eyes, because they do not keep them closed long enough. Children will seldom do this unless a grown person stands by and encourages them. Many adults also require supervision.

To demonstrate that strain lowers the vision, think of something disagreeable--some physical discomfort, or something seen imperfectly. When the eyes are opened, it will be found that the vision has been lowered. Also stare at one part of a letter on the test card, or try to see the whole letter all alike at one tune. This invariably lowers the vision, and may cause the letters to disappear.

FUNDAMENTALS OF TREATMENT

By W. H. BATHS, M.D.

Ll. errors of refraction and many other eye troubles are cured by rest; but there are many ways of obtaining this rest, and all patients cannot do it in the same way. Sometimes a long succession of patients are helped by the same method, and then will come one who does not respond to it at all.

Closing the Eyes.-The simplest way to rest the eyes is to close them for a longer or shorter period and think about something agreeable. This is always the first thing that I tell patients to do, and there are very few who are not benefited by it temporarily.

Palming.-A still greater degree of rest can be obtained by closing and covering the eyes so as to exclude all the light. The mere exclusion of the impressions of sight is often sufficient to produce a large measure of relaxation. In other cases the strain is increased. As a rule, successful palming involves a knowledge of various other means of obtaining relaxation. The mere covering and closing of the eyes is useless unless at the same time mental rest is obtained.

,(When a patient paltns' perfectly he sees a field so' black That it is impossible t., remember, imagine, or see, anything blacker, and when able to do this he is cured.` It should be borne in mind, however, that the patient's judgment of what is a perfect black is not to be depended upon.

Central Fixation.-When the vision is normal the eye sees one part of everything it looks at best and every other part worse in proportion as it is removed front the point of maximum vision. When the vision is imperfect it is invariably found that the eye is trying to see a considerable part of its field of vision equally well at one time. This is a great strain upon the eye and mind, as anyone whose sight is approximately normal can demonstrate by trying to see an appreciable area all alike at one time. At the near-point the attempt to see an area even a quarter of an inch in diameter in this way will produce discomfort and pain. Anything which rests the eye tends to restore the normal power of central fixation. It can also be regained by conscious practice, and this is sometimes the quickest and easiest way to improve the sight. When the patient becomes conscious that he sees one part of his field of vision better than the rest, it usually becomes possible for him to reduce the area seen best. If he looks from the bottom of the 200 letter to the top, for instance, and sees the part not directly regarded worse than the part fixed, lie may become able to do the same with the next litre of letters, and thus he may become able to go down the card until he call look front the top to the bottom of the letters on the bottom line and see the part not directly regarded worse. In that case he will be able to read the letters. On the principle that a burnt child dreads the fire, it is a great help to most patients to consciously increase the degree of their eccentric fixation. For when they have produced discomfort or pain by consciously trying to see a large letter, or a whole line of letters, all alike at one

time, they unconsciously try to avoid the lower degree of eccentric fixatiou which has become habitual to them. Most patients, when they become able to reduce the area of their field of maximum vision, are conscious of a feeling of great relief in the eyes and head and even in the whole body. Since small objects cannot be seen without central fixation, the reading of fine print, when it can be done, is one of the best of visual exercises, and the dimmer the light in which it can be read and the closer to the eye it can be held the better.

Shifting and Swinging.-The eye with normal vision never regards a point for more than a fraction of a second, but shifts rapidly from one part of its field to another, thus producing a slight apparent movement, or swing, of all objects regarded. The eye with imperfect sight always tries to hold its points of fixation, just as it tries to see with maximum vision a larger area at once than nature intended it to see. This habit can be corrected by consciously imitating the unconscious shifting of the normal eye and realizing the swing produced by this movement. At first a very long shift may be necessary, as from one end of a line of letters to another, in order to produce a swing; but sometimes even this is not sufficient. In such cases patients are asked to hold one hand before the face while moving the head and eyes rapidly from side to side, when they seldom fail to observe an apparent movement of the hand. Some patients are under such a strain, however, that it may be weeks before they are able to do this. After the"apparent movement of the hand has been observed patients become able to realize the swing resulting from slighter movements of the eye, until they are able to look from one side to another of x letter of diamond type and observe that it seems to move in a direction contrary to the movement of the eye. A mental picture of a letter can be observed to swing precisely as can

a refit_ uu u~C "'St car.., ...° .. .. .t!!^ "..-.-I 'hiftin, 'And swinging are easier at first than visual. The realization of the visual swing can, therefore, be cultivated by the aid of the mental. It is also an advantage to have the patient try to look continually at some letter or part of a letter, and note that it quickly becomes bhured or disappears. When he thus demonstrates that staring lowers the vision lie becomes better able to avoid it. When visual or mental swinging is successful, everything one thinks of appears to have a slight swing. "this I have called the universal .vrviag. Most patients get the universal swing very easily. Others have great difficulty. The latter class is hard to cure.

Memory.-When the sight is normal the mind is always perfectly at rest, and when the memory is perfect the mind is also at rest. Therefore it is possible to improve the sight by the rise of the memory. Anything the patient finds it agreeable to remember is a rest to the mind, but for purposes of practice a snknll black object, such as a period or a letter of diamond type, is usually most convenient. The most favorable condition for the exercise of the memory is, usually, with the eyes closed and covered, but by practice it becomes possible to remember equally well with the eyes open. When patients are able, with their eyes closed and covered, to remember perfectly a letter of diamond type, tt appears, just as it would if they were looking at it with the bodily eyes, to have a slight movement, while the openings appear whiter than the rest of the background. If they are not able to remember it, they are told to shift consciously from one side of the letter to another and to consciously imagine the opening whiter than the rest of the background. When they do this, the letter usually appears to move in a direction contrary to that of the imagined movement of the eye, and they are able to remember it indefinitely. If, on the contrary, they try to fix the attention

on one part of the letter, or to think of two or more parts at one time, i soon disappears, demonstrating that it is impossible to think of one point continuously, or to think of two or more points perfectly at one time, just as it is impossible to look at a point continuously, or to see two points perfectly at the same time. Persons with no visual memory are always under a great strain and often suffer from pain and fatigue with no apparent cause. As soon as they become able to form mental pictures, either with the eyes closed or open, their pain and fatigue are relieved

Imagination.-Imagination is closely allied to memory, for we can imagine only as well as we remember, and in the treatment of imperfect sight the two can scarcely be separated. Vision is largely a matter of imagination and memory. And since both imagination and memory are impossible without prefect relaxation, the cultivation of these faculties not only improves the interpretation of the pictures on the retina, but improves the pictures themselves. When you imagine that you see a letter on the test card you actually do see it, because it is impossible to relax and imagine the letter perfectly, and, at the same time, strain and see it imperfectly. The following method of using tJte imagination has produced quick results in many cases: The patient is asked to look at the largest letter on the test card at the near-point, and is usually able to observe that a small area, about a square inch, appears blacker than the rest, and that when the part of the letter seen worst is covered, part of the exposed area seems blacker than the remainder., When the part seen worst is again covered, the area of maximum blackness is still further reduced. When the part seen best has been reduced to about the size of a letter on the bottom line, the patient is asked to imagine that such a letter occupies this area and is blacker than the rest of the letter. Then he is asked to look at a letter on the bottom line and imagine

that it is blacker than the largest letter. Many are able to 0o d,is, a ._ ._ once i,ecome able t., see (lie letters on the bottom line. a

pFlashing.-Since. itp is effort that spoils the sight, many persons with imperfect sight are able, after a period of rest, to look at an object for a fraction of a second. If the eyes are closed before [lie habit of strain reasserts itself permanent relaxation is sometimes very quickly obtained. This practice I have called flashing, and many persons are helped by it who are unable to improve their sight by other means. The eyes are rested for a few minutes, by closing or palming, and then a letter oil the test card, or a letter of diamond type, if the trouble is with near vision, is regarded for a fraction of a second. Then the eyes arc inunediately closed and the process repeated.

Reading Familiar Letters.-The eye always strains to see unfamiliar objects, and is always relaxed to a greater or less degree by looking ;it familiar objects. Therefore the reading every day of small familiar letters at the greatest distance at which they can he seen is a rest to the eye, and is sufficient to cure children under twelve who have not worn glasses, as well as some older children, and adults with minor defects of vision.

In the treatment of imperfect sight these fundamental principles are to a great extent interdependent. They cannot be separated as in the above article. It is impossible, for instance, to produce the illusion of a swing unless one possess a certain degree of central fixation. That is, uric must be able to shift from one point to another and see the point shifted from less distinctly than the one directly regarded. Successful palming is impossible without mental shifting and swinging, and the use of the memory and imagination.

STORIES FROM THE CLINIC

16: Methods That Have Succeeded

BY EMILY C. LIERMAN

The patients who come to our clinic do wonderful things, especially the school children. •We can give each one of them, as a rule, only about live nunmes of our time, and yet they are able to carry out the instructions given to them at home, and to get results.'. This is a great tribute to their patience and intelligence.

Most of the children, and of the grown people as well, are helped by palming, and some wonderful cures have been obtained by this means alone. In my first story for this magazine I told about a little Italian boy named Joey whose left eye had been so injured in an automobile accident that tic had only light perception left. It was some time before I could get him to palm regularly, but as soon as he became willing to do it many times a day his sight began to improve rapidly, and he is now completely cured.

There are some patients, however, who cannot or will not palm. One of these was a little colored girl, with corkscrew curls, for all the world like Topsy. She had been sent to the clinic because she could not see the writing on the blackboard, and the school nurse told me later that she was very unruly and a great trial to her teacher. She was something of a trial to me too at first, for I could not get her to palm for a moment, and did not know what to do with her. Then I discovered that she had a wonderful memory when she chose to use it, and I resolved to treat her by the aid of this faculty. I was able to improve her sight considerably, and the very next day her teacher noticed such a change in her behavior that on the next clinic day the school nurse came with tier to see what I had done to her. I then asked her to remember, with closed eyes, a letter on the test card

gray instead of black. She could not stand still a minute ...na„ .~.e a:u ..,., _and._vh-_n ~h„ ,..... ....,, !.„_ ....„_ .h_c.- ...__ _,. improvement inhervision. ^J•Then ^.I~asked her toyrcrnember the blue beads she had around her neck. She did so for five minutes, standing perfectly still all the time, and when she opened her eyes she read an extra line on the test card. I had her do this again, and again she read an extra line. The nurse was thrilled by this demonstration of the fact that perfect memory improves the sight and relieves nervousness.

Recently a poor young man called at our magazine office and asked if Dr. Bates had written a book about the treatment of the eyes. When told that there was such a book, he bought it and also subscribed for the magazine. His sister was being treated at the clinic, he said, and lie wished to take off his glasses as she had done. Later lie came to the clinic,

as he lives in the hospital district. I found that he could not read newspaper print without his glasses, while his distant vision was 12/70, both eyes. This was about six months ago. He now reads diamond type, and last week his sister asked Dr. Bates if he had finer print, as her brother form,) the diamond type so easy that he wanted something smaller. Dr. Bates gave her a page from a photographic reduction of the Bible, and he reads this also without any trouble_ The methods lie used were swinging and flashing, together with palming.

The influence of this cure has been extensive and is still going on. The patient loaned the hook to a myopic youth in 4is office, and by means of palming he was able to improve his sight so that now lie dispenses with glasses for long periods. An elderly man in the same office thought the palming a very absurd practice, but, having borrowed the book, in his turn, he started shifting and flashing at lunch time, just to pass the time. lie now does much of his work without glasses.

A Jewish mother came to the clinic recently with her Nitlo ";rt _Of ~iohr and swirl the child must have classes. The school nurse had said so. I replied that I was very sorry indeed, but that Dr. Bates did not fit glasses, and she would have to call some other day and see the doctor who did do so. Shc was about to leave the room when I suggested that I should test the child's sight. I felt sorry for the little girl, because she was very pretty, except for her eyes, which were partly closed most of the time.

"I don't like to wear glasses," she said. "Please help me so that I won't have to wear them."

The mother seemed bewildered at first, and then she said, in a burst of confidence:

"You know, nurse, if der glasses was fee notthink, I should vorry. But all der time money, money fer glasses, when all der time she breaks dem."

1 told the poor mother not to worry, because her child could be cured so that she would not need glasses if she would do what I told her to do.

"Sure, sure," she replied. "Dot's all right, lady. You fix her eyes, yes? Ven ve don't buy glasses ve got more money to buy someding for der stomach, yes?"

An Irish woman was standing by, and she just roared with laughter. I had to use some tact to keep peace in the room, and I thought it best to usher the Irish woman outside until I had treated the little girl, who turned out to be a very interesting patient. We have some bright children in our clinic, and I am proud of them; but this dear little girl beat them all. She did such a wonderful thing that Dr. Bates was thrilled. Jennie had never seen the test card before, and after palming was able to read only the thirty line at fifteen feet. Below this the card was a blank to her. I asked her to follow any finger while, with very rapid movement, I pointed to the large letter at the top and so on down to the ten line.

"_w

the ten line, which ^"was~an F, and quite small, ^`I asked her if she could remember some letter her teacher had written on the blackboard that day. She replied:

"Yes, I can imagine I see the letter O, a white O."

"Keep your eyes closed," I said, "and imagine that the letter I am pointing at has a curved top. Can you still imagine the OF'

"No," she said, "I can't imagine anything now."

"Can you imagine it is open, or straight at the top?" I asked.

She became excited and said: "If I imagine it has a straight top I can still remember the white O."

"Fine," I said. "Can you imagine it has a straight line at the bottom?"

"No," she said, "if 1 do that I lose the O. 1 can imagine it's open much better."

"Good," I said. "It is open. Now imagine it is open or curved to the left."

"I lose the O," she said, "if I imagine the left side open or curved. I think it's an F, nurse."

And when she opened her eyes she saw it plainly. The fact was that, although she had been unable to see this letter consciously, she had unconsciously seen it for a fraction of a 'second and could not imagine it to be other than it was without a strain that caused her to lose control of her memory. And when she imagined it to be what it was she relaxed so that when she opened her eyes she was able to see it.

A little later a school nurse brought us a child who was giving her teacher a lot of trouble because she could not remember anything, and it was thought glasses might help her. She was very nervous, frowned terribly, and at twelve feet the letters on the bottom line of the test card were only

Mack shot, to lt, r . As I could not get her cc^, pahu, I ,; her to look at a letter on the bottom line, and with closed eyes imagine it had a straight top. She could not do this, and said she could imagine it curved better. Then she found she could imagine two other sides curved and one open, and when she opened her eyes she saw the letter, a C, distinctly, and had stopped frowning. By the same method she became able to read all the other letters on the bottom line, demonstrating that her imperfect memory had been due to eyestrain. She had unconsciously seen the letters, but the _ey.=strain had suppressed the memory of them. With her eyes closed the strain was relaxed, and she became able to remember, or imagine, them.

MY METHODS WITH SCHOOL CHILDREN

BY A Putn ic SCHOOL NURSE

Editor's Note.-Better Eyesight considers itself fortunate to be able to publish this remarkable record of the improvement of the vision of school children by means of the methods which it advocates. The attitude of the educational authorities toward the beneficent work of this public-spirited nurse is noteworthy.

On re-reading an article in the August (1920) issue of Better Eyesight I find that a nurse, after inquiry in regard to treatment of the eyes without glasses, and observations at Dr. Bates' clinic, said she would treat the children at school in the same way. I started last fall, in a district school, located in one of the suburbs of New York City, to do likewise, but, unfortunately, after having helped several children, I am advised by the school authorities to discontinue. However I shall give some idea of the work already accomplished.

In the examination for records of the children's eyesight, etc., I found several quite below normal-some with one eye

more than normal and the other far below. In one case for

tiic ieft eye was L11; 13 and the right 9/200. This child, Catherine, after having been shown how to practice, was able to lielp herself by cutting the letters from a newspaper and pinning them to the wall, until she procured a test card. At the present time her sight is 12/50 in the right eye, a four-fold improvement. All this she has done by her own efforts and practice at Ironic. I have helped tier only once since the first examination in the latter part of March. Her mother has taken off tier glasses, loo, and does not suffer any more with burning of the eyes, as she did formerly. She is grateful, and much pleased with her success.

