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November 5, 1913. A FAMILY PAf M.
H O W W E A K E Y E S A R E
S T R E N G T H E N E D B Y E X E R C I S E .
By C. Gilbert Percival, M. D.
I N this, wbich is undoubtedly the most
active period in the history of man,
every one of our faculties is called
on to do more, and to respond to a
longer continued extraordinary strain
than ever before.
"Take things ea.sy," may be very good
advice, but most of us, who- know how our
competitors are bustling, fear tbat the practice
of it would furnish us with a free seat
on a bench in the park, instead of a cash
income.
More energy, more concentration, are required
to keep up with the leaders nowadays
—hence our nerVous exhaustion is greater.
Busy city lif(^ with its clang, clatter and
rush, even most of our time-saving inventions
and modes of travel keep tbe nerves on
edge, and give them no opportunity to rest
during our waking hours.
Now the eye is one of the most delicate
centers of the nervous system. Tbis is clearly
proven by the fact tbat the first place a
physician looks for symptoms of paralysis is
at the base of the optic nerve—if there are
none in evidence it is taken as positive proof
that there is no danger.
This will clearly evidence that nerve exhaustion
means eye-exhaustion and finafly
eye affection if nothing be done to correct it.
If, however, the blood circulation in the
eyes is kept normal by the proper kind of
simple and safe exercise, they continue
healthy, normal and strong.
Besides this nervous strain that I speak of
there are many other features of modern
hfe which tax the eyes unduly.
Our schooling, once confined to tbe simple
rudiments of education, is now so extended
that the book-s of a schoolchild of today
tould cause a child of thirty years ago to
look aghast—hence at tbe threshold of practical
life we start to unduly tax our eyes.
The glitter of city streets,—'the speed of
traffic—the riding in fast trains—the viewing
of scenery from train-windows as it flashes
quickly by—and above all, the habit of reading
every time we have the opportunity in
our busy careers, under all sorts of unfavorable
conditions—these all add to the extraordinary
burden wbich our eyes are asked
and expected to carry witbout assistance of
any kind.
And, remember that though your arms
may rest, your body may recline, and every
limb, and other sense may be to a great extent
dormant at time's, your eyes are always
seeing unless they are closed^always active
during every waking hour.
Hardly any wonder then, that eye strain
is so common and up to recently so many
liave had to call on artificial aid in order to
see at all.
You know the eye is just like a little camera.
It has the lens with the iris opening
which enlarges and contracts agreeably to the
amount of light existing. It also has a dark
chamber which may be compared to- a camera
bellows, and the retina corresponding to^
the sensitive plate. It has; three sets of
muscles—one turns the eyes in any direction,
one controls the iris, and one operates
the focus.
When, through nervous exhaustion or
over-taxation, the circulation of blood in the
eyes becomes weaker than is normal, these
muscles become flabby and refuse to act up
tO' their usual standard, and the eyes do not
focus easily if at all. Premature old-sight is
the result.
The muscles still do their best to focus
properly; eagerly struggle and strain to
properly do tbe work which your brain commands
tbem to do—strain and struggle so
hard in fact that they affect the tired nerves,
and not only cause headaches of wbich this
is the most fruitful cause, but put tbe entire
nervous system under a pressure which extends
to the stomach and digestive organs,
and brings on nausea and dyspepsia.
What eye specialist is there who has not
heard fronr his patient: "Why I had no idea
in the world tbat it could be my eyes." There
arej many physicians in fact, who look to
the eyes for one of the firstcauses of stomach
trouble.
It is perfectly amazing in reviewing the
progress of science, surgery and medicine in
the last fifty years, that the methods of correcting
eye affections, even of tbe simplest
•kind, seem to have been entirely overlooked.
Science in physiology is correcting deformities
which used to require harnesses or mechanical
support Surgery is correcting
displacements which heretofore caused lifelong
confinement. Physicians are departing
more and more from the old-fashioned practice
of continual drugging, and using more
rational methods of restoring and preserving
health.
Eut, until tbe recent discovery of this system
of exercise to which I refer, no matter
bow simple your eye-trouble was, you were
told that you had to wear eye-glasses.
Now eye-glasses are not necessarily to be
despised. They are a great invention in their
way—so are crutches.
But you would not relish the anticipation
•that you had to use crutches all your life—
nor would you. Just as soon as your sprained
ankle, for instance, were in condition to
stand it, your doctor would instruct you to
touch it to the ground gradually and exercise
it to bring back the normal circulation
necessary to enable you to discard your
crutch.
Exactly the same with a broken arm
—exercise it as soon as possible to bring it
back to normal.
Tbe n'earing of eye-glasses is just exactly
like using a crutch for life. Instead of growing
stronger by tbeir use, the eyes gro'v
weaker, and you probably are well aware of
the fact that in order to see perfectly the
wearer of glasses must change them from
time to time for new and stronger ones.
Let us see what authorities say on the
subject of eye massage: Doctor De Schweinitz,
of Philadelphia, Professor of Ophthalmology
in Jefferson College, makes the statement
that in treating so serious a condition
as dreaded cataract of the eye, massage of
the eye-ball "has -been followed by improvement
in vision and deepening of the anterior
chamber," Tbe Medical Record, in writing
of the same serious ailment, urges the
great value of "any means that would bring
an increased blood supply" and considers
tbat "the most feasible plan seem's to be
properly applied massage."
lit would of course be impossible to satisfactorily
or even safely give this massage
(or exercise) with the hands, but this problem
was successfully solved a few years ago
by a New York specialist, who realized
•through experience bow many troubles of
the eyes could be quickly corrected by this
method.
The greatest and most practical inventions
usually seem the simplest and most obvious once
they become known, and this one is no exception
to that rule. So simple is it that anyone can use
it in their own home without instruction, yet it
is so safe that there is not the slightest chance
of giving the eyes anything but great beneflt, no
matter how long they may have been affected.
This system of exercise is fully explained, also
'.many interesting scientific facts about the eyes
are given in a little book on the subject, which
will be sent without cost if you address Charles
A. Tyrrell, M.D., 134 West 65th street. New York,
and mention having read this article in The Christian
(Nation.
It may, with reason, be suggested that at no
time could this system have been perfected more
opportunely than now. At no time has the
world demanded more perfect men and women;
and if your eyes are weak, whether you wear
glasses or not, it is not necessary for any one
to point out its disadvantages—perhaps you even
consider glasses a disfigurement to a certain
degree—surely they are an inconvenience.
Of course you cannot put new muscles in an
eye, as you would a new tire on an automobile,
but you can restore health to these muscles and
give them the same original strength that assures
the thorough performance of their natural
work.
Personally I have seen this system in a few
months make a boy of eighteen entirely independent
of glasses who had worn them continuously
for twelve years; also enable old folks over
sixty to discard their glasses in an incredibly
short time. Therefore, I believe it is safe to assume
that many thousands of spectacles will
cease to be useful as this system becomes generally
known, and I am sure that everyone whose
eyes are affected in any way, whether a wearer
of glasses or not, will be greatly interested in
the little book which tells so much about the
eyes and their care.—Adv..