The San Francisco call., 1896-10-26
is |NK-EYE"
EPIDEMIC HERO?
Disease of Human Optics
Which Has Recently
Appeared.
Oculists Say From What They
Hear 1t Seems Like a
Recognized Trouble.
LOCAL CASES ARE FEW.
But in Other Parts of the State the
Affection Has Taken Large
Proportions.
LOCAL CASES ARE FEW.

painful disease of the eyes has made
it's appearance in this City. Some observers
believe it to be new disease TO this City.
On the other hand oculists and specialists
on eye diseases think that it is not new.
Half dozen oculists said that they had
not yet seen enc case of the complaint,
but from the symptoms, as they were de-
scribed they all felt sure that the malady
is not novel.
One oculist said that probably the COM
plant is what has been popularity styled
pink eye," from it's resemblance to the
malady which aff1icts horses and other an
imaIs, and which is generally so desig-
mated. There have been many cases in
parts of Sonoma County. An epidemic
existed in the town of Sonoma not long
ago. The first cases observed in this City
have been noticed within the past few
days. These have not been numerous SO
far
The speed with which the disease spread
through Sonoma County is significant con-
cerning what may happen in this City.
Whole families have been afflicted in the
town of Sonoma and perhaps in other
communit les in the Sonoma Valley. The
attendance at schools has been interfered
with largely. AT one time 1t was supposed
that victory had been won over the
trou Dlesome complaint. Then one child
had sore eyes. a child sitting next In
school soon had the old trouble. Notwith-
standing extreme care and the taking OF
many precautions q whole family OF chill
dren had it one after another.
The duration varies from few days TO
two or three months. according to the Sc
nlr linz n
the treatment. The eyes become lntiamed
and copiously suppurate. An intense
pain is felt and the eyes seem ready to
start from their sockets. This lasts Tor
long time, without intermission unless
remedies are promptly used. In Sonoma
County tonic for the system was admin
istered by the local physicians and an eye
salve was applied to the Unnamed lds Win
good result.
Great care is necessary to prevent the
spread of contagion. This ought to be un-
derstood because there is little reason to
suppose that the malady will spread less
rapidly here than 1t has in the Sonoma
Valley. Oculists recall that an epidemic
of simila- sort passed over the Pacific
Coast some years ago. The disease was
about the same as plnk-eye. western
communities, by this being meant the
towns and cities of the middle Western
States, have been extensively afflicted.
Owing to the TACT that the appearance OF
the eye trouble in this City has been only
recently observed the eye specialists have
no knowledge of it more than from hear
say.
DR.. Barkan said that he had not had any
cases. His assistants at the Cooper Medl-
cal College had not reported any. he did
not know that there is an epidemic. There
is possibility of contagion. Probably the
disease is not new to this coast. There
may be q catarrhal affection of the con-
iunctiva. There are several catarrhal all
ments. One is known as spring catarrh.
1t is contagious. Further than this DIR.
Barkan did not care to speak until he
should have received further information.
Grant SellfrIdge, who has an office in the
Crocker building, said at once that the
malady must resemble what is commonly
called tpink-eye," from its resemblance to
the illness which affects animals. There
might be an epidemic yet. The maladv
could not have become epidemic in this
CITY vet, because the oculists have no re-
ports concerning it. SO far as he could
learn. No one had previously reported
case to him.
DR.. Kaspar Pischl said that he had not
received any report concerning this eye
trouble, but he did not believe that any
new disease had been discovered.
This is q fair summary OF what was said
by other oculists. Meanwhile a few men
downtown are going around with sore
ewes. aud form q nucleus from which an
epidemic may arise.