WHY DRUNKARDS SEE DOUBLE

North Otago Times, 3 September 1910, Page 2 (Supplement)

WHY DRUNKARDS SEE DOUBLE

In the first place it is essential that the " elevated " party must have two good eyes. No amount of liquor would make a one-eyed man see two half-crown where only one exists, When we wish to see distinctly we adjust the eyes by converging them more or less so that the image falls upon the sensitive point of the retina (the sensitive screen at the back of the eyeball). If the object is too far off to enable us'to get a. distinct image in either eye, the eyes are so constructed that they can bring the object nearer the lens, thus getting a clear sight of the object. Both eyes may be moved either upward or downward or to the right or to the left, but it is impossible to direct one of them upward and the other downward. If we converge the cjes so that the two images fall on the sensitive point of the corresponding retinas we get in the brain a sharp image. If, however, from any cause we are not able to ■ move the eyeballs so as to let this image fall squarely on the retina we see double. This seeing double can be. caused by temporary or permanent paralysis of the muscles of the eyeballs. Under the influence of stron? drinh the controlling muscles of the eye, like others.of the body, are not under command, hence some drunken men stammer in their speech, others stagger in their walk, and others see double.