Stories from the Clinic

Chapter 1: Experiences with School Children, part 5/5

I am anxious to tell about fifteen school girls, all from one class of Public School No. 90, New York City, Their ages ranged from nine to fourteen years. On January 5th, 1922, they first appeared. That day Dr. Bates and I had to plead for admission into our own room.

In addition to these school girls, about thirty adults, also were waiting for treatment, and all of them made a rush for us when we arrived. I found that the teacher of the girls, who was very near-sighted, was being treated by Dr. Bates at his office. The progress she was making encouraged her to send to the clinic those of her class who were wearing glasses. When I asked who came first all hands went up at once.

I could see from the start that I should have my hands full. The girls' faces wore a strained expression and, because of their actions and their manner my heart went out, not only to them, but to their poor near-sighted teacher.

Three out of the fifteen girls had squint, and two of the three were sisters. These sisters, Helen, aged 10, and Agnes, aged 12, both had squint of the left eye. Helen read 15/20 with both eyes, with glasses on. With glasses off she read 15/40. After palming and resting her eyes, the right improved to 15/20, and the squinting left eye Improved to 15/30 without glasses. On January 17th, she read 15/15 with each eye separately. Agnes, whose squint was worse than Helen's, had 15/70 in the left eye on January 5th, and on January 17th improved to 15/20. The right eye improved from 15/40 to 15/15 from January 5th to January 17th.

Frieda, who also had squint of the left eye, improved from 15/40 to 15/15 in the same length of time. Her right eye had normal sight. All the rest of the fifteen, I discovered, were near-sighted.

Mary the youngest and best behaved was nine years old. On the first day she came she was suffering from terrible pain in her eyes and head. After she had closed her eyes and rested them for a short time the pain went away and her sight Improved from 15/40 to 15/20. Mary, however, failed to practice at home as she was told; nevertheless, the pain did not return even though her sight had not further improved.

Muriel and another' Mary had progressive myopia. Muriel became so frightened the first day she came that she ran out of the clinic as fast as she could. She feared that the doctor would apply drops or hurt her in some way. Next day at school, Mary told her what she had missed by running away. Later, after three visits to the clinic, Muriel became more enthusiastic, and even made better progress than Mary. Muriel's sight improved from 15/70 to 10/10. Palming, resting her eyes, did this for her. She practiced faithfully at home.

Mary's vision was 15/15 with glasses. Without them 15/30. Twelve days later her sight had become as good without glasses, as it had been previously with them. She also practiced faithfully, and her father became interested and helped Mary at home with her chart. The remainder of the fifteen had about the same degree of myopia, and all were eager to be cured. It was encouraging to see them Improve after they had rested their eyes for just a few minutes.

When I had finished with these cases, Dr. Bates called •my attention to a girl from the same school, who had opacity of the cornea of the left eye. She was twelve years old, and had had this trouble since she was a year old. She had no perception of light at all In that eye when she came. On her second visit to the clinic, she could see light in the left eye for the first time. -- On January 17th, twelve days later, she began to see the letters of the test card. Six weeks later her vision became normal, with the disappearance of the corneal opacity. Dr. Bates was astounded, for he never saw such a case recover before. It was the long swing that helped her most.

Is it a crime to help the sight of these poor children? Should they be forced to keep on wearing glasses to benefit the man who sells them? I am willing, and want to devote the rest of my We to this wonderful work, but we need help instead of criticism. Some mothers are helping the children in their homes. Teachers who are being cured of imperfect sight without glasses, have a very beneficial influence upon the children. But the prejudice of some of the authorities, based on ignorance of the truth, is a stumbling block. If they would only investigate the facts, we would all be better satisfied.

