The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1884-02-14
Prevention of Blindness in Children

Inc following excellent popular Oh.
rections for the prevention of the fre-
quent form of blindness arising from
the destructive purulent ophthalmia OF
newly-born infants is being published
and diffused by the Society for the Pre-
vention of Blindness. lone of the
most frequent causes of blindness is the
inflammation of the eyes of newborn
babies, disease which can be prevent
ed and always cured. In almost all
blind schools in England and the Con-
tinent, a third, and even more, of the
children's blindness is caused by the
neglect and unsuitable treatment OF
this disease. In the Wilberforce School
for the Blind at York, it is said that,
out of eighty-nine pupils, thirty-seven
are blind from this cause; and several
eminent oculists state that half the
blindness in Europe is dye to this in
fammation of the eyes in newborn ba-
bies. This frequent blindness is large
ly owing to the general ignorance of
mothers, and to the objectionable neg
lect of the midwives, nurses and others
who have charge of the infants in their
earliest days. In many cases, these
persons prevent resort to skilled medi-
cal assistance, in order to try some un-
suitable domestic remedies.
Although the disease appears some
times in a very mild form, it may still,
without some suitable treatment, have
unfortunate issue; but in most cases the
disease takes a more determined char
acter, and then. if left to itself, it may
develop with SO much rapidity that, in
the course of day or two, all hopes for
preventing blindness is lost. In gener-
al, newly-born babies rarely suffer from
any other eye disease, and its first ap-
pearance is easily recognized by the
redness, swelling and heat of the eve
lids, and by the discharge of yellow
ish-white matter from the eyes. This
dangerous and ruinous disease is al
ways durable if treated at once. Imme-
diately on the first appearance of these
symptoms send for a medical man, and,
until his arrival, proceed at once to
keep the eyes as clean as possible by
very frequently cleansing away the mat
tery discharge. 1t is the discharge
which does the mischief. The cleans
ing of the eye is best done in the fol-
lowing manner: First-Separate the
eyelids with the finger and thumb, and
wash out the matter by allowing a gen.
tie stream of tepid or warm water to
run between them from piece of rag
or cottonwood, held two or three inch
es above the eyes. Second-Then gent
ly move the eyelids up and down in a
circular way, to bring out the matter
collected under them; wipe it or wash
it off in the same manner. This cleans
ing will take three or four minutes, and
it is to be repeated regularly once every
half hour at first, and later, if there is
less discharge, every hour. Third
1t must be borne in mind that sight or
blindness depends entirely in these
cases on the greatest care and attention
to cleanliness. Small pieces of rag or
cottonwood are better than a sponge,
as each rag is to be used only once, and
should be burnt Immediately; sponges
should never be used, except they are
thrown away or burnt after each wash
i-s FoN-tL a little ,ro-A-~a i"Iu
should be smeared along the edges of
the eyelids occasionally, to prevent
them from sticking. Fifth-The eyes
should not be covered up by any band
age or handkerchief, as the discharge
is thereby prevented from escaping.
Sixth-Fresh air and equal temperature
in the sick room are absolutely reQuir-
ed, and the eye while suffering from the
disease should be kept carefully from
all strong lights. Many cases of this
disease might be entirely prevented by
cleanliness of the eyes. First-imme-
diately after the birth of the baby, and
before anything else is done, the eye
lids and all parts surrounding the eyes
are to be wiped with a soft, dry linen
rag; afterward these parts must be
washed with tepid water before any
other part is touched. Second-Avoid
the baby to cold air; do not
take it into the open air when cold; at
any rate, dress the infant warmly, and
cover its head, because cold is one of
the causes of this eye disease. .-British
Medical ,JO7LJ3}ni