OPTICAL ASSOCIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22285, 11 June 1934, Page 4

OPTICAL ASSOCIATION

THE HISTORY OF SPECTACLES. Mr Peter Dick was the lecturer at the last meeting of the Otago and Southland Optical Association, taking as his subject “The Eyes and Ancient China.” In his paper he pointed out that there was still some considerable doubt as to whom actually belonged the credit of originating spectacles. As far as their therapeutical use was concerned, however, historical data left little doubt that spectacles with crystals were used in China as a remedial agent in diseases as early as the time of Confuscius (Sol--47 9 n.c.), and even earlier, but there was no evidence to show that they were used for refractive purposes until the twelfth century. The first reference was made by Marco Polo, who was in China about the year 1368, when he briefly mentioned that old people used lenses with which to read line print. The next reference was made in the texts of the Ming Dynasty (1388-1644 A.D.), where it was recorded that a certain Chinese gentleman gave a fine white horse for a pair of spectacles, thus indicating the high valuation placed upon the latter. Ancient Chinese craftsmen, said Mr Dick, had for long regarded as their patron saint one, Cho Tso by name, who lived some 3000 years ago, and who was apparently the first practical optician. It was he who attempted the treatment of eye defects and diseases and mastered the only practical solution held out by Nature—transparent crystal, ground by sand and pure water and held in front of the eyes by the sturdy shell of the tortoise, all of which lay ready to hand in the mountains and streams, being placed there for this obvious purpose. His spirit was said to be present in all mountainous localities where there might be found a combination of rock crystal, tortoiseshell, water, and sandy-bottomed streams. These four elements were the optician’s - basic material, none of which could be easily dispensed with, and the mountainous regions of Shensi and Manchuria were regarded as being particularly rich in these necessities. Later craftsmen evolved synthetic products such as brass and glass, but the properly prepared tortoiseshell and crystal in its pure state remained the more durable materials.

In concluding his paper, Mr Dick pointed out that modern optical treatment for the cure of squint was foreshadowed, even if unintentionally, by the Chinese philosopher, Confucius, who once supplied a cross-eyed cobbler with a pair of spectacles that he might see to do his work. Great was the surprise and joy of the cobbler when he found that not only did the crystals strengthen his sight, but actually straightened the squint.