The second visit of these children to the clinic Is one to be remembered. On January 7th, Dr. Bates and I arrived somewhat late to be greeted by an excited nurse. I knew that something unusual had happened, because this particular nurse had an even disposition. How my heart ached to hear her say, that, never in all her life, had she come in contact with such bad girls) One of them had invaded a doctor's room and placed herself hi the operating chair. A team of horses could not move her. Others yelled so loud that the doctors could not hear themselves talk. Well, I cannot explain in writing just how I felt. I treated each one with tears In my eyes and a lump In my throat. I had planned to share between them some test cards to practice with at home, but I sent them home without them that day.

On January 14th, they informed me that the- school doctor said they must put on their glasses again, regardless of the fact that the sight of all of them bad improved. The mothers felt quite differently about it, however, and they declared that their children should not put on their glasses again, no matter what the school nurse or doctor ordered. After that, my girls became willing assistants, and were more determined than ever to be cured. I will confess that I had no easy time of it, but when they saw that I meant real business, rapid progress was made, which interested Dr. Bates very much. I promised them a real party at our office, with ice-cream 'n everything, just as soon as they all could read 20/20 on the test card, whereupon one of them yelled, "Oh, boy, me for normal sight!"

They asked for test cards, which I was glad to give to them for practice at home. Instead of playing on the streets after school they went to each other's homes to practice for an hour or more. Then I was taken ill and was absent from my precious clinic for two months. My pain was bad enough, but my heartache for this group of girls, who might lose interest in being cured without glasses while I was away, was a greater pain.

During my illness I stayed at one of the large hotels in New York City. One afternoon while I was convalescing, my nurse answered the telephone in my room. She turned toward me and with a frightened look, she said: "The operator says there are a lot of wild Indians in the lobby asking for permission to visit Mrs. Lierman."

Well, I had no more pain, no more heartache, for I knew they must be my rascals from the clinic. I answered: "Please have them come up."

When they filed in, one would have thought they were angels, and that they always had been angels. How glad I was to see them, and oh, how glad they were to see me!

Yes, they had good news, -- they practiced faithfully, and if I would only get well soon and come back, they would show me that nearly all of my precious jewels had normal sight.

I did return to them at the clinic very soon after that, with the aid of crutches, and was mighty glad to get back. The fifteen girls were all there, and each one in turn stood twenty feet away from the test card, and read the twenty line for me. When my strength returned, we arranged for the party which was to be some time in April.

We spent an hour at the clinic before the party, and when we arrived, a surprise was awaiting us. Thirteen kiddles were all arrayed In their Sunday best, and two of them presented us with bouquets of roses and carnations. These flowers came from grateful mothers, and I am certain that it meant a sacrifice to them. The coming event must have had a good effect upon their sight, for twelve of them read 20/20 that day with each eye separately on strange cards.

Two were not there. One of them stayed away because she had put her glasses on again. The teacher informed me that she did not do so well in her studies, nor with her reading on the blackboard, after she had put on her glasses. Later, when the girl took off her glasses again, she was immediately benefited by the treatment, and soon obtained normal sight. She became more accurate in all her studies.. I was told that previously, while wearing glasses, she read figures incorrectly, and usually made serious mistakes. This particular girl was one of the most nervous and unruly of any girl patient I have had. She worried her school teacher, because she found it hard to be truthful. During her treatment, Dr. Bates and I noticed, that, as her vision Improved, she became less nervous and her teacher said there was a marked improvement in her conduct in school.

After clinic was over, two taxicabs drove the kiddies with the doctor and myself, through the East Drive of Central Park. The flowers were budding here and there, and it was like a moving picture show to watch the kiddies. One of them asked me if skunk cabbages grew in the park, and who fed the squirrels in the winter time. Another, though born in New York City, had never been to Central Park nor to the country. The party was a decided success.

Right In the midst of our fun two persons called from Washington, D.C., for an interview with Dr. Bates. There he was, a boy all over again, playing parlor-games, and laughing heartily with the kiddles, as though he had not a care in the world. I allowed the visitors, who came such a long distance to see him, to have only five minutes of his time; otherwise it would have been a great disappointment to him to be denied the company of the children. A game of forfeits was played, and when Dr. Bates was called upon to forfeit something, he gave his retinoscope. It was held over the head of the kneeling child, who was the arbiter of the fate of the owner.

