476 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



because the shadow of the haud falls ou that part of the paper at which we 

 are looking. Light from behind is still worse, because the head and upper 

 part of the body throw a shadow on the book ; but the light that comes 

 from the front and falls on the face is by far the worst of all, for, in the 

 first place, it does not attain the object desired, and, next, it is most hurtful 

 to the eyes. It is hurtful because, firstly, the retina becomes fatigued by 

 the full glare upon it, and the diffused light renders the comparatively dark 

 images of the printing and writing more difficult to be perceived. Secondly, 

 the position assumed by the children, in order to avoid the disturbing in- 

 fluences of the light, places the. axis of the eye in a very unfavourable 

 direction, which, as I have already mentioned, induces short sight, differ- 

 ences in the sight of the two eyes, and certain weakness of the muscle of 

 the eye. 



If, in consequence of such bad light, the child is necessitated to hold 

 the book high up to the face to distinguish the letters clearly, then the 

 consequence will be as before mentioned. The human eyes are moved in 

 different directions by six muscles. The muscles of both eyes can only be 

 brought into contemporaneous action in a certain way. Thus we can only 

 move both eyes at the same time up or down, or bring them together from 

 parallelism to convergence, and vice versa. Of the possible combination of 

 the muscles, some can be brought into action for a length of time, others 

 only for a few seconds. Thus we can only with an effort look at a near 

 object if it is higher than the eye. On the contrary, we can look with ease 

 at an object equally distant if it is below the eye. Therefore you must not 

 think that the natural position of the book while reading depends upon 

 chance. It is a physiological necessity ; if we strive against it the eye 

 becomes fatigued, and, if the effort is repeated regularly and for a long 

 time, a derangement of the harmonious action of the muscles of the eye is 

 the consequence. 



I have dwelt on these matters exhaustively in a lecture on the human 

 eye which I delivered four years ago in Auckland. I also laid a special 

 stress not only on the pernicious effects of bad light, but also of bad print. 

 Books badly printed or with very small type are certainly not fit for con- 

 tinued use, for in many cases an eye-disease is imprinted therein. In order 

 to prove to you what importance is attached to clearly-printed books at 

 Home, let me state that some years ago the Ministerial Board of Educa- 

 tion in Germany condemned over half a million of books by reason of their 

 indistinct type. 



With regard to the various positions of the desks and seats, let me quote 

 again Professor Sibreich, who says it is difficult to give an account of the 

 reason for the positions those desks and seats occupy ; in fact, they appear 



