The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-11-27
A RIDDLE FOR OCULISTS.
DOCTORS SEEKING A CURE FOR
HEREDITARY BLINDNESS.
Cases which Puzzle Scientists-The
Causes Leading 10 RItnducs In
Many Families UndiscOVernble.

thScS w PuEFIe
Causes Leading 10 HIindncs I'm
Many Families UndiscOvernbIe.
Many scientists have engaged in the
study of the causes that lead to blind
ness, but very few have reached the
same conclusions. One problem for
medical men, more especially occuists, is
how to cure hereditary blindness; an
other to cure blindness hereditary or ac-
cidental, and the third problem, which
also interests humanitarians, is how to
educate the blind and make them accom-
plished. A well-known oculist who
was recently met by New York Mail
and Express reporter gave some interest
ing facts about the subject. Statistics
relating to blind people in this country
are in many cases misleading. The re-
port of the Maryland Institution Tor the
Instruction of the Blind, and covering
the year up to June 80, 1884, is reliable.
1t has very interesting table covering
the causes of blindness among the in
mates The number of patients was
siXty-two, and, for all practical purposes,
the table may be accepted as fair synop-
sis of similar number of cases any
where in the country. Seven of the
children had been deprived Of their eye
sight by accdents-from injuries
by scissors, gunshot wounds and
by powder and nitro glycerine eXplos-
ions. A very heavy per cent. of the re-
mainder of the cases was those where
blindness developed in early infancy,
while the rest were examples of inner
tied blindness. The proportion of males
and females in the table is about evenly
divided, although experience has shown
that the proportion of children born
blind rests more heavily upon the female
sex, while that of accidental blindness
rests particularly on the male sex. 1t is
interesting to note the mmed late causes
of blindness, either hereditary or devel-
oped early in infancy, the latter being
practically the same as the former. The
greatest number of cases of total blind
ness was resultant from ophthalmia
neonatorum. which is complete oblit-
Grafton of the field of vision. The next
heaviest factor was the ulcer of the COR
nea. Then came white atrophy, which
is a complete paralysis and destruction
of the optic nerves leading to the brain.
The eye, in other words, can see of itself,
but cannot transmit the impression to
the brain. There were four cases of
congenital cataract, two Of amolyopia,
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ton of the lids. The greatest number
of cases of partial blindness was caused
by granular lids, the next by extreme
myopia or near sightedncss, two cases of
albinism, and there was one that is be-
lieved to have been traced positively
and directly to consanguineous marriage.
Speaking of this the oculist said that the
report conclusively showed the existence
- Co. lone
"There are several curious examples of
the power of the blood to transmit
blindness from one generation to the
next" continued the physician. There
have been in the institution alluded to
above three children, all of whom are
totally blind. The father has perfect eye
sight, but the mother is blind in one eye.
A fourth child, partially blind in both
eyes, is living at home with her parents.
Another case is that of a family in Anne
Arundel county Maryland. The father
and mother enjoy perfect eycsight and
are in good health, and yet their four
sons are totally blind. They were not
actually born blind, but the loss of sight
began when they were between five and
six years of age, and soon developed into
total blindness through the destruction
of the optic nerves. Ninety cases out
of every hundred of blindness developing
in infancy present the problem of hered-
itary action. The question as to whether
close intermarriage will produce blind
ness, or imbecllty, or both, is far from
satisfactory solution. Some years ago it
was generally accepted by oculists and
by scientific investigators that blindness
and imbeciiity could both be ascribed
primarily to such marriages, but
there are several notable historical in
stances that tend to show that this the
CRY is not reliable. There Is the
Rothschid family, of millionaire
bankers. They have intermarricd
closely for centuries, but no evil results
have been noticed. There are several
French and IIuguenot families in this
country that have intermarricd down to
tirst-cousins during a long period of time,
notably the Dupont family, the great
powder manufacturers, but there have
not been evil consequences. In one fam
lily in particular uninterrupted and high
standards of beauty among the women
and business capacity and physical best
balance among the men have been main
tanned. 1t is an open question, whether
the blood of itself, being pure and free
from faint by admiXture through gener-
atoms deterioratcs its quality or intro
duces in it the faint of disease or weak
ems the vitality of the organism so as to
expose certain points-for instance, the
eyes, or the ears, or the brain-to what
will result in blindness, deafness or i'm
becility. But as to the tendency of the
blood to transmit blindness and scrofu-
lous affections that crop out in the shape
of blindness there is no doubt. Scrofu-
lous blindness goes hand in hand with
imbecility, and has been known beyond
doubt to reach as far distant beyond its
origin as the third generation, when it
dies out. How to prevent hereditary
blindness, then, is one of the greatest
practical questions of the times"
A Boom for the Smith Family.
Virginia was founded by n Smith.