Another child I brought to the clinic, and Dr. Bates saw him after I had lielped to correct a squint in the left eye, which remains straight unless lie strains. The correction occurred at the beginning of the school year. The child's sight has also improved, in spite of the fact that lie practices less at home than any of the others and needs constant urging.

The children come to me just before the close of the morning session, sometimes for only fifteen minutes. They pale, and do the swing, either the head alone or the entire body. Lately I've found that the swing was more successful than palming alone.

When examining the children in the classroom I fraud they could read the twenty line at twenty feet after starting at thirty or forty, if the strain was relieved in this way: I would point to a letter or number oil the thirty or forty line and then return to file twenty line. Almost immediately they would read 20/20.

One boy I started at 20/20. For sonic reason lie could not read a letter until he got to the top of the card. I then had him palm and read with each eye alternately. In a few moments lie had read correctly every line to the very end -20/20.

All tl._c ~h:L!_rc., a-._. R.. ~.N,.rn.-,nrt ...A ..1........1 ...:,1.

their progress, and the parents fully approve.. ^'In every ^,lnstance I have let the parents decide whether or not the children should be treated so that they would not need glasses. The children themselves say very emphatically that they will not xcar glasses.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

All readers of this magazine are invited to send questions to the editor regarding any difficulties they may experience in using the various methods of treatment which it recom>aends. These will be answered as promptly as possible, in the magazine, if space permits, otherwise by snail. Kindly enclose a stamped, addressrd envelope.

HOW NOT TO CONCENTRATE

To remember the letter o of diamond type continuously and without effort proceed as follows:

Imagine a little black-spot on the right-hand side of the o blacker than the rest of the letter; then imagine a similar spot on the left-hand side. Shift the attention from the right-hand period to the left, and observe that every tune that you think of the left period the o appears to move to the right, and every time you think of the right one it appears to move to the left. This motion, when the shifting i=_ done properly, is very short, less than the width of the letter. Later you may become able to imag:ne the o without conscious shifting and swinging, but whenever the attention is directed to the matter these things will be noticed.

Now do the same with the a letter on the test card. If the shifting is normal, it will be noted that the letter can be regarded indefinitely, and that it appears to have a slight motion.

To demonstrate that the attempt to concentrate spoils the memory, or imagination, and the vision:

Try to think continuously of a period on one part of an imagined letter. The period and the whole letter will soon disappear. Or try to imagine two or more periods, o^- t'ae whole letter, equtilly black and distinct at one time. this will be found to be even more difficult.

Do the same with a letter on the test card. The results will be the same.

THE VICE OF CONCENTRATION

By W. H. BATES, M. ll.

MST patients who come to me for the cure of in, perfect sight think that they have to "concentrate" in order to improve their vision. When told that they should see nothing but black when their eyes are closed and covered, they think that they can arrive at this state by "concentrating" on the black. When they look at a line of letters and see it imperfectly and all alike, they think it is because they cannot "concentrate." If they see better after closing their eyes or palming, they think it is because these things have helped them to "concentrate." It is very hard to get these ideas out of their heads, even though, after "concentrating for all they are worth," as they express it, they invariably find that their sight is wcrse instead of bette-.

By concentration they seem to mean the ability to do, see, or remember; one thing at a titre, for as long a time as they want to, and to stup doing, seeing and remembering everything else; and they are quite convinced that this can be accomplished by effort. As these ideas are almost enti-el,.

erroneous, it is not strange that their sight should fail to improve under their influence.

It is physiologically impossible to see one thing at a time and exclude everything else from sight, because Nature has given us a visual field of considerable range. It is true that we can see even a very small object continuously, but only if the attention shifts constantly from one part to another; because the eve is in constant motion, and any attempt to stop this motion lowers the vision and causes the object to blur or disappear. When the vision is normal the movements of the eye are short, rhythmical and easy, and each successive point fixed is seen better than any other point. In the eye with imperfect sight the movements are longer, irregular and accompanied by strain. The points fixed are not seen best, so that the object may be seen all alike at one time. In neither case is it possible to stop the motion but the eye with imperfect sight tries unconsciously to do so, and to look at each point for an appreciably length of time. This unconscious pattempt. top concentrate upon a point is an invariable accompaniment of imperfect sight, and is always produced by an effort to see. When, therefore, patients try to "concentrate" upon .. letter, the eye attempts to stop shifting, and the vision is made worse. Even in the case of an eye with previously normal sight, such an effort will quickly cause the letters to blur or disappear.

Although the physiological reasons for it are not so plain, the mind is subject to the same law as the eye. It cannot think of one thing to the exclusion of all other things. Nor can it think continuously of an unchanging object without continuous shifting of the attention. The attempt to do these things is accompanied by a strain which is reflected in the eyes and always produces abnormal conditions there.

It is cften hard to get patients to realize these facts, because the shifting of attention may be and usually is unconscious. At points where the vision is good patients may shift normally and easily from one past of a letter to another without being aware of the fact, and without noticing the swing produced by this motion. Therefore they often imagine that they can see it all alike at one time for an indefinite period. In the same way they think that they can remember or imagine a letter all alike a, one time continuously. One patient looked at an P for the better part of an hour, seeing it all the time perfectly black and distinct, and, as he thought, all alike and stationary.

He was directed to imagine, with his eyes closed, that a small, black spot on the upper corner of the ten-line F was the blackest part of the letter. Then he was told to remember a similar period on the botton of the letter and to forget the top period. Next he was directed to shift between these two periods, remembering each one alternately as the 'otackest part of the letter. He did this easily, and noted that every time he thought of the top period the letter appeared to move downward, and every time he thought of the lower one it appeared to move upward. When he tried to concentrate on one period, however, he immediately lost it and lost the whole letter with it. To imagine two or more periods, or the whole letter, equally black ::t one time was eve a more difficult. Having demonstrated with his eyes closed that it %vas impossible to think continuously of one pcim, or to think of two or more points equally well

,t the sanrz time, but very easy to shift continuously from one point to another,

he became able to realize th.^.t he could not see the letter on the test card perfectly and continuously when he. saw it all alike at one time, and could not even see one point perfectly black continuously;

Most patients, when asked to remember or imagine a

letter of diamond type state that they can do it continuously, and that they see it all alike at one time. When asked to concentrate on a point, or imagine one or more points equally well at one time, however, they find it, as in the case just mentioned, impossible, while they have no difficulty in shifting continuously from one point to another. After having demonstrated these facts they find it impossible to remember a letter all alike at one time, and realize that when they seemed to do so they must have been unconsciously shifting and swinging.

It is strange that physiologists and psychologists have never published these facts. The normal shifting of the eye is so short and easy that it is scarcely perceptible. The apparent movement of objects regarded produced by this motion is also inconspicuous ; yet it is sufficiently marked so that when patients are asked whether the letters they are plooking. atp are moving or stationary they often answer that they are moving. When asked to stop the movement, or imagine that the letters are stationary, they reply that they cannot and that the attempt to do so causes discomfort or pain. One patient even noticed the phenomenon wirhout any hint from me, and came back to me several months after I had cured her to ask for an explanation. The movement, which she noticed only when she looked at a letter continuously, not when she read a few of the letters more or less rapidly, did not trouble her, she said; in fact, when she tried to stop it she felt uncomfortable and her vision was lowered; but having never heard of it, she was afraid it might indicate something wrong with her eves.

Psychologists tell us that it is impossible to attend continuously to an unchanging stimulus. This is true, but some of the proofs adduced in support of it are open to criticism. James says that if you trv to attend steadfastly to a dot on a piece of paper, or on the wall, "you will presently find that one or the other of two things has happened: either your field of vision has become blurred so that you now see nothing distinct at all, or else you have involuntarily ceased to look at the dot in question, and are looking at something else. But if you ask yourself successive questions about the dot-how big it is, how far, of what shape, what shade of color, etc.; in other words if you turn it over, if you think of it in various ways, and along with various kinds of associations-you can keep your mind on it for a comparatively long time."*

It is probably true that in most cases the person who looks at a dot under the conditions in question would find his vision blurring, or his attention shifting to something else, because he would make an effort to see it. He would stare at it, or "concentrate," upon it. But a person with normal, or nearly normal vision, who looks at such a dot easily and naturally, can regard it indefinitely, because his eyes unconsciously shift from one part of it to another. Other persons, if they shift consciously and realize the apparent motion thus produced, will often find it possible to hold their attention on the dot for a considerable time, but will not see it as distinctly as persons who shift unconsciously. As for asking one's self questions about the dot, I have often tried this experiment with patients, but never found that it corrected the tendency to stare.

The idea that the attention can be forced is a very common one and is very bad for the eyes. It is greatly encouraged by popular writers, but contrary to the teachings of more reliable psychologists, who know that forced attention can only be momentary, and that it is a great strain up^,w the mind and the whole body. Ladd records flat the sul~icc:

of experiment to determine reaction-time under concentrated attention often "though sitting quiet, sweats profusely."*

I can parallel this from my own experience. A patient was left in a room and told to rest her eyes by closing and covering them until I came back ; but another patient had unfortunately told her that she must "concentrate on the black." So when a series of colors began to intrude themselves in her field of vision she tried to ignore them. The more they were ignored the more insistent they became, and when I returned the patient was in convulsions. She had to be carried into another room, and only after resting for an hour or two was she able to go home in a taxicab. It was a month, during which time she was under the care of her family physician, before she was able to resume the treatment.

Since attempts to force the mind are reflected in the eyes, the popular ideas of concentration must be responsible for a great deal of that strain which is the cause of imperfect sight.

STORIES FROM THE CLINIC 17: Some Results of Concentration By E\IILY C. LiERMAN

Almost all the patients who come to us at the clinic, especially adults, think it necessary to concentrate in order to see better. They think concentration part of our method of treatment, and until they learn better I cannot snake any progress with them.

A young girl about eighteen or nineteen years of age carne one day recently, holding her glasses in her hand and anxiously waiting to be treated. She told me she had worn glasses for seven years, and that she had consulted several oculists and opticians without getting any relief from the

pain in her eyes. With her glasses she read 15/20, and without them 15/50, both eyes. When she closed her eyes I noticed a twitching of her eyelids. She was told to open her eyes and look at a letter on the card, then to close them and remember the blackness of the letter, thinking first of the bottom and then of the top, alternately. When a few minutes later she removed her hands from her eyes she could not see the letter which she had seen before. I wondered why her sight did not improve, but I understood when she said:

"I did what you asked me to do. Ynu told me to renumber the letter O, and I held on to it and tried hard not to remember anything else. But now my pain is worse than before."

"You did not understand me," I said. "I did not ask you to hold on to the letter O, I asked yon to remember the blackness of it, and see or imagine one part best at a time." She tried it again, covering her eyes with her hands, and this time I said to her:

"Remember the letter O as you saw it, but first remember the top best. Now what happens to the bottom?"

"It fades from black to gray," she said.

"Now remember the bottom blacker than the top."

"The same thing happens to the top," she said. "It fades to gray color." And then she added: "Please let me keel) doing this for a little while, it seems to take my pain away." After five minutes or so I had to ask her to remove her hands from her eyes, as I could not spend any more time with her, and I wanted to know if I had helped her. As she looked at the card again she saw the O very plainly, and also read two more lines, the forty and the thirty. The twitching of her eyelids had ceased, and she was able to smile. This patient is still coming, and is now able to read

most of the ten-line at fifteen feet. She is also able to read some of the letters in a paragraph of diamond type at eight inches from her eyes; but when I hold the type at six inches, and ask her to fix her eyes on one corner of-the card and stare at it, the whole surface becomes a blank and the pain in her head and eyes comes back.

One day a little mother, imported from Ireland, sure enough, came with her little boy of eleven, who was suffering terrible pain. Dr. Bates and I were not very busy at that moment, which was something quite unusual, and we both listened together to her story, the gist of which was:

"The school nurse sis me biy needs glasses. 'Tis truble he's havin' wid his eyes."

The boy all the wnile kept his eyes covered with a white cloth, and at first glance I thought he was crying, because the part of his face that f was able to see was much flushed. Dr. Bates asked me to see what I could do for him, and his mother began to talk again.

"Oi haven't any time to be foolin' round here, ma'am," she informed me. "Oi got to get back to me washin'. It's glasses he needs, ma'am."

When she finally stopped for want of breath, I said: "Now wouldn't it be fine and dandy to cure him so that he wouldn't need glasses?"

As I said this down came the cloth from the boy's eyes. He was interested and returned my smile.

"Just you leave him to me and I will cure him," I said to his mother. "And never mind leaving your work for him again. He can come here by himself."

"Sure ma'am, is it dreamin' ye are, or is it a bit o' blarney y'er given' me?" she inquired.

"No," I said, "it isn't dreaming or blarney. Be a good mother and just watch your boy and see what happens."

1 tested the boy's sight with the Snellen test card and found that his vision was 12/40 with each eye. Then I gave him a stool and showed him how to palm. Some minutes afterwards I told him to remove his hands from his eyes and look at the card. He stared at it as if some wild animal were after him. I discovered that his mother was threatening him, talking to him in a low tone. Evidently she thought she would please me by forcing him to do what

I wished. By this time I knew that the boy was afraid of his mother, and I quietly invited her to take a nice, comfortable seat ouside the room. The boy informed me that his name was Joe, and as I smoothed his hair and gave him a few pats the most affectionate look came into his eyes. Then we got down to business again. I told him to palm and reminded hint of a baseball.

"Imagine you are throwing the ball," I said. "Now imagine that you are catching it. Now look at the card." He smiled when he saw the letters come out blacker and more distinct than before. The redness of his face, which at first I had thought was from fever, left him, and his eyes, which were Irish blue, were clear and wide open. He read the thirty-line at twelve feet and part of the twenty-line, which 1 thought was doing well for the first visit. Now it occurred to me to see what would happen if he concentrated,

or stared. I told him to look at the first letter on the fortyline, a Z, and keep his mind fixed on it no matter what happened. As he did this he began to frown, his forehead became wrinkled and his face became red again.

"I don't like to do that, nurse," he said. "All the other letters disappear and my head hurts."

I told him to palm again and remember the letter Z, thinking first of the top, then of the bottom. When he looked at the card again he saw the letters clearly once more, and read

all of the twenty-line at fifteen feet. When he arrived at the ten-line, however, the first letter bothered him. He twisted his head in all directions. He stared at the letter and finally decided to palm again. After a few moments I asked him to open his eyes, and told him that there were three of the same letters on the card, but that they were scattered here and there on the different lines. He again started to read the card, and as he saw the first letter, on the hundred-line, which was a D, he said

"Now I know the first letter on the ten-line is a D." Shifting his eyes from the hundred-line to the ten-line letter had helped him to see it.

His last visit was a very interesting one. At the beginning of the treatment I explained to him how important it was for him to practice palming at least half a dozen times a day, but he did not feel that he could spare the time, because he earns a little money running errands for his mother. At the next to the last visit I had a talk with him about this and said:

"If your eyes are cured you can earn more money during vacation time, but you cannot if they trouble you."

He promised to practice at home as many times as I wished him to, so I made him a promise. My rose garden in the country was in full bloom, and I promised to bring him a bouquet the next clinic day. Not having enough flowers for each patient, I wrapped Joe's bouquet in paper and asked Dr. Bates to carry it. Joe spied me first as we passed the long line of benches which were filled with poor people, all of them suffering from some eye trouble. His hair was combed, which was unusual, and he was spruced up generally. He was smiling, too, and his eyes were shining with great expectations. But when he saw that my hands were empty, the smile vanished, and a look of disappointment

came into his eves. I know what it means to lae disappointed, so I told him at once that Dr. Bates was bringing the bouquet for him, and the sun shone for him once more. I was well repaid for those flowers, for that day Joe made wonderful progress.

