JUVENILE NEARSIGHTEDNESS. 31 



the city. It had also been my intention to examine the scholars in the high 

 schools, but, owing to some mistakes and misunderstandings, nothing was 

 done in these schools. The method of examination was as follows: Each 

 scholar was tested singly with Sneller's test type at twenty feet distance, in 

 a bright room. Those whose sight was in any way affected were in this 

 way sifted out from those with good sight. After this had been carefully 

 done, in some cases by the teachers, to whose accuracy and care I owe my 

 thanks, and in some by myself, I tested each scholar with defective sight 

 with the series of larger test type, found the exact proportional amount of 

 sight, and then corrected it by convex or concave glasses, as the case might 

 demand. Where no improvement could be obtained by either concave or 

 convex glasses, astigmatic glasses were tried. Some of the scholars with 

 defective vision, which could not be corrected by glasses, were examined 

 with the ophthalmoscope. In regard to the latter point, I regret that I was 

 unable to make more extended search. In all, 2,372 children were thus 

 tested. 



" The results may be thus briefly stated : In the grammar schools I 

 found twenty per cent, of the children with defective sight, and in the pri- 

 mary schools eight and a half per cent. Of these twenty per cent, in the 

 grammar schools, I found sixteen per cent, in all who were at all short- 

 sighted, while ten per cent, of the whole required glasses stronger than 

 thirty-six inches focus to correct the myopia present. Of the eight and a 

 half per cent, in the primary schools, I found seven per cent, who were 

 short-sighted, and of the whole, three and a half per cent, who required 

 glasses stronger than thirty-six inches focus. To repeat, there was ten per 

 cent, myopic, requiring a glass stronger than thirty-six inches focus for cor- 

 rection in the grammar schools, in children from ten to fifteen years of age; 

 and three and a half in the primary schools, in children from five to ten 

 years of age. Myopia was more common, in the proportion of five to four,, 

 among girls than boys, especially in the higher degrees. In quite a num- 

 ber of cases of high degrees of myopia, it was impossible by any kind of 

 glasses to bring about perfect sight, thus showing that short-sight in high 

 degrees is attended with a defect of visual power, and is not a blessing, as 

 some people will persist in insisting upon. 



"The first point on which I would speak is lighting the schoel rooms.. 

 How, then, are they off for light ? In reply it may be said that some of 

 them are remarkably well lighted, and noticeably those of the North School, 

 where the light comes in brightest from one side, and from the other side 

 and rear in subdued amount. Some are moderately well lighted, as those in 

 the High School building, with equal light from both sides ; but where the 

 windows are not cut up high enough toward the ceiling, they do not let in 

 light enough on a gloomy day to make the middle rows of seats desirable 

 for any scholars at all, even those with the sharpest eyesight ; while some, 

 and especially the Park Street Grammar School, are miserably lighted. In 

 this school the light strikes directly in the faces of the scholars, and also 

 directly upon their backs. Thus they have a glare in front and a shadow 

 thrown from behind. Jn this school, and in a school similarly lighted on 

 Brackett street, I found the greatest percentage of defective sight. It 

 always seems to me just as absurd to read with the face directed toward the 

 brightest source of light, thus placing the eyes in the most disadvantageous 

 position possible, as it would be to weigh down one's self with fetters when 

 goingwalking. 



"It is useless to suggest that the teachers of a crowded school might find 

 time to watch the scholars with defective sight, to see that they do not hold 

 their books too close to their eyes, or to make them hold their books up 



