THE BLACKNESS OF ETERNAL NIGHT

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1509, 31 January 1901, Page 14

THE BLACKNESS OF ETERNAL NIGHT

A MILLIONAIRE’S I-LTRI) FATE

A remarkable story relating to the blindness of a New York millionaire is~ related by the Washington correspondent of the ' “Chronicle.” Mr Rouss, the gentleman in question, made a fortune by hard work—far too hard work to be wholesome—toiling away for hours daily, and at night studied the stars through a telescope. The double strain proved too. much for his sight, and he became totally blind. When he first began to lose his sight he consulted some of the world’s most eminent oculists, all of whom told him that his case was abso<lutely hopeless. He refused to accept the verdict, and announced that he would pay a million dollars to* anyone who could effect a cure, hoping that it would stimulate investigation and induce some man to devote all his energies to finding the remedy. It was also eminently characteristic of the man that he stuck stolidly to his desk, and refused to take time from his business .to be experimented upon. He discovered a man who was suffering from the same form of blindness—a disease of the optic nerves—and on this man the oculists made their experiments. Everything that their skill could suggest, and the hope of the princely fortune could inspire, was tried, but all without avail, and Mr Rouss has now withdrawn liis offer, and has resigned himself to perpetual darkness for the rest of his life, which will probably last for many years, as, barring his blindness, he is a man of excellent health. Blind though he is, he attends to his business with the same devotion as in his younger days, and epenus many hours having his letters read to him and dictating their answers. The man who was used b’.y the doctors to experiment on has been given a pension for life.