He had to wait some time before I could treat him, and he never took his eyes from me. I could feel his gratitude, and my impulse was to take him in my arms and hug him tight; but I refrained, thinking he might resent the familiarity. He read the ten-line at fifteen feet, in less than a minute, and he told me that he did not suffer any more pain in his head. He also said that his studies seemed easier to him when he remembered not to stare or think too hard of one thing.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

All readers of this magazine are invited to send questions to the editor regarding any difficulties they may experience in using the various methods of treatment which it recantmends. These will be answered as promptly as possible, in the magazine, if space permits, otherwise by mail. Kindly enclose a stamped, addressed envelope.

Q. After leaving off my glasses and practicing the methods advocated in your magazine for six months, I went to the oculist who gave me glasses eleven years ago to have my eyes re-examined. He said the astigmatism was exactly what it was eleven years ago, but that there had been some. improvement in the near-sightedness. I am sending you the prescriptions, old and new. I apparently see better than when I took off my glasses, and there are times when I see letters measuring 3/32nds of an inch in height at a distance of ten feet. This lasts until I wink,

when the letters become blurred and indistinguishable. I would like to ask the following questions: 1. Could there have been an improvement in the astigmatism without the oculist's observing it? 2. What is the percentage of improvement in each eye? 3. In your experience, when astigmatism has been cured, how does it go-all at once, or gradually? 4. Do you think I have made enough progress to warrant my continuing, or should I go back to glasses, which always gave me comfort, and leave perfect eyesight for those more easily cured? G. H. A.

A. 1. Yes. During the examination you may have been under a strain. 2. It is impossible to judge of your improvement by comparing your glasses, because the refraction is continually changing. 3. It may go in either way. 4. Yes. Your trouble is so slight that I do not understand why it should take you so long to correct it.

Q. After being out in the bright sunlight everything looks . intensely black to me indoors. Is this a natural consequence of the exposure of the eyes to bright light, or does the normal eye not experience it? L. K.

A. Many persons with imperfect sight, and also persons with ordinarily normal sight suffer in the way you describe after going indoors out of the bright sunlight, and the trouble can be relieved by any method which brings about a complete relief of strain.

Q. \%'hat is the quickest cure for inability to read without glasses on account of a(kancing years? J. L. C.

A. Close the eves and remember a small letter of the alphabet perfectly. Open the eyes, and at twelve inches, look at the comer of a card showing a specimen of diamond type, remembering the letter as well as you can. Close the eyes or palm, and remember the letter better. Alternately

remember it with the eyes open (and looking at the corner of the card) and closed, until the memory with the eyes open and closed is nearly equal. Then look between the lines and do the same thing. In this way some patients become able in half an hour to read the letters on the card. Others require days, weeks, or longer.

Q. Is it possible to become able to read without glasses after the extraction of cataract? A. C.

A. Yes. Accommodation is brought about by a lengthening of the eyeball through the action of a pair of muscles on the outside. If the patient is able to look at a printed page without effort or strain, the eyeball will lengthen sufficiently to compensate for the loss of the lens.

CHILDREN MAY IMPROVE THEIR SIGHT BY CONSCIOUSLY DOING THE WRONG THING

Children often make it great effort to see the blackboard and other distant objects in school. It helps them to overcome this habit to have them demonstrate just what the strain to see does.

Tell them to fix their attention on the smallest letter they can see from their seats, to stare at it, to concentrate on it, to partly close their eyelids-in short, to make as great an effort as possible to see it.

The letter will blur, or disappear altogether, and the whole card may become blurred, while discomfort, or pain in the eyes or head, will be produced. -

Now direct them to rest their eyes by palming. The pain or discomfort will cease, the letter will come out again, and other letters that they could not see before may come out also.

After a demonstration like this children are less likely to make an effort to see the blackboard, or anything else; but some children have to repeat the experiment many times before the subconscious inclination to strain is corrected.

SIGHT-SAVING IN THE SCHOOL-ROOM By EDITH F. GAVIN

It seemed so wonderful to me to be able to lay aside my glasses and have eye comfort after wearing them for twentytwo years with discomfort the greater part of the time! I could scarcely wait to get back home to talk to the other teachers about it and try to help a few of the children.

I began with Gertrude, who was so nearsighted that from a front seat she was unable to see very black hggires one and one-half inches high printed on a white chart and hanging on the front board. Her vision January 11, 1921, was 20/70 in both eyes, but by March 10th she had improved to 20!70 with the right eye and 20/30 with the left and could read the chart from the last seat in the row.

Matilda had complained of headaches since last September. Glasses were obtained last December, and after a two months' struggle to get used to them, she refused to wear them, saying that they made her head and eyes feel worse. I then told her how to palm and practice with the chart. She had no more headaches in school, and her mother said she didn't complain at home. Her vision also improved from 20/30 to 20/15.

1 nest took Walter in hand. His mother would not get glasses for him, although advised to do so by the school nurse and doctor. His vision February 18th was 20/200. Three weeks later his mother decided to get glasses for him, but his vision had improved to 20/20 in the right eye and 20/30 in the left.

Helen's teacher brought her to me, saying she was so nervous and read in su& a halting manner that she felt sure that her glasses did not fit her. Her mother said that she might lay aside her glasses and Helen could hardly wait to begin. Shortly after she was taken ill with scarlet fever and did not return, but her vision improved from 20/40 to 20/15, and her teacher said that her reading had improved noticeably.

Mollie, age six, was sent in to me February 18th. She tested 20/70 in the right eye and 20/50 in the left. Her vision in May was 20/30, right, and 20/20, left.

When Rae came to my room, May 15th, her vision was 20/70. Her father was very much opposed to her wearing glasses and readily gave permission for me to help her. She remained in the district only two weeks, but she had improved to 20/20 in the right eye and 20/30 in the left.

Bennie, mentally defective, required a great deal of patience, but he improved from 20/50 February 9th to 20/15 March 4th.

Leo, a fifth grade pupil, was sent to me February 20th by his teacher. She said he wouldn't wear his glasses and was

a poor student. He tested 20/50 in the right eye and 20130

in the left. By March 15th his vision was 20/30, right eye, and 20/15, left, and his teacher said that he showed a marked improvement in his scholarship.

The children needing help came to me fifteen minutes before the afternoon session began. If I was busy with one, the others would work quietly by themselves, seeming to

take great pride in their improvement. The chart hangs on the front wall at all times. I taught the class how to palm and often different ones would come up early to practice. Several children with apparently normal vision told me that they were able to read two or three lines more at the end of the term. To my mind there is no limit to the good that might be accomplished if this method were in general use in the schools.

MY EXPERIENCE IN TREATING MYOPIA

By IRENE KuNDTZ

Having worn glasses constantly for seven years and then, after a week's treatment, returning to school without them, not only caused great excitement amongst my school friends. but began my experience in trying to benefit others. It was then that I really realized what a wonderful thing is was to have perfect sight and never again wear glasses.

My first patient was my chum Margaret, who roomed across the hall from me. She was now fifteen years old and had worn glasses ever since she was a small child. With her glasses off she could faintly see the large letter C. So I immediately taught her the correct way of palming. This not only interested her but my two room-mates also, for the blacker they imagined a cat or a period the better they could read in the dim light. After^, palming for at least ten minutes she looked up and was greatly surprised to see the large C much blacker and more distinct. Then I gave her a card with diamond type and taught her to swing the little black figure 1. This was something new for all three girls, and soon I found myself treating three patients instead of one. Swinging seemed rather difficult to them until they tried moving their heads from side to side, in this way getting a short, easy swing of a quarter of an inch or less. As our time was

very limited at the dormitory I was able to work with Margaret for only a half hour, but in that short time she read three letters at a distance of fourteen feet.

This was a great new game for me, and when her first treatment was over she promised to come again the next evening, and a little earlier if possible.

The news of Margaret being able to read three letters on the Snellen test card spread through the dormitory very rapidly, and the next morning before school I had two other girls ask if they might join the class. I was indeed glad to have them and could hardly wait until evening to resume my fascinating work.

My two new patients were both fourteen years old and had worn glasses since the second grade. As my roommates were out visiting we were able to work for forty-five minutes in peace, and each became more anxious to beat the other, for with their glasses off they could read through the seventy line. While I taught them how to palm, Margaret was practicing at swinging the figure) and working at the first letter in the following line, but nothing seemed to give her as much rest and benefit as palming. So after helping her she would palm again while I took care of the other two girls. At the end of forty-five minutes we had made quite a little progress, Margaret having read through the seventy line by palming alone, and the other two girls through two letters in the fifty line.

Having succeeded in helping three of my girl friends, I next began to talk to some of my teachers who had worn glasses from ten to fifteen years. But teachers as a rule are very busy correcting papers, etc.; so not being able to treat them as well I lent them Doctor Bates' book called Pcrfect Sight Without Glasses, and found to my great delight that it worked just as well, for it not only gave them a start but interested their friends also.

Thus I continued giving treatments, sometimes for only fifteen or twenty minutes an evening, but every little helped and each treatment brought me more patients, and gave me more joy and courage to continue.

After treating Margaret for a week, for she was my best patient and really made the most progress, she was able to read through the fifty line, and would have continued to improve more rapidly had she been able to go to school without her glasses.

My experience in treating myopia lasted only two weeks, for at the end of that time examinations began and my evenings were occupied with studies. Helping and treating others was not only very interesting work, but was also benefiting me in continuing my daily practice.

STORIES FROM THE CLINIC 18: The School Children Again By EM1LY C. LICR\tAN

We have so many interesting cases among the children sent to us from the schools to be fitted with glasses that one hardly knows where to begin when trying to tell about them. Little Agnes, eight years old, comes to my mind, not because she was more remarkable than a good many others, Intt because she came recently. Her mother came with Irer, and told me that Agnes suffered from frequent headaches and that for the past year her teachers had been saying that she needed glasses, as she had great difficulty in seeing the blackboard. The mother had hesitated to take her to an oculist, however, as two of her children were already wearing glasses and she did not want to see them on a third.

I could easily see that Agnes was suffering, and when I tested her eyes with the Snellen test card I found that her vision was very poor. At fifteen feet she could not read more than the seventy line. This was so surprising in so

young a child that I thought at first she did not know her letters; but when I tested her with pothooks she did no better. I now showed her how to palm, and in a few moments she read the bottom line. The mother was thrilled and said:

"My goodness! When I first entered this room my hope was gone. I could think o Nnothing but glasses for my child. When she first read the card and 1 saw how bad her eyes were, I was convinced that there was no escape for her. But now that I see her vision improved so quickly I have hope indeed."

I told the mother that I was thrilled myself, and added that she could help me to cure the child if she would. "What I do for her here you can do for her at home." I said. "Encourage her to rest her eyes. Nature requires rest for the eyes, but your little girl, instead of closing her eyes when they are tired, strains to keep them open."

The mother promised to do all she could, and as she was leaving she said:

"God sent me here. I will send my two boys to be rid of their glasses also."

The next clinic day Agnes brought with her her brother Peter, who was wearing glasses for astigmatism and headaches. He was very attentive while I treated Agnes, who told me that she had not been having her usual headaches. Peter's vision I found to be 15/40, right eye, and 15/15, left eye. After palming only a few minutes his right eye improved to 15/15 and his left to 15/10. He was very happy when told that he did not need glasses any more, and that I could cure him during vacation, As children are cured very quickly when one helps the other at home, I expect that Agnes and Peter will soon be reading 20/10, which is twice what the normal eye is expected to do.

Another recent patient was Mary, a colored girl, twelve

years old. She complained of such violent headaches that she could no longer attend school and stayed in bed most of the time. The school nurse had advised glasses, and she had come to get them. Mary kept her head lowered much of the time, but when I was about to treat her she tried to open one eye and look at me. The effort was so great that her face became a mass of wrinkles. As the light seemed to distress her, I decided to give her the light treatment, that is, to focus the rays of the sun on the upper part of her eyeballs with a burning glass. I asked her to sit on a stool where the sun could shine on her eyes, but when I tried to use the burning glass she was frightened to death. To reassure her I asked a patient who had already had the treatment to let me repeat it on her, and when Mary saw her enjoy the light bath she readily submitted to it herself. Afterward her eyes opened wide and I was able to test her sight. Her vision was 20/50, both eyes. I showed her how to palm, and when, after ten minutes, she opened her eyes, her pain was gone and her vision perfect. I was quite proud to have accomplished so much in one treatment.

Two days later Mary came again, and with her came the school nurse and a friend, both eager to hear more of the miracle that had been worked on Mary. Could it be possible, the nurse asked, that the child had been cured as quickly as she said? I was surprised myself at the change in the patient's appearance. Her eyes were still wide open, and the constant grin on her face made her almost unrecognizable as the sad creature I had seen two days before. I told the nurse what had been done for the child and how she could help the other children in her school who had eye trouble She came a few times more to watch our methods, and told me that she was teaching all the children sent to her for examination of their eyes to palm. This always relieved

them, to some extent, at once. The hard cases, however, she sent to us without delay.

A very remarkable case sti!I under treatment is that of a girl with nystagmus, a condition in which the eyes vibrate from side to side. The child is now so much improved that ordinarily her eyes are normal, but when anything disturbs her the vibration returns. ;his always happens, she tells me, when the teacher asks her a question, and at the same time she loses her memory. But the teacher allows her to cover her eyes to rest them, and in a few minutes the vihration ceases and her memory improves. Before she came to the clinic she often became hysterical and was obliged to leave the classroom. Now she is never troubled in this way.

One of the most puzzling cases I ever had was sent by the school nurse for glasses. A patient who came from the same school told me that she was stupid, and she certainly appeared to be so. I asked her if she knew her letters, and

in trying to reply she stuttered painfully. j tried to reassure her by speaking as gently as I could, but without avail. I could not get her to answer intelligently. I tries having tier palm, but it did not help. I held the test card close to her eyes, and asked her to point out certain letters as I named them, but only in a few cases did she do this correctly. Completely baffled I appealed to Dr. Bates. He asked the child to come to him and touch a button on his coat, and she did so. He asked her to touch another button, but she answered

"I don't see them."

"Look clown at your shoes," he said. "Do you see them?" "No," she answered.

"Go over and put your finger on the door-}mob," he said, and she immediately did so.

"It is a case of hysterical blindness," the doctor said.

The child came for some time very regularly, and now reads 15/10 with both eyes. She has stopped stuttering, and has lost her reputation for stupidity. She has become a sort of goad samaritan in her neighborhood, for every once in a while she brings with her some little companion to be cured of imperfect sight. She never has any doubts as to our capacity to do this, and so far we have never disappointed her. I hope she never brings anyone who is beyond our power to help, for I would be sorry to see that sublime faith which we have inspired in her shattered.

Two of our patients graduated in June, and after the final examinations they told me that they had been greatly helped in these tests by the memory of a swinging black period. One of them was told by the principal that if she Oiled to pass it would not be because of her stupidity, but because she refused to wear glasses. She gave him Dr. Bates' book, and after that, though he watched her closely, he did not say anything more about her eyes.

"I made up my mind to pass without the aid of glasses," she said, "and put one over on the principal, and you bet I aever lost sight of my precious swinging period. The boo< has become a family treasure," she continued. "When one

of us has a pain in head or eyes, out it comes. It is a natural thing to see mother palming after her work is done. She enjoys her evenings with us now, because palming rests her and she does not get so sleepy."

The other graduate said: "I did not have to think of a black period when the subject was easy, but when I had to answer questions in the more difficult branches I certainly did find the period a lifesaver. I know I would have failed without it."

BETTER EYESIGHT IN NORTH BERGEN

By M. F. HOSTED

Superintendent Public Sdtools of Ncnh 13ergev, N. J. "Better Eyesight" takes great pleasure in presen!ing to its readers this remarkable report of the results attained in the schools of North Bergen by the use of lltc Snellen test card. It is an'extract from therfourteenth annual report of Superintendent Husted.

Early in October, 1919, under the direction of our school nurse, Miss Marion McNamara, a Snellen test of the eyes of all our pupils was made. A novel health experiment was begun, a campaign for "Better Eyesight." In June a second test was made in order to verify the value and progress in this phase of health work. The June test shows marvelous, practical, successful results. Only the skepticism of principals, teachers and pupils, and the lack of faithfulness in carrying out its conditions, prevented the wonderful results achieved from paralleling those of an Arabian Night's story.

