The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-03-13
CHE 9aily 9 allstia.
MARCH 10, 1856.
A LECTURE ON THE EYE.

audience which crowded the Cooper
Medical College assembly rooms.
He said that two years ago he was
commissioned TO examine the in
mates of the Asylum for the Blind
at Berkeley. Out of thirty-three
cases then examined, in one-half
blindness was unavoidable in eight |
cases it might have been avoided
almost certainly; in the other eight
cases it should have been entirely
prevented. These figures indicate
criminal negligence and stupidity of
parents, nurses or physicians. He
said it is indeed fearful to realize
the vast number of cases which,
out of the 700 of our State, out of
the several thousand of the United
States, out of the hundreds of
thousands of Europe, and out of the
grand total of 100000 blind in
the world, might have been saved
from total blindness. Statistics
show that 400, 900 cases out of that
100000 might have been saved
from blindness and its attendant
misery.
The lecturer spoke of eye diseases
from Inheritance; eye diseases pecu-
liar to school life; eye diseases con-
seouent on general diseases; infec-
tious diseases of the eye and blind
ness arising from injuries to the
eve. Short-sightedness, squirting
and cataract are usually hereditary.
Eye diseases may also be inherited,
as statistics prove. Transmitted
constitutional diseases are apt to
become sources of eye trouble.
Scrofula is frequent source OF
trouble to children's eyes. Medical
remedies can do little for these pos
SCISSORS of poor blood, and they
must find remedies in country air
and outdoor life. A plan to send
the sickly children of our poor in
masses to the country for occasional
visits, as is done in some cities,
was advocated.
Infants are not usually born near
sighted, and rarely so among un-
civilized nations. Statistics show
the number of near-sighted children
increases with the grade of the
school. Near-sightedness, as rule,
remains stationary, and cannot be
said to seriously threaten eyesight.
Schoolrooms should be carefully
arranged, and, if possible, be lighted
by skylights. Electric light is pre-
ferable for evening schools. Desks
and seats should be so arranged
that the upper part of the pupils
body should be erect, the chest and
shoulders parallel with the edge of
the table, head erect, feet on the
floor and back supported. These
observances are quite as important
in preventing spinal affections as
near-sightedness. Smallpox was
once the great cause of blindness
vaccination has changed this.
Tobacco and alcohol cause weak
sight, though seldom total blindness.
Chewing is as harmful as smoking.
Twenty grammes of tobacco is all
that can prudently be used in a
day. The State ought to tax alco-
hoiic stimulants more heavily. Lead
poisoning in different forms among
mechanics is source of blindness.
Prompt attention should be given
the first symptoms.
OF infectious eye diseases, puru.
lent ophthalmy and graduated lids
represent 20 percent of all cases OF
blindness. A large percentage OF
infants have purulent ophthalmy
and many through neglect become
blind in consequence. OF inmates
of asylums one-third have all be-
come blind through this means
There should be prompt action
After a child has been given it,
first bath it's eyes are to be washed
with clean water, out of a separate
basin, with clean, soft sponge
Then the lids of each eye are to b'
opened slightly and one single droI
of 2-percent solution of the nitrate
of silver is to be dropped directly
on the corner, by means of a glass
rod.
The eyes are then to be left en-
tirely untouched. This proceeding
must of course be carried out witt
strict exactness. The treatment has
been very successful. Granulatet
lids are more frequently fount
among the poor. 1t is propagatet
by infection. Poor ventilation ant
filth are causes. With proper car
no one should become blind in con
sequence of this disease. Th
speaker thought the employment o
Chinese servants might result in in
lection from this disease. All tina
was said concerning the preventiv
measures against purulent oph
thalmy will apply to graduated lids
The affection common in this CIT
is a species of chronic fhllicula