THE EYES 251 



affecting the focusing power. In such cases, vision is 

 hazy and indistinct unless one's work is brought very 

 near. If children persist in holding books abnor- 

 mally near when reading, it is a sure sign that they 

 are nearsighted, or that such trouble is developing. 

 If when a slightly concave glass is placed before their 

 eyes vision becomes more distinct, it is quite certain 

 that the advice of an oculist should be sought. 



Some years ago the government of Germany, alarmed 

 at the large number of young men unfit for military 

 service because of shortsightedness, ordered an inves- 

 tigation. The expert oculists who conducted this 

 investigation reported that the principal cause of 

 the prevalence of shortsightedness was that so many 

 children were stooping over their books while studying 

 in school. The government thereupon ordered that 

 iron frames which would prevent such stooping position 

 should be fastened to the desk of any children showing 

 a tendency to form such a harmful habit. The de- 

 crease of shortsightedness in Germany, since that time, 

 is ample proof of the wisdom of the government in 

 starting such a practice. 



Because of the increased amount of close work 

 required by lessons, nearsightedness may be noticed 

 at any period from the time a child enters school until 

 about the age of twenty-three. Few cases develop 

 at a later period in life, for the eye tissues, like those 

 of the rest of the body, gradually become tougher and 

 less plastic as we grow older. The same reason ex- 



