I am glad that you have appropriately referred to the 'Bates Method'
as magic, for that is what it truly is.

The name of this group is sci.med.vision, to describe its focus on the
'science' of vision, i.e. visual science, SANS the magic.

Dear Zet,

Subject: What is the Bates "Method".

Ater reaing Bates extensively, I find only on clear statement of
"Method" -- as
stated here:
.
From Bates' 1913 study -- "The Method"

============================

THE METHOD.

A Snellen test card was placed permanently where all the pupils could
see it from their seats. Daily the teachers recommended all the
children to silently read the card with each eye separately, covering
the other eye with the palm of the hand in such a way as to avoid
pressure on the eyeball.

Records were made with the same card or with an unfamiliar card for
testing the vision. This matter is discussed below. Each line of the
Snellen card is designated by a number which indicates the feet that
the line should be read by the normal eye. Records of the vision are
written in the form of a fraction: The numerator of the fraction
represents the distance in feet of the pupil from the card while the
denominator denotes the number which designates the lowest line read.
Records were usually submitted as follows:

Public School No. 46, W. A. Boylan, principal.
E. 6A., J. Hiesel. T., 27
D., 27
I., 27
N., 25
W., 0
February, 1913. April, 1913. June, 1913.

R. L. R. L. R. L.

John D. ...... 20/100 20/50 20/50 20/40 20/20 20/20

Sanford G. ... 20/50 27/70 20/30 20/40 20/15 20/20

[N.B. Changed their Status from 20/70 range to normal from February to
June.
Believe it -- or not.  OSB]

Public School No. 6.

The first school authorized to try the method was Public School No. 6.
Miss K. D. Blake, principal. In November, 1911, she permitted me to
test and record the vision of 115 pupils. Later, she informed me that
a medical inspector examined the same children and found my record
correct.

In one class room she observed me relieve the defective vision of five
pupils in fifteen minutes with the aid of the Snellen card. She was
told that the teachers were able to improve the vision of all pupils
in the same simple way and thus, logically, prevent myopia.

The memorized Snellen test card aroused much scepticism. Its value for
testing the vision was questioned by most teachers. To settle the
matter, Miss Blake had the vision of 1.500 pupils tested, January,
1912, with a memorized Snellen card by the teachers. Soon afterward,
the vision of the same 1.500 pupils was tested with an unfamiliar
Snellen card. The tabulated records of both tests were sent at his
request to Gustave Straubemüller, associate superintendent, with the
following conclusion: "The figures submitted are interesting and it
would seem as though Doctor Bates had, to a certain extent, proved his
point." The test was repeated in June, 1913, and the memorized Snellen
card was again found satisfactory for testing the vision. Objective
tests were conclusive, and demonstrated the interesting fact that
school children did not deceive themselves or others, when their
vision was tested with a memorized Snellen card. When a pupil said he
was reading the memorized Snellen card with normal vision, the
retinoscope used at the same time, indicated no manifest error of
refraction; the eye was adjusted for normal vision.

The reliability of the teachers' records of the vision was
investigated by Miss Blake. At her request the health department sent
a medical inspector who also tested the vision of the pupils and told
Miss Blake that the records of the teachers were reliable and correct.

One teacher taught her pupils to test and record the vision of their
own eyes daily. They convinced me that they did both correctly.

The pupils learned the value of the Snellen card for improving the
sight; and many obtained by their own efforts normal vision without
glasses. This fact was observed also in other schools. One teacher
asked me to investigate a boy who said his vision had improved from
20/200 to 20/30. I found the boy had normal vision, but I had trouble
to convince a sceptical teacher that the pupil was able to see
perfectly.

It is suggested that a monitor be appointed in each class to improve
the vision of all pupils with defective sight.

Miss Blake deserves much credit for her intelligent methods of
investigation of myopia prevention by teachers. When Dr. C. Ward
Crampton, the director of physical training, investigated the method
and visited her school early in 1913, he told her to remove the
Snellen cards and discontinue her efforts to prevent myopia. This
command was so manifestly unfair to the method at the time that she
refused to comply without an order from her superiors. I cannot
express in words my gratitude to her for her championship of the
method. The records she submitted in June, 1913, of pupils also tested
in October, 1912, were the best of all. She desires to continue the
method and is now willing for me to use the ophthalmoscope to obtain
more scientific facts for the benefit of school children.

===================

I think it is better to study Bates in terms of what he attempted to
accomplish -- rather
than what he said about it.