A Snellen test card was placed permanently in the class rooms. The children were directed to read the smallest letters they could see from their seats at least once every day, with both eyes together and with each eye separately, the other being covered with the palm of the hand in such a way as to avoid pressure of the eyeball. Those whose vision was defective were encouraged to read it more frequently, and in fact needed no encouragement to do so after they found that the practice helped them to see the blackboard, and stopped the headaches, or other discomfort, previously resulting from the use of their eyes.

In 1911 and 1912 the same system was introduced into some of the schools of New York City' with an attendance

of about ten thousand children. Many of the teachers neglected to use the cards, being unable to believe that such a simple method and one so entirely at variance with previous teaching on the subject, could accomplish the desired results. Others kept the cards in a closet except when they were needed for the daily eye drill, lest the children should memorize them. Thus they not only put an unnecessary burden upon themselves, but did what they could to defeat the purpose of the system, which is to give the children daily exercise in distant vision with a familiar object as the point

of fixation. A considerable number, however, used the system intelligently and persistently, and in less than a year were able to present reports showing that of three thousand children with imperfect sight over one thousand had obtained normal vision by its means.

The following summary shows the remarkable results of the experiment. The first grades are omitted because of the difficulty in making accurate tests.

<tableTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0

style='border-collapse:collapse'>

Srhools	No. Tested	Grade. 11 to VIII No. Edow 20/20Norrnal Standard	No. Ab-, 2nd Test	No. 11,1- IM proved	Per Cent 1m proved
Grant ............. ...	72	36		30	83.3
Robert Fulton ........	359	112	11	76	75.2
Franklin ..............	341	103	17	53	61.6
Lincoln ...............	388	169	21	103	69.4
Hamilton .............	211	78	12	48	72.7
Jefferson .............	526	216	33	109	59.5
Washington ..........	353	184	11	107	63.4
Horace Mann ..... ..	335	96	5	66	72.5
McKinley ............	144	75	17	55	94.8
Totals ..............	2729	1049	127	647	70.1

This is a remarkable demonstration of the priceless values of this method of treatment. That 647 or 70.1% of 922 pupils below normal (20/20) should have been improved in eyesight is a truly marvelous showing. The record of the McKinley school with 94.8% efficiency in improvement is

suggestive of what a very faithful and systematic application of these health principles may accomplish.

Not only does this work place no additional burden upon the teachers, but, by improving the eyesight, health, disposition and mentality of their pupils, it greatly lightens their labors.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

All readers of this magazine are invited to scud questions to tire editor regarding any difficulties they may experience in using the various methods of treatnteat which it recournwnds. These will be answered as promptly as possible, in the magazine, if space permits, othcradse by mail. Kindly enclose a stamped, addressed envelope.

Q.-(I) Does working by artificial light affect the eyes? I work all day by electric light-am a bookkeeper, and suffer a great deal from my eyes. I have been fitted with glasses, but cannot wear them. I feel that my eyes, instead of getting better from wearing them, get weaker. t2) When I go out in the street after working I cannot stand the glare of the sun, and must keep my^, eyes half closed; otherwise I suffer a great deal of pain. Is it so because of my eyes being accustomed to the artificial light? It is not so on Sundays. (3) Is it advisable to wear an eye-shade while working?S. S.

A.-(I) Working by artificial light should not injure the eyes. If it does, it is because you are straining them. The idea that the light is injurious may cause you to do this. If you think of it as quieting and beneficial, it may have the opposite effect. You are right in thinking that the glasses injure your eyes. (2) The sun hurts your eyes when %ou go out on the street after working because you have been straining to see, not because you have been working by artificial light. Because you strain less on Sundays the sun does not. hurt you. (3) It is not advisable to wear an eye-shade while working.

Q.-Can the blindness of squint be cured?-F. C. E. A.-Yes. It can be cured by the same methods that are employed to relieve strain in other cases of imperfect sight.

Q.-Do )on get as much benefit from gazing at the sun through a window as you would outdoors? I have read that it did no good to take a sunbath through pglass.-E. C. H. A.-Yes. Thep strength of the sunlight is not appreciable modified b_y the glass-.

HOW TO IMPROVE THE SIGHT BY MEANS OF THE IMAGINATION: No. 2

In a recent issue directions were given for improving the vision by the aid of the imagination. According to this method the patient ascertains whgj a letter is by imagining each of the four sides to be straight, curved, or open, and noting the effect of each guess upon the imagined swing of the letter. Another method which has succeeded even better with many patients is to judge the correctness of the guess by observing its effect on the appearance of the letter.

Look at a letter which can be seen only as a gray spot, and imagine the top is straight. If the guess is right, tire spot will probably become blacker; if it is wrong, the spot may become fainter or disappear. If no difference is apparent, rest the eyes by looking away, closing, or palming, and try again.

In many cases, when one side has been imagined correctly, the whole letter will come out. If it does not, proceed to imagine the other sides as above directed. If, when all four sides have been imagined correctly, a letter does not come out, palm and repeat.

One can even bring out a letter that one cannot see at all in this way. Look at a line of letters which cannot be seen, and imagine the top of the first letter to be straight. If the guess is correct, the line may become apparent, and by continued practice the letter may come out clearly enough to be distinguished.

THE FRECKLE-FACED BOY By W. H. BATES, M.D.

IN one of the public schools of New York, some years ago, was a boy about ten years old with a very unusual amount of freckles. He had one of those smiles which some care-free boys carry around with them all the time, in all places, and under all conditions. His teacher was a very nervous person wearing glasses. Every time she spoke I was annoyed, not so much by what she said as by the disagreeable way in which she said it. As soon as I entered the room she began to find fault with me for introducing my method of curing and preventing imperfect sight in children into the school. Pointing sternly at the freckle-faced boy she said:

"That boy is very nearsighted. He holds his book too close to his eyes. He cannot read the writing on the blackboard. He is all the time looking at the Snellen test card instead of studying his lessons. He talks about it to the other children in the class, and he encourages them to practice reading it. He tells them that he feels good when he reads it. Makes his eyes feel better. Helps him to learn his lessons. He is impertinent because he persists brazenly in advising me, his

teacher, to practice reading those fool letters- which do not even spell a word and have no meaning whatever. I wish you Would insist that he get glasses for his own eyes and make him stop taking glasses off the eyes of other children. Really, Doctor, it is too absurd for anything. That boy has actually persuaded the other children that they cure their headaches and improve their sight by reading that card. If it were not for the princi~al, I would have thrown it away long ago."

She said some other things, too, which were even more uncomplimentary. The children became restless. \Vhen she stopped for breath I took the freckle-faced boy into a dark room, and examined his eyes with the ophthalmoscope. I found them perfect, with no trace of myopia or astigmatism. I asked him

"How is it that the teacher says you cannot read the writing on the blackboard?"

He replied, still with his wonderful smile: "Because she is such a bum writer that nobody can read it; she acts often as if she couldn't read it herself." "

"How is it," I continued, "that you hold the book so close to vour face?"

He answered apologetically: "Because I get tired of the scenery."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked.

"Oil," he answered, "the teacher's face; I don't like it. She is always so cross; her face gives me a pain."

Then I took him back to the classroom and sent him to his seat. I asked the teacher if she could read the bottom line on the Snellen test card. She could not do so. Then I showed her an unfamiliar test card, which she saw even worse. She explained that her glasses needed to be changed. I asked the freckle-faced hov if he could read it. "Yes." lie said, and promptly (lid so.

The teacher exploded. It was impossible, she said, that he should have read the letters: lie must have found out in some other way what they were. She pointed to the clock, "What time is it?" she asked.

Tile boy answered her correctly. Then she held up a hook with very large print, which the boy also read at five feet. She was finalty convinced by these and other tests that the boy's sight was better than her own. When she was through 1 pointed to some very small letters which nobody could see at the distance at which the boy was sitting. He smiled, and said he could not see them.

"But." I said, "you are not trying, you are makint; un effort to see them."

At that the teacher unexpectedly struck the top of her desk with her ruler, and we all jumped. with the exception of the freckle-faced boy, who had learned how to protect himself from such influences. With a rasping voice she cried

"Why don't you do what the doctor tells you to do?"

In a short time my nerves returned to something like the normal, and I turned to the boy and asked

"Why don't you try?"

He replied, still smiling: "No vise tryin'."

With this as my text I talked for a few moments, and told the class that the boy was right and that your sight is never perfect when you try to see. You only make yourself uncomfortable by the strain, and it never benefits you. I then proceeded to have the pupils demonstrate some facts. I directed them to keep their attention fixed on the smallest, letter they could see from their seats, to stare at it, to try to see it better, to concentrate, to partly close their eyelids-in short, to (to everything they could to improve their si;h[. I noted that the teacher, who had previously walked to the back of the room, was listening to what I was saying. The children did as I suggested, and soon found that the etfort

made them very uncomfortable and lowered their vision. 1 now asked one pupil to tell me the smallest letter he could see. He answered:

"A letter O on the next to the bottom line." "When you saw it did you see it easily?" He answered: "Yes, without any trouble."

Then I said to him: '%hen you tried to see it, when you made trouble for your eyes by an effort, by a strain, what happened ?"

Ile answered: "Tire letter disappeared, the whole card became blurred, I got a headache, and I don't like it." "Close your eyes," I said, "and rest them Cove, your eyes with the Palms of ynnr hands and shut out all the light. Now tell me who discovered America."

"Columbus," he replied, "in 149?." "Can you spell Columbus^," I asked. "Yes," he answered, "C-o-1-u-m-b-u-s."

All this time the teacher was standing with her eyes closed and covered with her hands.

"You spelled it correctly," I said. "How is your headache?"

"Gone," he replied, "and I feel good."

I noted that the teacher still had here eyes covered, and when the boy said his headache was relieved she nodded her head. I now directed the boy to take his hands down, open his eves and tell me how much he could see.

"Gee" he exclaimed, "I see better. The letter O is all right, and I can see some of the letters on the bottom line." With that he put both his hands in the pockets of his trousers, smiled at me, and turned around and grinned at the class. A little girl wearing glasses now timidly raised her hand, and when I told her to speak, said :

"Please, sir, I have an awful headache."

Her eves looked cerr much strained. I told her to take off

her glasses and put them on the desk, to look at the card and read what she could see. At this point, the teacher at the back of the room removed her hands from her face, took off her glasses and placed them on the desk in front of her. I asked the little girl what she could see:

"I can only see the largest letter at the top of the card." She was told to close her eyes and cover them with the palms of her hands. The teacher did the same, and all the other children wearing glasses took them off, looked at the card, closed their eyes and covered them with the palms of their hands. Then 1 said to the little girl who had the awful headache.

"What is your first name?" "Margaret," she answered. "Can you spell it?" I asked, and she spelled it. "What is your last name?"

She told me, and at my request she spelled it also. Then she smiled.

"How is your headache?"

"I haven't any," she answered.

"Take down your hands, open your eyes and kindly read the letters for me on the card."

She promptly read four lines of letters, and looked very happy when she did it. Meanwhile the teacher and the other pupils who had been wearing glasses had been doing the same, and when they looked at the card the second time they smiled, evidently pleased with what they saw. I was surprised to observe that even the teacher smiled, and when, as I was about to leave the room, she came forward and threw her glasses into the waste-basket. I was quite shocked. Turning to me she said:

"Doctor, need 1 say anything?"

"You have said it :JI, thank : ou,^- 1 replied.

As I went out of the door I heard the class call out in a chorus:

"Thank you, thank you."

After this the Board of Education condemned my method as "unscientific and erroneous," and forbade the use of the Snellen test card in the schools, except for the usual purpose of testing the children's sight. Thus my pleasant visits to the classrooms came to tii end. Some years later, however, I called on the teacher of the freckle-faced boy to ask about hint. She met me smiling and without glasses, and I noted that the Snellen test card was still on the wall. In response to my inquiry as to why it should be there after the Board of Education had forbidden its use, she replied:

"The Board of Education has not the power to make me take that card down."

Then I asked about the freckle-faced bov. "Graduated," she replied.

As he was below the age at which children usually graduate from the public schools, I expressed some surprise. "Rapid advancement class'," she said. "Got through my class in a hurry and took a lot of my other children with him to the rapid advancement class. Must be half through high school now. Bright boy."

I have written a book on The Cure of Impcrfect Sight by Treatment Without Glasscs which contains several hundred pages. The freckle-faced boy told in three words substantially what is contained in that book.

OPTIMUMS AND PESSIMUMS A Possible Explanation 13y M. 1;. GoRL, M.D.

LADY that I was treating could not see the letter R on the test card, the last letter of the fifty lire. It seemed strange that she was able to see the other letters on the same line, but not the R. It occurred to me that perhaps the patient unconsciously saw this letter when she first looked at it, but, on account of some unpleasant association which it produced in her mind, she made an effort to forget it, thu, causing a lowering of vision. I determined to employ an association test to find out if possible what had caused her mental distress on looking at the letter. I asked lieu to think of the letter R and tell me the first thought that came intn her mind. She answered:

"Red."

Now associated with red was her mother, as red had been her favorite color. Her mother had recently died, and thinking of her caused grief. I told the patient that. l believed this was the cause of her lowered vision for that particular letter. To our astonishment she has since been able to see this letter without difficulty.

Another case which clearly illustrated the optimums and pessimums was a patient who was unable to see the figure 2 in a litre of figures the same size and distance. On questioning her I found this number made her think of her two children which she had lost. On the other hand, she could see the letter F and V wherever they occurred. She said F made her think of her father whom she dearly loved, and V was the initial letter of his given name.

These cases and several others of like nature have led me to the conclusion that the association of pleasant or unpleasant ideas with any of the letters is the cause of optimums and pessimurns.

In most cases, by employing the association test and showing the patient the connection between the letter and the unpleasant thought, they have become able to see the letters which had been pessimums.

No. 51 Main Street, Orange, N. J.

STORIES FROM THE CLINIC 19: A Trio of Difficult Cases

By EYmy C. LIERMAN

YOPIC and farsighted patients are numerous, and I always feel confident that I can in no time improve their sight; but I suffered a case of cold feet when Dr. Bates placed in my care a young colored woman of twenty-seven who came to our clinic some time ago with a scar on her right eye almost in the center of sight. All the doctor said to me was, "Help this patient, please," and it was my first experience with a case of that kind. , I asked the girl how long the scar had been there and also what caused it. Being a southern darky, she spoke with a southern accent, and this is the way she answered me:

"When ah was twelve years old, mar granma was settin' ba de fireplace a-smokin' a pet pipe, an' as ah was removin' a boilin' kettle ob water ole Granny upsets de pipe ob hot ashes an done burned mah eye. Lordy, ma'am! Ah thought mah eye was burned from de socket. De doctors says ah would neber see again out ob dot eye."

I tested her sight, and with her left eye she read 14/40, while with her right eye she could barely see my fingers one foot away. I had not the slightest idea that I could improve the right eye at all. However, I told her to stand in a comfortable position and palm for a little while. In about ten

minutes or so I told her to remove her hands, and I was pleased to see that her left eye had improved to 14/15, and that with her right eye she was able to distinguish the 200line letter at fourteen feet. Dr. Bates was struck dumb with amazement. He said that, although he had seen opacities of the cornea resulting from constitutional disease clear up, he had never before, in his thirty-six years of experience, seen any improvement in an opacity resulting from an injury, even after years of treatment. That encouraged me su much that 1 told the patient to palm again, and before she left the clinic that day her right eye had improved to 14/50. She became hysterical when she found that she could see objects again with this eye. For a while she came quite regularly to the clinic, and at her last visit her right eye improved to 20/50, while with the left she became able to read 20/10. Dr. Bates said it was a miracle. After that I never saw her again. I was sorry that she stayed away, because I was proud of what I had accomplished and wished to cure her completely.

A case of squint, which I think will interest our readers, was first seen on August 4, 1921. The patient had been wearing glasses for twelve years to correct the trouble, but without benefit. The first year her mother, who came with her, tried to console her by saying that perhaps in another year or so the squint would be cured; but instead it only got worse. Her playmates made unkind remarks about it, and when she found her sight was getting worse for reading she became utterly discouraged.

