THE "MOVING-PICTURE EYE."

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13910, 8 December 1910, Page 6

THE "MOVING-PICTURE EYE."

New occasions teach new duties, and new conditions brins new diseases in their train. The tobacco heart is quite an old friend, and the "motor look" has been recognised by some specialists for a good while. Now we are told that thero is such a disorder as "mov-"ing-picture eye." Seventy-five per cent, of the recruits for the Canadian Navy are snid to be afflicted with tobacco heart and "moving-picture "eye," or perhaps the "and" should be "or" —it is doubtful which is tho correct interpretation of tne message. But even the more favourable reading is serious enough from the new Navy's point of view. One is accustomed to regard colonial physique as in the nature of things superior to English, but of late years there have been quite a number of indications that tho colonies should bo careful not to boast too much about their strong, clear-eyed sons. Apparently a considerable proportion of Canada's sons are anything hut clear-eyed. Following the flickering film has injured their eyes in some way. Perhaps they carry before them continually visions of men being run over by traction-engines and then resuscitated by bicycle-pump, or of trains dashing round mountains, or of some of the scenes in those tabloid dramas so popular in the cinematograph theatres. No doubt Canada, which is in many things American, has been stricken by the moving-picture craze to the same degree as its great neighbour. It is estimated that in New York alone there are 450 mov-ing-picture ."shows," some of which charge only a nickel or a dime for an hour's entertainment, and at which the pictures, if report speaks truly, are poor in quality. Whatever it is that has affected the sight of these youths, it can readily bo seen how serious it is for a man entering the Navy. Serric© there demands now a keener ey© and altogether a steadier nerve than it ever did. Particularly is this so with the

J man behind the .gun. In Nelson's time

it was a case, of laying one's ship alongside the enemy and pounding him to pieces. Now it is a question of .standing: fcorr.e miles off anil trying to drop enormous shelL- on to an almost invisible target. The man behind a Li-inch gun must have a crystal-clear eye and nerves of .steel. If wo remember rightly the direct connection between indigestion and poor naval gunnery has been proved. Similarly it may Ik? shown that a gun-captain cannot, from the ooint of view of efficiency, afford

to tako his sweetheart to a movingpicture tdiow when on leave. The naval battle of the future may bo lost in the cinematograph theatres of Loudon. Berlin, or New York.