"What should the owner do to redeem it?" was asked, and the answer was: "The owner must go to the next room and read the Snellen test card at ten feet, from top to bottom without a mistake." The doctor promptly obeyed; while two of the children went with him, to see that it was read correctly.

I could go on telling more of the funny things that happened on that wonderful occasion, but I would like to add what the chUdren said, as they filed out of the room: "Thank you for the party, hut thank you most of all. Dr. Bates, for joining us in the fun."

I should like to say also that I have discovered that Dr. Bates is very fond of ice-cream. I can prove it because he did not refuse the third helping.

To me, Christmas is the most wonderful day in the year. To hosts of boys and girls throughout the world, it is the happiest day. But there are other little folks -- all too many of them -- who do not know Its meaning, and whom Santa Claus seems to have quite forgotten.

This fact was brought home to me very forcibly during my first few years at the clinic. Just before Christmas, a boy of seven years 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 slight squint of the right eye, I was not surprised to find later that this inflammation was caused by uncleanliness. Before treating him I asked him what he expected from Santa Claue. He looked up at me and said:

"Oh, he ain't never came to our house. I only sees him in the store windows."

"But you do 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 child, but ray present thought was to treat him. No, I did not begin with panning this tune. 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 a week or more. I 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 taught 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 a very short time his right eye improved to 15/30. I promised him that Santa Claus would surely have a present for him at Christmas time if he would cover his eyes to rest them many times every day.

The progress he made was good. A week later he read 15/15 with the right eye, and only at intervals did the eye turn in when he began to strain, X learned later that his father was in jail for theft. He had to mother his little sister and baby brother, who sat in a high chair most of the day, while his sickly mother went out to work. Yet he found time to practice. 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 and the daily use of water.

The day before Christmas I purchased a Christmas tree with some trimmings, and filled a ba*k«t with good thing* to tat. I ulio h*d a little gift for each chtld in the family. On Christmas eve I brought them to his home. The poverty I found there wrung my heart, but I had the pleasure 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. She was thin and qareworn, she hardly ate her share of the hot meal I helped her prepare. Not once did she speak of her husband, but I have a suspicion that she loved him.

Shortly afterward the boy's visits to the clinic ceased, and on going to his home again, I found the scanty belongings of the family upon the sidewalk, all covered with freshly fallen snow. I tried to find them, for I wanted so much to help them if I could, but my efforts were in vain. Next day I returned 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 to make my big family at the clinic happy. Since then, every child and adult who came to us was remembered in some way at Christmas time, although we were not permitted to have a tree at the hospital. Incidently, I found that speaking of Santa Claus was an invaluable aid in helping the eyes. Mothers often warned me that their children would not obey my directions. I would listen, of course, and then I would talk baseball or Santa Claus, according to the season of the year. The scheme never failed to bring good results. I have known the most restless of small boys to sit on a stool, or »tand in a corner, for ten mlnutes or longer without moving, while X would tell the story of "The Night Before Christmas." It is also astonishing how much 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 my boys admired him, he would provide more seats for them at some of his games, and I think, too, that he wouldn't mind playing Santa Claus and providing baseballs for some of my patients, as he has for many other boys. I am sure nothing would make them happier, even though baseballs are of little use in a city that does not provide enough playgrounds for its children.

Santa Claus, as I said, is a fair rival of baseball, and appeals to girls and boys alike. I begin during the month of September to talk of the visits he makes to the clinic every year, and the result is magical.

Joseph, nine years old, waa quite unmanageable at first, and could not be enticed to palm, nor even to stand still long enough for me to test his sight. At one time I 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 a school nurse for glasses. His eyes were so sensitive to light, that he could only partly open them. 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."