I tested her sight, and she read 12/40 with her left or better eye. When I asked her to read the card with her squinting eye she turned her head half way round to the left in trying to see. I at once showed her how to palm, and her mother and I were quite astonished when in a few minutes she opened her eyes, and, with her head perfectly

straight, read 12/40 with her right eye without a mistake. On August 6, two days later, she read 12/15 with each eye separately, with her right eye perfectly straight. She had followed my instructions to palm at least six times a day for as long a period as was comfortable for her. On August 9th she came to the clinic smiling and expressed her gratitude for what had been doe for her.

"I can now read a took for hours at a time," she said, "without headaches or discomfort. Just yesterday I visited another clinic where I had received treatment and nzlied the doctor who had treated me to let me show him what I could do. 1 showed him how I could palm, and then I read the test card for him with each eye separately. The doctor was thrilled, and said it seemed like a miracle, because he had told me that I could never again get along without -.asses and to be sure and have them changed every year or so."

That day my patient read 12/10, both eyes, and I am sure that I can care her if she will continue to come.

Another case of squint, a little colored boy five years old, the most unruly youngster who ever came for treatment, was cured in less than six months. When he tried to look straight ahead his right eye turned in so far that one could hardly see the cornea. His grandmother, who came with him, expressed very little hope, and assured me that I would have a hard time trying to manage him or to help him. I asked him his name several tunes before he answered:

"I ain't got no name."

Later he said it was Francisco. I could see that he was ,training and that he was extremely nervous. So I decided to be very patient with him, but for some time the oul; answers I could ;et from him were'.

"I don't wanna" and "I won't."

All sorts of apologies came from his grandmother, but I assured her that I teas not discouraged ssith him. I made

up my mind to help the little chap and in some wav relieve him of that awful tension and nern°ous strain. I said to him: "If I had a bad eye and a good eye I would not make my goud eye do all the work. I would make the had eye wmk hard so that I could see better."

This interested the child for some reason, aml be ailed: "Have I got a bad eye?"

"Yes," I said, "and the reason it is had is because it is lazy and you won't let it be good. All you can say when I try to tell you how to make it behave is, 'I don't wanna.' Nice boys with good eyes don't say that." Whereupon he shouted in a loud voice which startled the rest of the )atlents:

\flake my^-_. bad eye do some work ; I want good eyes like cnc have."

I immediately shcwed him a test card with pothook; SL's) pointing is dife-ent directions. I covered his left eye with the pa:m of my hand, and asked him to sho^,v me how tl.e E's were pointing, as I held the card two feet away. At :hat distance he was able to see the 100-line letters. He could see straight ahead with the right eye only just long enough to see those letters; then his eye turned in again. At first I could not induce him to palm, so I told him to close his eyes as though he were sleeping. He was very obedient about doing this, and his grandmother stood by in astonishment while his eyes were closed. I praised him for closing them and resting them for me, and 1 said if he would do this lots and lots of times every day, his right eye would become straight tike the left and would not be bad an, more. 1 then told blot to cover his left eye with his hand aid !ook et the card, which I hac fastened un the wall fve icet auavThis amused him very muc:i, and lie acted as tl-ough he acre

in for a hood time. I told him to cool: ct the 2W-line loner, and then quickly close his eyes; then to look ot the 100-line

letters and close his eyes quickly again. He was able to see these letters as well at five feet as he did at two, and this encouraged me. When he opened his eyes a third time he showed me with his hand how the next line of letter E's pointed.

He came regularly for a few months, and was always very obedient. Each time he carne he was able to keep his eye straight, not only while practicing with the card, but also while talking to me. His grandmother bought a Snellen test card, and assisted with the treatment very faithfully at home. Now, just six months since he first came, he is able to see the ten-line of letters at ten feet away with each eye, and has learned the alphabet by heart. Dr. Bases became very much interested in the rapid progress of the case, and congratulated me frequently on the good results I had obtained. He said it was very unusual for the blindness of squint to be cured in such a short time, and that most authorities would have said it was impossible.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

AII readers of this magazine are invited to send questions io the editor regarding any difficulties they may experience in using the various methods of treatment which it recommends. These will be answered as promptly as possible, in the magazine, if space permits, afkerwise by snail. Kindly enclose a stamped, addressed envelope.

Q.-(1) After closing my eyes tight and then opening them, I can read Better Eyesight at a distance of about two feet. The type stands out very black and clear. After about two or three mirnttes my old myopia comes back. What I want to know is whether this practice is good for the eyes and whether it will help me to see at a distance. (2) Can you tell mr what is a good thing to do to see .>cuple across t!ie street clcarly or in a meeting roost ;it fairly close range? It

is awkward not to be able to recognize people until one is close upon them.-A. H. C.

A.-(1) Yes, but I would expect you to get better results if you closed your eyes easily and naturally, instead of closing them tight. (2) The only way to overcome this difficulty completely is to get cured, but the practice you have 6escribed sometimes helps to bring out distant objects temporarily. Straining to see at the nearpoint may also improve your dietance vision temporarily. One myopic patient, when she wished to recognize people across the street, used to strain to see her finger held close before her eyes and then look at the person she wished to see.

HOW TO OBTAIN MENTAL PICTURES

Look at a letter on the Jncllrii te9t card. Remember its b!acknc,s.

Shift the attention from oue part of th:> spot of l.l;uk to another_ It should appear to mole in n direc~inn Lnntrary to the unagised irovemen"

If it does not. try to imagine it smtiouary. If co-t succeed in doing thi• it 1i ill blur. or disappcr.r. Having demon:tratcd that it is impos>ible to imagine t`.re xhoi ,!at ponary. itp ntav becon~c pos-ible to imagine it roocing.

Having hecome able to form a mental picture o: :. hIack ,1,ot .111th the c% c, closed. try to do tire 1%7ie wi•I1 the eyes open. Alternate ti:l ilic mental ci?iim %l fill t^: i^, rce, closed end oprn i•_^- the >:one.

ldavnlg beconre ab'.c to imagine a black snat (11 to imagrle ^`(l1C le!tel^- u Ill diamond tl^-I,re sci:ll tic ccnte'~ a± iehitc as •note. ho :h:. a.tertm:ek with ccc. 1!-111 and ullcl. .

It cou caonnt hold ',Im 1,11'1111 Ili a ICtiCr LA 111110.: ::ounnit to mentlrrc rt ntwiln•r of letter., on tile te+t cer11 an<i recite t`mn to c(mr-elf 1,Ill!c imaguunt~ thr: ;I" acrd i-, r.:rrving.

I f +o're ~'ther colnr 1)iect is ea<ie- to imagine tlle,: . h1;.1~ •1u,, i. will serve '.he ;ntrpn,c euually 11-1;1.

:\ fell elA^_•xiona! people mop get het:er ith

the 01 el n l  !gar III Cl' '.ke_r arr,

MENTAL PICTURES AN AID TO VISION

W• l\' H. S.4TE5, \S.U

IIEN

ut object is x•en perfectly it is hus,atlr t,, inrnn a perfect mental picture

cf it; when it f, ,eec imnerrectly this cannot be done, Persons with ord:narik good si•ion are able to form a perfect mental lacturc of some le^,ttcr of the alphabet, especiallg a letter of diamond tqx•. wlwn Innkint; at the snclleo te>t ".~i. or ;it 6-;.: I'to i r•nin

r u .s::h ord;narilo intpcriect ci,:on raa c!•t I!^-), oar e,lcr cert;dn fat orab!e cond:tiott,, a> ^..s^.~ill tbclr rrr, c!c,,d. „r ,slscn lun's

u.;; ;tt a IA;•,n~ an•ias s,•here there i. r.trtt'.ne ; art,,,t ak. "f7rec ukac atsn :~e ;:I~Ic to rlo t sroita" •i,li: oz :a

.c a d;stanee at sc!urh their ris:on i, :niti•gi132.206.157.29 14:03, 5 March 2008 (UTC)l, n> i•. h

near ohlects in myopia. Fe >ons kcith bre(.naril) gnt..l ^rri,tun, on the other Lanki, Izne moments wherr tile, =ee in1 ln•riectlk'. ant :At sukfi tint,• their rnentn~ J-(, e, an• i, perfect.

These fact, are of the greatest Pmt,ticaf iatpnrtance. h,-eau„: men)' Persons ea=Silk learn how to form ntcnta; '~'.cttre,. anti ,hen the c become able t,) ;!o >o u:tdrr all c-urartinm ihrir "'ti be-nt< perfect.

Mental vision is subject to precisely the same laws as visual perception. The mental picture must be seen or imagined, by central fixation; that is, one part of it at a time must be seen best, and the attention must shift continually from one point to another. This shifting of attention produces a swing which is even more pronounced than the visual swing. Furthermore, the mind adds details that do not exist in the object remembered or imagined, If this object is a black letter on a white background, for instance, the white openings and margins will appear more intense than the reality.

It is not possible to retain a mental picture of a letter o of diamond type when one tries to think of one point continuously. Tite point may be remembered for a brief interval-a few seconds or part of a minute; then it is lost and with it the whole letter. One cannot, in short, "stare" at a point with the imagination any more than one can stare with the eye, and if one tries to do so the point disappears. If one tries to think continuously of two points of the letter, imagining them both to be equally black at the same time, the picture is lost more quickly. To think of four points or more, or to think of the whole letter perfectly black at the same time, is still more difficult.

Mental pictures cannot he retained for any length of time unless they appear to move. This movement may be so slight and easy that it is not observed until the attention is called to it, and even then it may not be realized. Some patients have told me that they could remember small letters of diamond type easily and continuously, and that they were not moving. Usually the patient can demonstrate the facts by trying to think of one part of the letter as stationary. In this case it immediately disappears. But the effort to keep the attention fixed on a point is so great that some patients cannot or will not make it. It is easier to let the attention shift naturally. In such cases I direct them to look at the

lc,tcr o so close to their eyes, or so far away, that they are tenable to see it clearly, and call their attention to the fact that now it seems to be stationary. Then I have them look at the letter at the distance at which they see it perfectly, and ask them to imagine it stationary, as the letter at the preceding distance seemed to be. Usually they are alde to do this, and to note that the letter blurs or disappears. After they become able to imagine that a letter which they see is stationary, they become able also to imagine that their mental picture of it is stationary, and to note that it cannot he held more than a moment under these conditions.

To imagine that other things seett~,to be moving helps some people to form and retain mental pictures. One patient, whose mental pictures were very poor, became able, when walking around the room and imagining things moving in the opposite direction, to imagine that a letter o was moving in the same direction as the furniture

A mental picture need not be a complicated one The perfect memory or imagination of even a small spot of color is sufficient to cure all errors of refraction-nearsight, farsight, and astigmatism-as well as many other abnormal conditions. But to form a perfect mental picture of a spot of color-say a black period-is not always easy. One may think one is imagining a black period perfectly, but when one compares one's mental picture with the reality, one usually finds that the former is several degrees paler than the latter. It is usually easier to form mental pictures with the eyes closed than with the eyes open, and by imagining a period, or other object, with the eyes closed and open alternately one can improve one's ability to imagine it under the latter condition. In a few exceptional cases, however, mental pictures are better and are more easily held with the eyes open than when they are closed.

When the sight is imperfect it is always easier to field a

mental picture when looking at nothing in particular than when looking at letters or other objects at distances at which they cannot be seen distinctly. To improve the ability to hold them under the latter conditions it is necessary, alternately, to imagine the object with the eyes closed, or looking away from the Snellen test card or printed page, and then to look hack at the Snellen test card or reading matter.

Persons unable to imagine a period or letter may succeed with other objects. For example, one patient who could not imagine a white card with black letters on it which she had just seen in her hand was able, with her eyes closed, to imagine the color of her house, one part best, and the different objects-curtains, furniture, etc.-in the different rooms. She was able to see the lawn, the flower-bed, the numerous flowers, one part best, and to imagine the color of the eves of her friends. After that she became able to imagine ^-the white card with the black letters.

Persons who suffer from pain, fatigue, or other discomfort in their eyes, have great difficulty in forming mental pictures. Such persons, although they cannot remember a letter or other objects, are often able to remember the movement of a card held in the hand. If they cannot do this at first, they may become able to do it by alternately looking at the card and then closing their eyes and trying to recall the movement. When they become able to do this the pain stops and the sight becomes temporarily normal.

Most people are helped by learning how to fail. When they demonstrate that their sight is lowered by an imperfect mental picture they become able to avoid such pictures. A patient with squint was cured when she learned to imagine double images. At first, with her eyes open, she could not imagine thein more than two inches apart. Later, with her eyes open, she got them four feet apart, while, with her eves closed, she could imagine one Snellen test card on one

side of a bay five miles wide and another on the other. These images could be imagined either crossed or homonymous at will; that is, each eye sometimes seemed to see the image on its own side, and at other times the image semed to be on the opposite side. When the images were homonymous the eyes turned in, and when they were crossed the eyes turned out. By means of this practice the patient gained such a degree of mental control that her eyes became almost continttall) straight. the slight occasional deviation not hciug noticeable.

AN ARTIST'S EXPERIENCE WITH CENTRAL FIXATION By FLORENCE CANE:

This patient consulted the editor nn Jul y 20, 1921, because her vision was getting worse, and size suffered from a conslant feeling of strain and fatigue in her eyes. She had yearn glasses since she was seven years old for hypermetropia, conzrr+only called farsight, and was now wearing conic-r 4,00 D.

S., a rather strong lens. Yet without her glasses she was able to read fine print imperfectly, and by the aid of her memory she became able at the first visit to read it at six in(hes. ller discomfort was relieved at the first visit, and her distant z^,ision, which had been imperfect, though taller Than her nea, vision, also unproved.

I have made a few observations while trying to improve in) eyesight by the methods recommended by Dc Bates, and many thoughts and questions regarding them have suggested themselves to me.

The first thing 1 rememl)er observing on leaving the doctor's office after my first treatment was a new sense of movcntent and life. \ ever before had I seen such cle.ir, hright color in the crowd. I walked toward the hbrar% on Ivifth

Avenue, and never had the sun shone so brightly, or the world looked so exciting. My heart beat faster, I felt a great ela tion, as if a new vision, a new power, had been given n,e.

The second :ping I remembered was that I sat down the same evening with The Cure of Imperfect Sight b)^, Treatment Withow Glasses, determined to see what I could do without my glasses. I found that by shifting and palming I could read a sentence or two, later more. and after a while I could read a paragraph without stopping. I found shifting from a point above a word to one below it particularly helpful.

1 went to bed at ten o'clock, but was so excited, after reading there until twelve, that I could not sleep much. The magnitude of the truth thrilled me. The relation of sight, memory and imagination to body, mind and soul-the use of one faculty to strengthen another-seemed to be such a wonderful conception.

Soon I observed that looking upward seemed to improve my sight. I took to practicing on high objects out of doors. I slvited on points like two apples in a tree, or on the clouds_ This helped me very much, and overcame shrinking from light. I found that I had never walked with my eyes really open before. When I told Pr. Bates about it, he said it was the light that helped tne, not the height of the objects I looked at.

I have had several experiences in the application of the principles of central fixation which seem interesting enough to communicate to the readers of IIETTER EYESIGHT. The first occurred when I had mislaid something. I had looked everywhere for it in vain. I sat clown and palmed, and, quietly but suddenly, I saw in my mind where I had laid it. I got up and looked, and it was there.

I burned myself at a beach fire on a piece of wood that I picked up. It had been in the fire. but it was dark and I did

nol notice it. I burned my thumb quite baf,ly-enough to raise a big blister. It was very painful, and I had no remedy at hand. I remember that I had read in Dr. Bates' hoot: about central fixation in relation to pain, and 1 tried rememhering the small a. After a few minutes the pain ceased until I could not tell which thumb I had burned, The same thing happened after a bee had stung me, and one night when I had a severe cold and could not sleep because of difficulty in breathing, I was greatly helped by seeing the period and making it swing. I fell asleep and continued seeing the period in my sleep.

