The optical manual, or, handbook of instructions for the guidance of surgeons in testing the range and quality of vision of recruits and others seeking employment in the military services of Great Britain, and in distinguishing and dealing with optical defects among the officers and men already engaged in them / by T. Longmore.

  • Thomas Longmore
Date:
1885
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The optical manual, or, handbook of instructions for the guidance of surgeons in testing the range and quality of vision of recruits and others seeking employment in the military services of Great Britain, and in distinguishing and dealing with optical defects among the officers and men already engaged in them / by T. Longmore. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by UCL Library Services. The original may be consulted at UCL (University College London)

    8/210
    ensure accuracy of aim under conditions similar to those which are likely to occur when the soldier is engaged actively in the field ; but whatever may be the mode of instruction, so long as the rifle is such as it is, and objects of limited sizes, such as men, are to be fired at from distances of eight or nine hundred yards and upwards, an adequate power of eyesight must evidently be the prime ingredient necessary to ensure the success of the marksman. The more this fact is appreciated, the more the importance will be felt of giving attention to the subject of the quality of eyesight of every one who aspires to effective employment of a rifle. It hardly seems too much to anticipate that, in respect to army ser- vice, at some future time the visual quality of every recruit will be as much recorded on his entry into the army as his height, chest measurement, weight, or any other of his physical conditions which are now registered ; for some of them, considering all the sanitary precautions and personal care that are now taken to ]>reserve the physical efiiciency and good health of the soldier, have lost much of the importance that belonged to them in former days, and can hardly be regarded as equal in value to the amount of visual power which the man possesses, so far as his usefulness during the period he is engaged on active service is concerned. Military efficiency, the personal safety of troops, and economy of expenditure of ammunition, are all involved in the capacity of soldiers for making an accurate use of the firearms placed in their hands. It is certain that the capabilities of the rifle can only be completely turned to account by persons who possess normal acute- ness of vision, at least as regards the right eye, and it seems to be manifestly important, therefore, that the qualifications of each man who is destined to be a rifleman should be thoroughly known on liis starting in the service ; so that, on the one hand, the time and efforts of instructors may not be wasted in trying to teach men matters which from natural causes they may be totally incompetent to acquire, whatever labour may be devoted by themselves or others to the attempt, and also, on the other hand, that the men may be distinguished and made known to commanding officers, who ])Ossess the necessary optical qualities for becoming sure and reliable marksmen. Not improbably as further advances are made in musketry instruction, a greater influence will be exerted by physiological optics on certain parts of the teaching. The objects painted on