The suggestion worked splendidly. He read the card with both eyes together and with each eye separately, getting most of the letters on the forty line at fifteen feet. He palmed when I showed him how, and before he left, his sight had improved to 15/20. After he had palmed for ten minutes or longer, his mother remarked how wide his eyes opened. Joseph came quite regularly after that, and was grateful for the gift Santa Claus brought htm at Christmas time. Even though he was cured in a few weeks, he continued to come, just to say "Hello" to the doctor and myself.

Shortly before Christmas I treated a little girl whose age I cannot exactly remember, I should imagine that she was nine or ten years old. Her wistful eyes looked up into mine, and I surmised 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 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, because I was poor myself. However, I doubt if these useful things would have made her as happy as did the dolly and the necklace which I ultimately gave her, and which cost only a trifle. She was so overcome with joy that she could scarcely talk.

There was nothing seriously wrong with her eyes, but she was under a nervous strain which caused her sight to blur at times. This I soon corrected, and she was very happy when told that she did not need glasses.

We are no longer at the Harlem Hospital Clinic, and I keep wondering if my beloved kiddies will be taken care of at Christmas time, or whether they will be neglected. I miss them very much. Each year we have a tree at our new clinic, distribute gifts as hi the past, and extend our good cheer as far as it will reach. But my heart goes out to the dear ones we have left behind in that other clinic.

I shall try to paint a mental picture of our last Christmas with them. Little Patrick had been coming to us for eight weeks or so before Christmas. His difficulty was in seeing the blackboard in school. His teacher had sent him to us for glasses and offered to pay for them herself, as was explained in a note which Patrick had with him. He was such a dear little fellow, and one of the best behaved boys in her class, she said; his family was very poor, but they were good people, and for that reason she wanted to pay for the glasses.

On Patrick's first visit, Dr. Bates examined his eyes and said he was near-sighted. With the test card his vision was 15/100 with each eye. He did not like to palm, but he kept his eyes closed for over half an hour as he was told. On that day his vision Improved to 15/20, which was unusual. I told him to rest his eyes by closing them often every day. The second week in December he read 15/10 on the test card with each eye.

When Patrick was told to come for his Christmas gift -- and perhaps an orange with some candies -- he begged for permission to bring his baby sister and three brothers. I believe it was an unselfish thought on his part, because he could not very well accept a gift when his sister and brothers had none. He was invited to bring his family to the Christmas party, and when I saw him that day he was radiant with smiles.

Our room surely looked as though Santa Claus had left his pack there. In one corner of the room several dozen dolls were arranged, waiting with their arms outstretched for the little girls. An operating table was loaded with games and toys for our boys. Large Florida oranges, enough for every one, both young and old, filled another cctrner of the room. Cornucopias, decorated with tinsel and filled with candies, were hung all about, a pretty sight to see. Dr. Bates, himself, arranged them on the windows and screens, and wherever they possibly could hang. The doctors and nurses from other clinics of the Harlem Hospital came to our room and admired the arrangements. Dr. Bates was very much excited about it.all, and his face lighted up with smiles as the children and adults entered the room. He watched the expressions of the little ones, and his heart was filled with joy, because his clinic family was so happy.

For several years it had been our pleasure to greet Dr. Neuer in our room at the Christmas party. It was his delight to take one of the dollies and go from room to room, displaying that doll with alt the joy of giving. Children suffering with tuberculosis, of whom many were cured by him, were never forgotten at Christmas time. When his eyes began to trouble him he'came to Dr. Bates, and was cured without glasses. He did not mind In the least standing with the rest of our clinic patients, and when Dr. Bates invited him to his office, he said the dispensary was good enough for him. Shortly after our last Christmas party there, he was taken seriously ill with pneumonia, and died. He was beloved so by the poor that we know they will miss him, for he was a good Samaritan. He gave his life for his best friends, —his clinic patients.

For ten years I have watched the happy faces of girls and boys at Christmas time. Tired mothers, with sick babies in their arms, also received their share of useful gifts. Dr. Bates, though he was always busy, found time to hand eac,h of his patients a gift, and to wish them a Merry Christmas.