In painting I have had the most interesting experiences of all. If I am working from the memory or imagination and it won't come the way I want, I try palming. The first t:mc this happened, I was painting a lake with some birches at one side. I just couldn't remember how birches grew, and the trees wocildn't look right. So I closed my eyes and waited. :md soon a vision came to me of myself walking in a young birch wood that I used to know; I saw how the branches grew, and felt the white glimmer of reflected l:gln from the bark, and the tender voting green of the fragile leaves, and I painted the birches with ease and joy. This use of palming may be of great value to artists, because the artist works from the image, and sometimes this image is lost. By straining and effort he cannot regain it, but by palming he may.

1 have also had interesting experiences in treating pothers. myp first pupil being my little girl. She had a great fear of the water, so that she could not let herself go, and float face clown. She has a cat of which she is very fond; so i suggested that she recall her cat washing itself when site teed to float. She did this and was able to float twelve seconds.

Another case of interest was that of a woman who was in a nervous condition, overwrought and discouraged over her problems, I began teaching her how to improve her eyesight, and at the first lesson she made such great progress that she was overcome with happiness. The magnitude of the thing she had done gave her a sense of control over herself, a new sense of power. She said, "If I can do this, why

1 can do ,anything." And it is true; she has pulled herself out of the overwrought state.

Among all the people with whom I have talked, or to whom I have tried to explain these ideas, I have met only one with a perfectly rigid mind. He was, as one would expect, a mire scientist of very high standing. He wouldn't even admit that his hand appeared to move when he swung his head from side to side with his hand eight inches before his eyes. He said it merely made him dizzy. He knew the hand was in a fixed position, so it couldn't appear to him to move. This statement showed that he only used half his functions. He used his reason but refused to allow his senses to record how things appeared.

There is one thing Dr. Bates has said that I want to question. "We can see on] y• what we imag:ne, and we cannot imagine something which we have not seen, or eNI)erienced.As an example, he gives our inability to imagine a foreign alphahet. Well, if that statement is true. how do we get at a new truth? I think it is from the imagination. One can conceive of new forms in art, and I should judge that a scientist must conceive a possible truth in his imagination. and then set about testing it by experiment and observation. The marriage of the two-facts and imagination--creates new truth and widens man's consciousness. This Dr. Bates lias done. But he has only called imagination good. I think it is infinite, and by penetrating deeper into its mystery we are penetrating into the source of man's growth.

STORIES FROM THE CLINIC 20: St. Vitus' Dance and Myopia

By EMILY C. LIERMAI

YMAN, aged ten, came to the clinic, not as a patient but as his mother's escort. She was having her eyes treated, but her trouble was not half as bad as that of her son. His poor eyes stared painfully behind his thick glasses, and in order to see through them at all he made the most awful grimaces I ever saw. His head moved constant]) in all directions, and later on I discovered that he had St. Vitus' dance. He was an unusually bright boy, and was never satisfied unless he saw and knew everything that was going on in the clinic. Whenever he was in the room he would stay as close to me as possible, listening eagerly to every word l said and watching every movement I made. One day I said to him:

"Look here, young man, I don't mind having you watch me, but I don't think the patients like you to stare at them so much. If you want to know how I cure people, why don't ion get cured yourself so that you won't have to wear ;;lasses

"\Iy teacher sa)s I nnat wear glasses, because I raunot .ee the blackboard without them," lie replied.

1 explained to his mother that 1 was sere I could cure not only his eye trouble, but also the nervous twitching of his llead. She did not seem to understand me, and f'm sure she doubted my ability to do anything at all for him. Tlte hoc himself seemed to he equally sceptical, but was, nevertheless, much interested. He was evidently curious to know what I would do for him, and quite willing to let me entertain him.

1 tested his sight with his glasses on, and found that lie was wale to read only 10/50, all the rest of the card being a hlnr. I then took the glasses off, ant noticed that lie stared

less without them. In addaion his personal appearance was greatly improved, for the glasses had made hitn look hideous. 1 now told him to cover his eyes with the palms of his hands so as to exclude all the light, and to remember something perfectly. Ile seemed to think this was a game of hide and seek, and kept continually looking through his fingers. My patience was considerably tried, but I did not let him see this. Instead 1 told him that 1 _,,was especially fond of little boys. and wished to help him. tie squared his shoulders and made an effort to keep his head still, but failed. Finally I succeeded in making him understand that if he wanted to stol) the twitching of his head he must keep his hands over his eyes until I told him to take them down. He now became as serious as I was myself, and though I watched hint while I was treating other cases, I did not once see him uncover his eyes. or peep through his fingers. No doubt the fifteen minates that he spent in this way seemed like hours to him. When 1 was able to return to him 1 said very gently:

"Now take your hands from your eyes and look at me." He did so, and to my delight his head was perfectly still. I now told him a story-being careful to preserve the same gentle tone of voice-about a boy who lived in the country town where I live and who stole some delicious big apples from a farmer. He ate too many of the apples, and soon began to feel that there was something wrong with his stomach. Then the farmer caught him and punished him; so he suffered both inside and out, and came to the conclusion that stealing apples was not ven' much fun. I took as long as I could to tell this simple tale, for my object was to keel) my patient from thinking of himself, or his eyes. He seemed to find :t hugely amusing. His eyes beamed with fun while he listened to me, and his head never moved once.

"Now," I said, "do some more palming for me, and then we will read the card."

When he uncovered his eyes the second time hi, , isinn 'mad improved to 10/30. By this time his mother's indifference had vanished. She slid not know how to show her gratitude for what I had done for her boy, but promi.sec to see that It( - spent a sufficient amount of time palming every clay. lu next clinic day she told me that the twitching o: 11, head had become less frequent. She was instn•.ctecl to watch the boy, and have him palm at once where\^-er she noticed the twitching. Thi_, always relieved the trouble.

Hyman was al-ions to be eared before vacation began, and was quite willing to do as he was told. He came to the clinic for two months, and at the last few visits there was no twitching, while his vision had improved to 12/10.

LET YOUR EYES ALONE

By _,~AMGS HOPPER

PERFORM now and then an experiment which, 1 think. will interest the readers of BCTIHR laEStcnl. It affords a striking proof of two of Dr. Bates' contentious: 'Number 1. that no defect of the eye is fixed, that the refraction of tic eye is variable. Number 2, that the perfect refraction which means perfect sight is obtained through relaxation. Here is what I do, using first one eye, alien the other:

I close the left eye, and then, taking the card with the Seven Truths of Normal Sight printed in diamond type, 1 place said card right •.tp against the tip of my nose. (Parenthetically speaking, my nose is no^, flat, nor is it of great length. An average rose I'd caE it.)

T place the card right up against the tip of in nose, and. with my left eye closed, look at it with my right eye. \1v right eye is my bad one. It had only one ha.f of normal Sight when 1 first saw Dr. Bates.

Looking at the card, thus placed against iuy nose, 1 see at first nothing or simply blurred lines.

Then consciously I relax my eye. I "let it go. I can do that only gradually. I let go and let go. The best way I have found to do this is to keep my mind off the idea of reading the card, and to think of something else-a football game, a play-anything.

I can feel my eye gradually relax. There is no mistaking the process. It is one of relaxation, of letting go. And there is degree after degree of letting go, just when I think I have reached the limit of relaxation, I feel the eye let go another notch.

And then, suddenly-so suddenly it almost scares me-and clearly-so clearly it is almost weird, I see the diamond type. I read the doctor's Srree Truths!

Lath letter is not only black and sharp and distinct, but it is almost gigantic-two or three times the size it has when seen at six inches. The thing partakes, almost, of witchery! There is no doubt to rue, who performs the experiment, that my eye has passed from a state of not seeing the type to one of seeing the tope. Hence that the refraction of my eve is variable.

And there is no doubt to me, who performs the experiment, that the passing from the state of not seeing the type to the state of seeing the type is obtained through relaxation of the eve.

And the counter proof also exists. If, while I am seeing the type perfectly, and big, I set my mind deliberately to reading it-it abruptly disappears.

Working consciously, I have done something with my eye which has made it an instrument that cannot see at that distance. Working consciously, I have tightened some muscle or other, some muscles or other, so that the eve has now the wrong shape fair seeing at that distance.

ylo:al Let your eye alone. and it does the right thin;. Interfere with it, butt in with your conscious will andpresto-it does the wrong thing.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

:111 readers of !los maga.,,ine arc invited to send question, to Ilec editor rcgording nnv difeultues they mae r.rperienrr in asiuq the Z'arlOn3 methods of Ireatnirul arluch it rerornuwnds. These twill br an.v.cmred as proiglly as possible, in the tnagasum, if space permits, othcr-,cisr bu +nail. Kindly ""lose a stamped, addressed envelop,-.

THE SENSE OF TOUCH AN AID TO VISION

Just as Montessori has found that impressions gained through the sense of touch are very useful in teaching children to read a4 id write, persons with defective sight have found them useful in educating their memory and imagination.

One patient whose visual memory was very imperfect found that if she traced an imaginary black letter on the ball of her thumb with her forefinger, she could follow the imaginary lines with her mind as they were being formed and retain a picture of the letter better than when she gained the impression of it through the sense of sight.

Another patient discovered that when he lost the swing he could get it again by sliding his forefinger back and forth over the ball of his thumb. When he moved his fingers it seemed as if his whole body were moving.

Both these expedients have the advantage of being inconspicuous, and can, therefore, be used anywhere.

The vision was improved in both cases.

THE FIRST VISIT

By W. H. BATES, M.D.

T THE beginning of treatment, as well as later, it has been found to be a great benefit to have the patient demonstrate facts. It is better to avoid stating results expected, and instead let the patient discover the results for himself.

Rest Improves the Vision.-The first fact to be demonstrated is that rest improves the vision. The patient is told to close his eyes and rest them, forget about them, let his mind drift, remember pleasant things. After half an hour, more or less, he is told to open his eyes and read the distant test card as. well as he can. If he finds that his vision has improved the next question is:

"What did you do that helped your sight"

Obvious as the answer to this question seems to those familiar with the treatment of defective vision by relaxation some patients find extraordinary difficulty in replying to it, and one has to ask them a number of leading questions to get the proper answer, "Rest."

The amount of relief obtained from this procedure dif-

fers greatly in different cases. Some get none at all, and others very little. Others again may be cured at the first visit by this means alone. Why some people can close their eyes and rest them with so much benefit, while others fail, is not always evident; but one can often tell at the outset what the result will be. One case cured by this means rested comfortably for half an hour without any change whatever in his position. A case not benefitted was very restles^"s, moved around in his chair, got up, opened his eyes every few minutes, and was decidedly uncomfortable. For him there was no rest with his eyes closed, and his vision was not improved. Later a cure was obtained by other methods, but with much trouble.

Palming.-After having rested the eyes by closing, the patient is told to cove- his eyes with the palms of his hands'in such a way as to exclude all the light. Usually, not always, he is able to obtain more rest in this way than by rnere closing. Those who succeed in relaxing completely see a perfect black, but this is rare, and the patient may consider himself fortunate if he is able to begin by seeing an approximate black.

Staring.-Having demonstrated that rest improves the vision the next step is to have the patient demonstrate that effort lowers it. The patient is directed to look continuously at a letter which he can see distinctly on the distant test card, and after a part of a minute the question is asked:

"Do you see better or worse?" The answer is usually:

"I see worse, it makes my eyes pain."

He is then directed to stare at other objects instead of letters, to make an effort to see them, concentrate on them, and to note that lowering of the vision, with fatigue, discomfort, or pain, is produced. After he has

demonstrated these facts he is told that persons with imperfect sight always attempt to hold their points of fixation too long, even when the lowering of vision is caused by an injury, or by a foreign body in the eye. In short, they stare, thus not only spoiling their eyesight but making themselves conspicuous and uncomfortable.

"You have your choice," I tell ;hem. "Stare and have poor sight and other troubles. Avoid the stare and have normal vision."

Occasionally a patient thinks that staring does improve his vision. In this case I tell him to keep on staring and improve it still more. It does not take long for him to convince himself that the improvement that results from staring is only temporary, and is folloNvecl by a lowering of the vision.

Patients who have lowered their vision and produced pain and discomfort by staring are glad to relieve the strain by closing the eyes or palming. After they have alternatelv stared and rested for n while it would be hard for any one to convince them that an •thing is to be gained by effort when one wants to see, and they instinctively close their eyes in stch a case instead of straining them.

Shifting and Swinging.-Having demonstrated that staring lowers the vision, a patient is easily able to demonstrate that if he wants to see an object distinctly he must shift constantly from one part of it to another; but often he does not easily realize the apparent motion produced by this shafting. In demonstrating the facts to a new patient I usually begin by having him wall: around the room and note that the furniture seems to he moving in the opposite direction. Then I have him take one step forward and one back and note that the furniture seems to move backward and forward. Next I have hint hold

his hand six inches in front of his face, and move his head far to the right and far to the left, alternately, without looking at the hand. Almost invariably he is able to note a very pronounced movement of the hand. After this I have him hold a small card in his hand and note that it appears to move with the former. Having noticed the movement of the card irl,his hand, it is usually easy for him to look from one side of the test card on the wall to the other, and note that it appears to move in a direction contrary to the movement of the eye. After this the shortening of the swing until he becomes able to look from one side to the other of a letter of diamond type and imagine that it is moving is a mere question of practice.

Memory and Imagination.-The use of the memory or imagination is an important part of the cure of imperfect sight, since a perfect memory or imagination means perfect relaxation; but 1 do not begin by explaining this to a patient. Instead I say:

"Can you remember a small letter o?"

Some patients can do this at once; others cannot. Those who can usually think that they are remembering the letter all alike and stationary. In order to demonstrate that this is impossible they are asked to imagine a black period on one side of the o, to keep the attention fixed upon it, and to imagine that it is perfectly black and stationary. Generally the patient finds that he cannot do this. The period usually moves in spite of all his efforts to imagine that it is not doing so. If it does not, it becomes gray and finally disappears. Having demonstrated that you cannot remember the period continuously unless it is moving, it usually becomes possible for the patient to realize that his attention is shifting constantly from one part of the o to another, and to note an apparent

movement in a direction opposite to the imagined movement of the eye.

One difficulty in getting patients to make this demonstration is that the effort of remembering an unchanging object, even for a few seconds, is so great that some people cannot or will not make it. It is easier to let the attention shift naturally.

" Some patients are unable to form any kind of a mental picture, and it may require much ingenuity and long practice to enable them to do it. Some become able to form mental pictures when they are able to iuiagine that the things they see are moving. Others are helped in remembering a black letter by imagining that it has a very white background, whiter than the c,.rd on which they saw it.

Mental pictures are formed first with the eyes closed, then with the eyes open, and as the ability to form ;hem with the eyes open increases the vision increases.

In every way possible the fact is impressed upon the patient that he can be cured only by rest; that he must learn to let his eyes alone; that whatever he does to improve his sight must be wrong. For home practice three general plans are recommended:

1. Practice with the Snellen test card at ten, fifteen, or twenty feet, remembering the blackness of the letters, imagining their form and their swing, and imagining the white openings and margins to be whiter than the rest of the card.

2. Reading fine print at the distance at which it is seen best, then gradually bringing it up to six inches or less and putting it off to a distance of two feet or further.

3. Seeing things moving all day long from the time the eyes are opened in the morning until they are closed at night, and going to sleep finally with the imagination of the swing.

STORIES FROM THE CLINIC 21: More Cases of Squint

By EMILY C. LIERMAN

\'E clay in the early part of September there came . to our clinic a very neatly dressed woman of fortyfive, refth her daughter, aged eleven. One of the doctors from another section of the dispensary had told her of the wonderful cures wrought by Dr. Bates' methods, and convinced her that they would be effective in the case of her daughter, who was suffering from convergent squint of the left eye. I at once became more than usually interested in this case, not only because I did not want to disappoint the doctor who had sent it, or cause him to lose faith in our methods, but because Selma, the patient, was a dear little girl and made a strong appeal to my sympathies. I did not notice until her eyes became straight that Nature had intended her to be very pretty; but I saw her sweet smile, and her absolute faith in my ability to cure her, combined with her willingness to do as she was told, was very touching.

I tested her sight with the Snellen test card, and at ten feet she was able to read, with the right eye, only the forty line. With the left eye (the squinting one) she read only the 200 line. I showed her how to palm, and then I had a talk with the mother, who was wearing glasses, and had been wearing them, as she told me, for twentyfive years. I explained to her how hard it would be to cure her daughter if she continued to wear them.

"How can I possibly harm my little girl by wearing_ glasses?" she asked.

You are under a constant strain while you wear them," I answered, "and that affects your daughter's nerves."

"But I cannot sew, read, or do other things, without my glasses," she said: "so what shall 1 do?"

I told her to watch very closely while I was treating Selma and (to just exactly what she did. She took off her glasses at once, and did not seem to doubt that she would be cured. For this I was very grateful, as mothers are not always willing to take off their glasses at their first visit, thinking, I suppose, that although I may be able to cure children, I cannot cure adults. I placed the mother where she could watch her daughter's eyes during the treatment and, as she saw them after five or ten minutes become temporarily straight, she expressed her gratitude in no uncertain terms. On leaving she invited me to her home, and every time she carne after that the invitation was repeated. She bought a test card, too, for home practice, and Selma was very faithful about using it.

From that time up to the present writing mother and daughter have come regularly three days a keel:. Selma now reads the twenty line with her left eve at twelve feet, and with her right eye, at the same distanco, she can read the ten line. Except when she becomes excited or over-anxious, her left eve is straight most of the time. The improvement in the mother's sight seems almost equally remarkable. Sh8 reads and sews without her glasses, the lines in her face caused by strain have disappeared, and she looks so much younger that she might easily be taken for her daughter's sister. We have all become fast friends and, although I shall be glad when Selma is completely cured, I will be sorry not to see her smiling face any more at the clinic.

At the beginning of the treatment Selma's mother could not be encouraged to discuss other treatment she had had; but when, one day recently, the child read the

whole of the test card with both eyes straight, she began to talk.

"You don't know how grateful I am to you," she said. "It is not so long ago that I was told at another eye clinic that Selmawould have to be operated on for squint. They told me that it would get worse if they didn't operate. I told them to give•tne time to think it over. I was a whole year thinking it over; but 1 could not make up my mind to the operation, as I had doubts about its curing her."

Doris, aged four, has convergent squint of the right eye, and came to us also during September. It was noticed when she was two years old that the right eye was turning in and, although glasses were immediately secured for her, they did no good. When I first saw her the vision of the squinting eye was only one-quarter normal (10/40), while that of the other eye was one-half normal (10/20). Now the sight of both eyes is slightly above normal (12/10). -'

Doris does not know the alphabet; so in treating her I have to use a card covered with letter L's arranged in different ways, and she tells me which way they are facing, left, right, up or down. I found it rather hard at first to get her to palm for any length of time; but one day the mother told me of a dear baby brother at home, and I told Doris to think of her brother when she closed and covered her eyes. This worked like a charm. When she thinks it time to open her eyes, usually about a minute, she calls out, "Open them?" If I answer, "No," she keeps them closed until I say, "Ready." During the first few treatments the right eye would not keep straight for more than half a minute, but now it stays straight all the time site is reading the chart, down to the ten line. After the treatment it turns in again, but not so badly as before, and if she is reminded to make it look straight she can do so very readily.

The child's mother has been a great help in the treatntent, both at home and at the clinic, and I think she has got a great deal of good out of it for herself. She is a most unselfish parent, absolutely devoted to her children; but this devotion causes her to get excited and nervous, so that when she arrives at the clinic her eyes are staring almost out of her head. In a few moments she becomes relaxed, and her eyes begin to look natural.

Doris got on so nicely that her cousin Arthur, who also has a convergent squint, came for treatment. When I tested his sight I found that the vision of the squinting eye, the left one, was only 10/50, while that of the right eye was 10/20. He was a very bright boy, very obedient and lovable, and when he looked at the chart it was sad to see the left eye turn in until it was almost hidden. He made rapid progress, however, and his mother, who always comes with him, is very happy over the good results obtained in little over a month. At his first visit he was told, after reading a line of letters on the chart, to remember the last letter while he closed and covered his eyes. When he looked at the card again he was able to read another line. His vision now is almost normal, 12/15, and when he is reading the card his eyes are almost straight. His mother tells me that he gets on much better at school than he used to. He is eager to get well, and is very happy when clinic day comes so that he may have another treatment.

I am wondering which of the trio will be cured first, and when they are I will give most of the credit to the mothers, for it is their help and the treatment given at home that has counted most.

QUESTION AND ANSWERS

All readers of this tuagazine are invited to send questions to the editor regarding any difficulties they may experience in using the various methods of treatment which it recommends. These will be answered as promptly as possible, in the magazine, if space permits, otherwise by "tail. Kindly enclose a stamped, addressed envelope.

Q. (1) How long should one palm at a time, and how far should one be from the test card? (2) I do not understand shifting and swinging well enough to practice this method. Will you please explain it to me just as you would to a new patient? (3) I am not getting the results you say one should from the treatment. For instance, I tried palming last evening, and at the beginning I could see clearly only the first three lines on the test card. After two hours work I could see and read clearly all but the last line of letters at the bottom, but when I looked at the card this morning it was just the same as when I started palming. Now, how can^-I get the vision to stay? Must one continue to palm every day, and if so will the improvement in time become permanent? R. H.

A. (1) The length of time you should palm depends entirely upon the results you obtain from the practice. Some patients can palm for hours with benefit; others cannot keep it up for more than a few minutes. Your distance from the test card depends somewhat on the state of your vision and somewhat on your own convenience. At whatever distance you may be-7, 10, 15, or 20 feetpractice with a line of letters which you cannot see distinctly. (2) See The First Visit, this issue. (3) We think you are doing wonderfully well and congratulate you. If you continue the palming, the improvement will in time become permanent. If you will practice shifting and

swinging when not practicing with the card it will help you (See The Swinging Cure, BETTER EYESIGHT, October, 1919).

Q. (1) I have discarded my glasses for street use, and am slowly getting used to seeing without them. However, when I go to the theatre or a movie I cannot discern the faces, expression, etc., of the actors without the aid of my glasses. When I look without them the whole proceeding is like one hazy mass before my eyes. What can I do about this? (2) Kindly explain your terms "cupping and palming." Subscriber.

A. (1) All you can do is to go on improving your sight. (2) By cupping is meant cupping the hand over the eye in such a way so as to exclude the light while avoiding pressure on the eyeball. Palming cannot be explained briefly. See BETTER EYESIGHT, January, 1920.

Q. (1) What is the best method to use when the patient has a dilated pupil? (2) What special refractive condition causes white letters and dots to appear over the test card along with blurring of the letters and also without it? (3) Is the temporary use of the reading glass or lorgnette as detrimental to the eyes as regular glasses? C. C. J.

A. (1) Any method that produces relaxation will help. Palming is particularly effective. (2) They may occur with any error of refraction. (3) Yes.

Q. (1) In swinging the period should one follow it in its travel from side to side, seeing it clearly all the time. (2) BETTER EYESIGHT advises sleeping on the back. Will you kindly give me explicit directions as to how to do this. T. J. O. J.

A. (1) Whether you see a period all the time you are swinging it depends upon the length of the swing. If the

swing is very short, a mere pulsation, you will; if it is long, or too rapid, it will be blurred or lost altogether at times. (2) In lying on your back the arms should be parallel with the body and the lower limbs completely extended. The height of the pillow is immaterial. The head may or may not be turned to one side. It is a good thing to go to sleep swinging or palming.

Q. (1) When I palm does it affect my eyes if I do mental work. I could palm more if it didn't matter what you were thinking about, because I could do part of my studying that way. In short, does mental work necessarily mean mental strain? (2) Isn't there any way to cure my eyes that doesn't take so much tirge as palming? M. W.

A. (1) Mental work does not necessarily mean mental strain. If you can see black with your eyes closed and covered while thinking of your lessons, you are perfectly safe in doing so. (2) The best thing for a busy person is to form a habit of constant shifting and to imagine that everything seen is moving. It is the habit of staring that spoils your sight. If you can correct this by constant shifting and the realization of the movement produced by the shift, you can get well without so much palming and you will also be able to do your school work better.

Q. I cannot yet read or write easily without my glasses. Can I harm my eyes by trying to do so? P. A. C.

A. You cannot harm your eyes by reading and writing without glasses if you stop often to rest them by closing or palming. Even if the use of the eyes without glasses produces pain and fatigue the injury is less than from the wearing of the glasses.

Q. How can I relieve fatigue and nervousness while listening to the sermon in church?

A. Try swinging your thumbs over or round each other, or back and forth, and then reversing. One patient gets relief from swinging her big toe inside her shoe.

Q. Can a tendency to sties be relieved by relaxation? A. Yes.

Q. Is it injurious to expose a baby's eyes to the strong sunlight while sleeping? F. E.

A. The strong sunlight is very beneficiary to the eyes of babies, asleep or awake. It is injurious to shade their eyes from the sun.

THINK RIGHT

"As a man thinketh in his heart so is he," is a saying which is invariably true when the sight is concerned. When a person remembers or imagines an object of sight perfectly the sight is perfect; when he remembers it imperfectly the sight is imperfect. The idea that to do anything well requires effort, ruins the sight of many children and adults; for every thought of effort in the mind produces an error of refraction in the eye. The idea that large objects are easier to see than small ones results in the failure to see small objects. The fear that light will hurt the eyes actually produces sensitiveness to light. To demonstrate the truth of these statements is a great benefit.

Remember a letter or other object perfectly, and note that the sight is improved and pain and fatigue relieved; remember the object imperfectly, and note that the vision is lowered, while pain and fatigue may be produced or increased.

Rest the eyes by closing or palming, and note that the vision is improved, and pain and discomfort relieved; stare at a letter, concentrate upon it, make an effort to see it, and note that it disappears, and that a feeling of discomfort or pain is produced.

Note that a small part of a large object is seen better than the rest of it.

Accustom the eyes to strong light; learn to look at the sun; note that the vision is not lowered but improved, and that the light causes less and less discomfort.

Remember your successes (things seen perfectly) ; forget your failures (things seen imperfectly) ; patients who do this are cured quickly.

THE CORRECTION OF IMPERFECT SIGHT WITHOUT GLASSES

BY DR. ETNA MARION JONES

T HE correction of imperfect sight by Central Fixation, as taught by Dr. Bates, first came under my observation one year ago this September while assisting for a month in the practice of my friends, Drs. H. S. and Jennie K. Beckler, of Staunton, Virginia. I was astonished at the results they were obtaining in eye cases and at once began to study the system under their supervision.

About the same time I received a letter from a sister of mine, a teacher in the Detroit Public Schools, who had worn glasses for twenty years for myopia and astigmatism. She stated in her letter that she had discarded her glasses and was taking the Central Fixation treatment from an osteopathic physician in Detroit who had been a student of Dr. Bates. The treatment was continued during the winter, my sister keeping right on with her school work and doing extra reading at night without suffering with headaches as she had previously done. On seeing her this summer I was agreeably surprised at the change in her appearance. The strained look

about the eyes and face had given place to one of relaxation, the eyes were straight, and the nervous system had lost its tension and gained a poise formerly unknown. The retinoscope showed no errors of refraction in either eye.

Encouraged by this and other cases, I decided to prepare myself to specialize in this work. After studying the anatomy, pathology and physiology of the eye all last winter, and treating several patients as best I could with my limited knowledge of the system, I decided that what I now needed most was a course of personal instruction from Dr. Bates. I went to New York for this purpose a few months ago and spent a wonderful fortnight there. The course included work in Dr. Bates' clinic held three times a week in the Harlem Hospital. The hospital being in one of the colored sections of the city, many of the patients are negroes, and they are very appreciative, too; but both white and colored come in droves to be cured of all kinds of eye afflictions. Here I had a good opportunity to study eyes by means of the retinoscope and ophthalmoscope, and I observed the changes in the refraction and pathology as the treatment progressed. I can tell of only a few of the remarkable cases which I saw, for it would take days to tell about them all.

I was especially interested in a case of squint in a girl of fourteen, who had been attending the clinic about three months before I saw her. She had worn glasses since she was four years of age to correct the trouble, but had been growing gradually worse. When her sight was first tested she read 12/40 with her left or better eye. When asked to read the card with her squinting eye, she turned her head half way around to the left in trying to see it. Mrs. Lierman gave her one simple relaxing exercise to do and left her for a few minutes. At the next test she read 12/40 with the squinting eye without turning her head. Of course, that was temporary relief, as on straining again the squint would

recur; but it showed what could be done by continuous treatment, and when I left New York the right eye was as straight as the left and did not change when the patient was excited or annoyed, or on reading or studying. She told me she could read or study for hours at a time without headaches or discomfort, while before coming to the clinic she could look at a book for only a few minutes at a time.

A negress, seventy-two years old, was responding wonderfully to treatment for cataract in the advanced stage. She had been in the clinic for two months. At first she could not distinguish the large C at the top of the test card. Before I left she could read 10/40 with both eyes.

A girl of twelve was suffering from retinitis pigmentosa, a condition generally pronounced incurable, in which spots of black pigment are deposited in the retina, parts of the retina destroyed and the nerve of sight diseased. On examination by the test card, the patient could read only the seventy line at five feet. Nystagmus was one of her worst symptoms, the eyes vibrating continually from side to side. She was extremely nervous, and very sensitive in regard to her condition, the slightest annoyance making her worse. At the first treatment, the- nystagmus temporarily stopped, and she read the fifty line instead of the seventy at five feet. The last day I saw her at the clinic she could read the twenty line through at ten feet, and the nystagmus had entirely disappeared.

After seeing these things it would seem impossible for anyone to doubt that Dr. Bates' discoveries are bound, before long, to revolutionize the practice of ophthalmology. They offer hope to millions for whom formerly there was no hope, and I am glad to have a share in the wonderful work of making them available to the world of eye sufferers.

MENTAL CONTROL IN RELATION TO VISION

By W. H. BATFS, M.D.

HE eye with perfect sight is always at rest. When it begins to strain the sight becomes imperfect. The eye with imperfect sight is always straining, and when it ceases to do so the sight becomes normal. These conditions of rest and unrest are refleations of the mind. In other words, they indicate the presence or absence of mental control.

When the mind is not under control the memory or imagination is impaired. Therefore one cannot at the moment of seeing something imperfectly form a perfect mental picture. A person with perfect sight can remember a color, a yellow flower, a red piece of cloth, a letter of small print, a black period, a white cloud in the sky, just as well with the eyes open and looking at the Snellen test card, or reading a printed page, as with his eyes closed. A person with imperfect sight either cannot do this at all, or can do it only under certain favorable conditions, as with his eyes closed, or when looking at objects at certain distances. A,mear-sighted person may retain his mental control and consequent ability to form mental pictures when reading fine print at six inches, but may lose both at five inches, or when looking at certain letters on the distant Snellen test card. Some patients have a good imagination and normal sight in the daytime, but lose both by artificial light. Others have normal vision and a good imagination only when the light is dim. One patient had imperfect sight (20/70) corrected by concave 6.00 D. S. in ordinary daylight, but when the light was dim her vision became normal (20/20) without glasses, and her mental pictures were just as good when her eyes were open as when they were closed. She became able, by means of sun-gazing, to remember, with her eyes open, a black period in the bright

outdoor sunshine, when her vision, tested with the Snellen test card, became normal in ordinary daylight.

Many cases of imperfect sight have been cured simply by having the patient demonstrate these facts. One patient had vision of 20/200 without glasses. She was near-sighted and could read fine print at a near point without trouble. She was asked to look at a. small letter o. The question was asked - "Can you see the letter easily and continuously?"

"Yes," she answered.