Bridget, the Dispensary scrub woman, who had heard some weeks before that our patients were to have a treat again, decided, all of a sudden, that her eyes needed treatment. Just to please hen we prescribed some harmless eyedrops, for there was really nothing the matter with her eyes. She was big, fat, and good-natured, and walked around as though she owned the place. Bridget wanted to be our patient at least until Christmas time, so we allowed her to fool us.

On the day the gifts were distributed, a colored woman brought her little girl to be treated for an Infection of her eyes, and was waiting to be attended. Instead of being pleased at all the pretty toys she saw, she looked very sad and downhearted. After Dr. Bates had treated the little girl, he sent her to me for a dollie. The mother begged me not to give her one, because she had two younger children at home who would not have any Christmas on account of their poverty. The little girl was taken care of by me, while the mother was sent home post haste, to bring the little brother and sister. She returned with her brood, and the tears came to her eyes when a doll was given to each of her girls and a mouth-organ to the little boy. Mother's arms were filled with oranges and candy, and there were no more tears. This little family had always been well provided for while the husband and father was living, but he was killed while at work, and the mother, being In 111 health, found it very hard to keep her family together. Before she would accept a gift from us, I had to convince her that she was not accepting charity, and that real friends were merely sharing their gifts with us at the clinic.

I wish everyone who contributed to our Christmas Fund could have been with us on the Christmas of 1923. We had our first tree. Not only did our clinic patients enjoy it, but our private patients as well. I fear, too, that on more than one occasion, a private patient was kept waiting much longer than he cared to wait, while Dr. Bates hovered around that Christmas tree. Dr. Bates does not like to neglect his work, but that tree needed his attention, he thought, even though he was keeping his patients waiting. His orders were not to purchase anything cheap. The clinic family is precious to him and must have the best of everything. When it came time to distribute the toys and candies to the children, I saw him peeping in at the doorway, and this added pleasure of having a tree for them did him a world of good. The children all love him because he does so much for them.

At the Harlem Hospital we were not permitted to have a tree In our section, but the Christmas spirit prevailed In our room there just the same. Deep down In my heart, I wished each year to have a tree, In addition to gifts for our patients at the clinic. With the reserve left over from the year before, which was big enough to bring; happiness for all, we were able to have gifts, and a tree that reached from the floor to the catling.

Everyone connected with our office helped to trim the tree, which stood in a corner of the reception room where it could be seen by all. Pretty dolls for the little girls peeped from beneath the lower branches. Games and mechanical toys were placed where every boy could choose the one he liked best. There were toys also for the smaller children, suitable gifts for the men and women and boxes of candy for everyone. At this time one of our patients was suddenly taken away from his wife and two little children. He had tuberculosis and was sent to an institution. Before he left he told me that he did not mind his suffering at all, but he was thinking of the cheerless Christmas that confronted his wife and children. However, it was not so cheerless as he expected It to be. A friend of mine supplied them with a turkey, and our Santa Claus did the rest. You never saw such a happy family. We were doubly repaid for our labor of love because at the time every patient responded to the treatment. Some were cured before Christmas time, but they were invited to come and share in the Christmas cheer just the game. Many of them came.

Something happened which was not at all expected nor planned. The son of a multi-millionaire, who was being treated by Dr. Bates at this time, came at his appointed hour. He stood and looked at the tree with great approval. It was aglow with colored electric lights. Then he spied the toys and shouted with joy. All of a sudden he disappeared. He was found later with Dr. Bates, asking the doctor questions that had nothing to do with the treatment of his eyes. Some of his questions were:

"Which toy is mine, doctor? Can I have the one I like best? Did Santa really leave this one or that one for me?"

His aunt, who was with him, was mortified. She made all sorts of apologies, imploring the doctor not to listen to him. "Why," said she, "He has money in his pocket now, to spend as he sees fit."