She could also, with eyes closed, remember it without difficulty and imagine the white center much whiter than the white card on which it was printed. With some encouragement she became able to realize that she did not imagine the letter all alike; that she saw one part best, and that she did not imagine the same part best very long at a time; that her attention was constantly shifting; and that the small letter was moving slowly, easily, rhythmically, continuously, a very short distance from side to side, the movement being so inconspicuous that she would not have noted it if her attention had not been called to the fact. When she tried to keep her attention on one small part of the letter continuously for a few seconds, or part of a minute, she noted that this could not be done without effort, her mind tired, her eyes pained, although they were closed, and she lost the memory of the letter.

With her eyes open she then demonstrated that her sight was the same as her memory with her eyes closed. When she tried to keep her attention fixed on one part of the letter the movement from side to side stopped, she experienced a sense of effort, her head began to ache, the letter blurred, all parts of it looked alike, and soon it disappeared. She was reminded that when she saw the letter distinctly, or when she imagined it perfectly, she did it easily, without effort, without strain, without any trouble or hard work whatever; but that when she saw, or imagined it imperfectly, she made a great effort.

The letters on the distant Snellen test card appeared gray and blurred to her, and all parts of each letter looked alike. Even the large letter that she could distinguish was blurred, with a gray outline, and was not as black as the small letters of the fine print which she read so easily. Her attention was called to the great difference between the size of the letters on the Snellen test card and those of the fine print, and I suggested that if she saw the larger letters on the test card gray, while the smaller letters of the fine print looked black to her, it must be because she was imagining them to be gray. I also said that if she could imagine the white openings of the small letters to be whiter than they really were, she ought to be able to do the same thing with the larger white spaces of the larger letters. Thus she was led to realize that a large part of what she saw on both the large and the small card was imaginary, and that she ought to be able to use her imagination to improve her sight when looking at the large card, as she did when looking at the small one, instead of to spoil it, as she was then doing. Having demonstrated these facts she soon became able to retain her mental control when looking at distant objects, and was permanently cured.

One of the worst cases of pain and fatigue which I ever saw occurred in a young man who lived several thousand miles from New York, and came here as a last resort in the hope of being relieved of the misery he had endured as long as he could remember. The history of his treatment by numerous physicians, mostly ophthalmologists, would make an interesting story, but it is too long to be recounted here. On testing his sight I was surprised to find it good. He read the twenty line of the Snellen test card at twenty feet, and also read the finest print at various distances. At this time he had no pain. When the pain came on, however, his vision became imperfect, and as the pain was almost continuous, he said he suffered from imperfect sight most of the time. I

asked him why he did not maintain his good sight continuously when he obtained so much relief from it. He replied that he was unable to do so.

He had lost his mental control to such an extent that even with his eyes closed he was unable to visualize his own signature, and when he attempted to do so and failed, the pain in his eyes and head became much worse. I had him look at a large letter on the Snellen test card and observe its white center, which he was able to see whiter than the rest of the card. I told him that the white center of the letter was not whiter than the rest of the card and that he only imagined it so. Then I asked him if he could imagine the white center as white as snow with the sun shining on it-a dazzling white. He answered:

"Yes, I can imagine it as white as the snow on the top of the mountains near my home."

I ,told him that he had formed a mental picture of the snow-capped mountain, by the aid of his memory or imagination, and that having done this with his eyes open, he ought to be able to visualize the mountain with his eyes closed. Much to my gratification he was able to do this for part of a minute, and to imagine not only the white snow on top of the mountain but also other parts of it as well. Then he demonstrated that he could imagine one part best of the snow-cap, but that when he tried to imagine it all at once the mental picture disappeared and his pain increased. To see one part at a time of the snow-cap was easy and his pain was relieved. To see all parts at the same time was impossible, and trying to do the impossible was a strain which produced pain. In other words to lose his mental picture of the mountain required an effort, a very great effort which tore the nerves of his eyes and head all to pieces.

With this demonstration as a beginning, he became able to form mental pictures of other objects. The most difficult

thing of all was for him to imagine printed or written,letters, but this was finally accomplished, and his mental control, and consequently his mental pictures, became normal. With his eyes closed he is now able to remember or imagine large or small letters as well as he can see them with his eyes open. His pain is entirely relieved and-what pleased him most-his vision has improved to 20/10, double the accepted standard of normality.

STORIES FROM THE CLINIC 22: Christmas at the Clinic

BY EMILY C. LIERMAN

HROUGHOUT the civilized world Christmas is recognized as the children's day. To hosts of boys and girls it seems the most wonderful day in the year; but there are other little folks-all too many of them-who do not know its meaning, whom Santa Claus seems to have quite forgotten.

This fact was brought home to me very forcibly during my first Christmas at the clinic, seven years ago. A boy of seven came with his sister, a little girl of five, for treatment. Both the children were thinly clad and far from clean, and seemed to feel perfectly at home near a warm radiator. There was nothing wrong with the girl's eyes, but the boy had a severe inflammation of the eyelids, along with a squint of the right eye. I was not surprised to find later that this inflammation was caused by uncleanliness. As I was about to treat him I asked him what he expected Santa Claus to give him. The time was two weeks before Christmas. He looked up and said:

"Oh, he aint never came to our house! I only sees him in the store windows."

"But you have a Christmas tree on Christmas eve, don't you?" I asked.

"Nope," said he, "we never had none."

I began to think I wanted to use my influence with Santa Claus on behalf of this neglected waif, but my present business was to treat him. No, I did not begin with palming this time. I washed his eyes and face with water, and judging by the color of the towel when the operation was over I should say that he had not been washed for six months or so. I now tested his sight, and with both eyes he read the ten line at fifteen feet. Then I covered his good eye, and with the squinting eye, the right, he read the seventy line (15/70). I now showed him how to palm, and while his eyes were covered I told him the story of the Babe of Bethlehem. This worked like a charm, and in less than ten minutes his right eye improved to 15/30. The little fellow promised to cover his eyes to rest them many times each day; and I promised that Santa Claus would surely have a present for him at Christmas.

The progress he made was astonishing. I learned later that his father was in jail for theft, and that he had to mother his little sister and baby brother while his sickly mother went out to work; yet he found time to practice, and before Christmas he had normal vision in both eyes, though the right eye turned in at times the least little bit. As for the inflammation, it had completely disappeared under the influence of the sun treatment.

The day before Christmas I bought a Christmas tree and filled a big basket with good things to eat and a little gift for each child in the family of my little patient, and in the evening I took them to his home. The poverty I found there wrung my heart, but I had the gratification of knowing that the children at least would have a happy Christmas. The

sight of the Christmas tree filled them with rapture too great for speech, and the gratitude of the mother was pathetic. Shortly afterward the boy's visits to the clinic ceased, and going to his home I found the scanty belongings of the family upon the sidewalk, all covered with freshly fallen snow. Next day I went again, and was told by the neighbors that the mother was in a hospital and that the children had been placed by a charitable society in an institution. I never saw nor heard of my patient again, but he inspired me with the idea of trying to make my family at the clinic happy at Christmas time, and incidentally I found that Santa Claus was an invaluable assistant, taking the place of baseball at other seasons. Mothers often tell me that Jimmie or Johnnie will not behave long enough for me to treat him. Well, I listen, of course, and then I begin to talk baseball or Santa Claus, according to the season of the year, and I have known the most restless of small boys to sit on a stool, or stand in a corner, for ten minutes without moving while I told of the night before Christmas, or related some inciden. of the baseball field. It is astonishing the interest a small boy takes in baseball. Nine times out of ten when I ask a boy to imagine something perfectly he will say:

"I can imagine a baseball very well."

I think if Babe Ruth knew how these infants admire him, he would provide seats for about a thousand of them at some of his games just for the sake of having a group of pre-eminently enthusiastic rooters on the bleachers. I -think, too, that he wouldn't mind playing Santa Claus and providing baseballs for some of my patients. I am sure nothing would make them happier, even though baseballs are of very little use in a city that does not provide enough playgrounds for its children, and where the police will not let you play baseball in the streets.

However, this is a digression. Santa Claus, as I said, is a fair rival of baseball, and appeals to girls and boys alike. I begin in September to talk about the visit he makes to the clinic every year, and the result is magical.

Joseph, nine years old, was quite unmanageable at first, and could not be enticed to palm, nor even to stand still long enough for me to test him. I finally got tired of coaxing him, and told him to wait until others had been treated. His mother, a very nervous woman, wanted to thrash him, but the little fellow didn't seem to mind that a bit. He had been sent by the school nurse for glasses, and was so sensitive to light that he could only partly open his eyes. When I was able to get back to him I said:

"If you will read this card for me and do as I tell you, I will have you come here the day before Christmas when Santa Claus will give you something nice."

It worked splendidly. He read the card with both eyes together and each eye separately, getting most of the letters on the forty line at twelve feet. He palmed when I showed him how, and before he left his sight had improved to 12/20. After he had palmed for ten minutes or so his mother remarked on how wide open his eyes were. Joseph came quite regularly after that, and was so grateful for the gift Santa Claus brought hiYn at Christmas that, even though he was cured in a few weeks, he continued to come just to say "Hello" to the Doctor and myself.

One day, shortly before Christmas, a little girl came for treatment. Her age I cannot exactly remember, but should imagine it was nine or ten years. Her wistful eyes looked up into mine, and I guessed that she was very poor and lonely. She told me that her mother and father were both dead and that a kind neighbor who already had nine children was mothering her too. I knew just what I would

like to have had Santa Claus give her, and tried to figure out just how much I could stretch my Christmas fund so that I could buy clothes and shoes for this little girl. It could not be done; but I doubt if these useful things would have made her as happy as the dolly and the necklace which I ultimately gave her, and which cost only a trifle. Like the children in the first story she was so overcome with joy that she could scarcely talk.

There was nothing setiously wrong with her eyes, but she was under a nervous strain which caused her sight to blur at times. I soon corrected this, and she was very happy when told that she didn't need glasses.

I must add that the adult patients are not forgotten at Christmas time. Each one gets a box of candyand an orange, and they all leave the clinic with a smile that won't come off; all of which, I am sure, is good for their eyes. My family seems to grow each year, but somehow I always find the money for the annual distribution of Christmas joy. A good many of the patients buy Snellen test cards to practice with at home, and all this money goes into the Christmas fund; then checks come from various sourcessometimes at the last moment. To all who have so generously helped me in this way I want to say:

"I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy New Year."

QUESTION AND ANSWERS

Our readers arc invited to send in questions regarding any difficulties they may experience in using the various methods of treatment which it recommends. These will be answered as promptly as possible, in the magazine, if space permits, otherwise by mail. Kindly enclose a stamped, addressed envelope.

STOP STARING

It can be demonstrated by tests with the retinoscope that all persons with imperfect sight stare, strain, or try to see. To demonstrate'this fact:

Look intently at one part of a large or small letter at the distance or nearpoint. In a few seconds, usually, fatigue and discomfort will be produced, and the letter will blur or disappear. If the effort is continued long enough, pain may be produced.

To break the habit of staring:

(1) Shift consciously from one part to another of all objects regarded, and imagine that these objects move in a direction contrary to the movement of the eye. Do this with letters on the test card, with letters of fine print, if they can be seen, and with other objects.

(2) Close the eyes frequently for a moment or longer. When the strain is considerable, keep the eyes closed for several minutes and open them for a fraction of a second-flashing. When the stare is sufficient to keep the vision down to 2/200 or less, palm for a longer or shorter time; then look at the card for a moment. Later mere closing of the eyes may afford sufficient rest.

(3) Imagine that the white openings and margins of letters are whiter than the rest of the background. Do this with eyes closed and open alternately. It is an interesting fact that this practice prevents staring and improves the vision rapidly.

BE COMFORTABLE By W. H. BATES, M. D.

IT can be stated without fear of successful contradiction that persons with perfect sight are always comfortable, not only as to their eyes, but as to the rest of the body. As soon as they cease to be so, it can be demonstrated, by examination with the retinoscope, that their sight has ceased to be perfect. They become nearsighted, farsighted, or astigmatic. The art of learning to use the eyes properly, is, in short, the art of learning to be comfortable. Even the memory of comfort improves the sight, while the memory of discomfort lowers it. Persons with imperfect sight often say and think that they are perfectly comfortable; but invariably such persons experience a feeling of relief when they close their eyes, demonstrating that they were not perfectly comfortable before, but had merely formed a habit of ignoring that discomfort. Persons with perfect sight, on the other hand, can immediately produce discomfort by producing imperfect sight, or even by remembering or imagining it, and persons with imperfect sight can produce a degree of discomfort that cannoi be ignored by making their sight worse.

Imperfect sight cannot, in other `vords, be produced without effort, and this effort tears the nerves of the whole body to pieces. The same is true of an imperfect memory and imagination. To demonstrate these facts is often the best way of improving the sight.

While persons with imperfect sight may feel no discomfort when looking at letters on the test card which they do not ordinarily distinguish, the_y cannot blur their vision for a letter they do distinguish without great effort and d;scomfort. In fact, the effort and discomfort are so great that many patients cannot be induced to make the experiment. When they can be prevailed upon to do so, however, they realize that they must be unconsciously straining whenever they look at anything with imperfect sight. It is often hard to convince patients of the existence of this unconscious strain, and nothing helps more in their treatment than to have them demonstrate the facts.

What is true of the vision is true of the memory and imagination. When a letter is remembered perfectly, with the outlines clear, and the opening as white as snow or starch; when the attention shifts easily from one part of the letter to another and it appears to move in a direction opposite to that in which the attention shifts; it is remembered easily. There is no sense of efort, or strain, and the individual is perfectly comfortable. When, on the other hand, a letter is remembered imperfectly, with the outline obscured by a gray cloud which is all the time changing, the mind tires so quickly that the memory of the letter is lost from time to time and has to be brought back by an effort. Discomfort is soon produced, and if the effort is continued long enough, severe pain may result. At the sane time the rednoscope will show that an error of refraction has been produced, or if this condition previously existed, that its degree has increased.

It should he added, however, that if the strain is to rematnher a near object, myopia may be decreased, because a strain to see a near object always decreases myopia and the memory of near objects has the same effect. Similarly a strain to remember distant objects may decrease hypermetropia.

Staring is uncomfortable, and lowers the vision. Shiftin; and the realization of the apparent movement resulting from it are comfortable, and improve the vision. Let anvone try to stop the apparent movement of telegraph poles and other objects past a moving train, and discomfort, pain and carsickness result. In the same way any effort to stop the slighter movement of stationary objects prodttccd by the normai shirting of the eycs, results in discomfort ;.nd paht, even though the individual may not previously have hear conscious of the movement.

Some people are able to close their eyes and be comfortable. Such persons are easy to cure. In one case a man with presbyopia was completely relieved by keeping his eyes closed for half an hour; anc the core was permanent. Later his wife was cured by the same means. Other people cannot rest with their eyes shut, and are very difficult to care. It is the same way with palming. Some persons, when they close and cover their eyes so as to exclude all the light, at once rcla:< and are comfortable, and such persons are casa^,, cured. Others strain more than ever, and are very difficult to cure.

Perfect sight, perfect memory and perfect ima,imtion cannot, in short, coexist with the consciousmss of :um. abnormal syanptom, and all such sympiours are rclicvcd whet: the sight becomes perfect, or when one is able to remember or imagine something seen perfectly.*

MY EXPERIENCE WITH CENTRAL FIXATION BY DR. DOttts J. BOWLBY

THE correction of imperfect sight without the use of glasses, as taught by Dr. Bates, first came under my observation on January 1 of this year when Dr, Etna Marion Jones, of St. Petersburg, Fla., called my attention to the method. It appealed to me as being both simple and rational, and I began at once to study and later to practice it. Since that time I have taken glasses off about fifty patients, varying in age from ten to eighty years. Among theta have been cases of squint, glaucoma, iritis, retinitis, double progressive myopia and muscae volitantes (floating specks). Many had worn glasses for years. Yet 1 had great success with all of them. The following are specimens of other equally interesting cases that might be cited:

Frank, aged ten, came to my office on September 1, 1921, for examination. He had been wearing glasses since he was four years old for what was supposed to^-6e congenital myopia, and was then wearing the following:

Right'eye, concave. 15.75 D. S., combined with concave 4.00 D. C., axis 15; left eye, concave 15.75 D. S., combined with concave 4.00 D. C., axis 165.