The doctor apparently paid no attention to her. His eyes were fixed on the little rich boy, who could appreciate a toy meant for a poor little lad. Dr. Bates informed him that the clinic Santa Claus would be pleased to have him select the toy he liked best, for we really had more than enough to go around.

There were fishing ponds, and mechanical boxers, supposed to be Jack Dempsey and his opponent. The latter was a great delight to the little fellow, so we did not have to guess which one he wanted.

A dear old man from the Blind Man's Home was very grateful for a package given him by a private patient.

One little girl, after she had chosen her dolly, said she didn't know that Santa Claus loved her so much.

I want to thank my friends who made all this possible, and to wish that their every Christmas be a merry one.

We had a lively time at the clinic last Christmas season, 1924. Many poor souls were made happy at that time, because of the generous contributions received throughout the year for the clinic fund,

I still keep up the old custom of telling a Christmas story to my younger patients. Every time they come for treatment, I tell them to palm their eyes, and then I try to improve their memory and imagination, which always improves their sight. It is necessary to remind a child of pleasant things, and what is more wonderful to the child mind than a Christmas tree laden with toys and candies? While I am treating boys and girls at the age of twelve or older, I talk about ice skating or sleigh rides, hills of snow, the pure whiteness of the drifts, or I tell them to imagine they are making snow balls. This helps to improve their vision for the test card and relieves tension or pain. Young men and women who work in shops usually find it a benefit to Imagine that objects about them are moving all day. I tell them to blink slowly, but constantly, and shift their eyes while blinking. This stops the stare which causes so much body fatigue. If I have had a hard day, treating the most difficult cases, I find it a great help to palm and remember some of my childhood days. I think back to the night before Christmas. Mothers will find it a great help in improving their own sight if they make a daily habit of spending ten or fifteen minutes with their children, palming and resting. Children can easily form mental pictures while palming, especially remembering the Christmas decorations in store windows, the funny mechanical toys, and animals that move about when they are wound up. Recalling or imagining such things, while their eyes are closed, helps to relieve the mind of school studies, which sometimes cauae strain. Adults, especially mothers, listen to me while I am describing such things to the children in the clinic. When it comes time to treat the older patients, I find it quite easy to have them remember how surprised their children were on Christmas morning, when the tree and toys were discovered.

It was necessary to find out the ages of the children •o that we could purchase suitable and useful gifts for them. There were sewing baskets for the older girls, and handkerchiefs, three in a box, for mothers and fathers. For the littli ftrll, wi hid tht *MWt d«UUl which we purchased at a reasonable price. Little boys received games and toys of all sorts, and enough money was given to a mother to buy a pair of baby shoes for her youngest,

One mother, who came quite regularly for several months before Christmas, was made very happy the day of our festival. She was invited to bring all of her children. There were seven and not one boy among them, Dear old Pop from the Blind Men's Home of Brooklyn, was too feeble to be with us, but we remembered him just the same. Good smoking tobacco and some wearing apparel were sent to him and he was overjoyed.

While we were distributing the gifts, I suddenly remembered about the little rich boy who enjoyed a poor boy's gift the year before. I was a little sorry not to have another rich boy at this time. There were a few toys left, and no more boys to receive them. The last little girl had received her doll and departed. There was one doll left behind. She was perched among the lower branches and looked rather lonesome. There waa no one to claim her. I was rearranging the lights on the tree while all was quiet. When I turned away from the tree, I saw a little rich girl from the West, admiring the lonesome dollie. Her mother stood behind her wondering what would happen next. Dr. Bates also appeared on the scene, and when he nodded his head toward the little girl and then the doll, I understood what he meant. Both arms of the little girl reached out for a poor girl's gift. She held that dollie as though It were the only one in the world. I have learned so much about private and clinic patients, and t am glad to find that all boys and girls feel the same whether they are rich or poor. their hearts beat alike at Christmas time.

Many thanks to my friends who make our clinic family happy at Christmas time.

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