The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-25
THE CARE OF THE BLIND.
How They Are Looked After in Va
riOus Parts of the World.
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
A paragraph is travelling about to the
effect that the worlds blind are computed
to number 1.OOOO0O-about one sightless
person to every 1900 inhabitants. If the
proportion of sightless persons were the
same in every country, or substantially
so, it would be easier to conclude that
blindness is due to causes which neither
skill nor foresight can prevent. But the
truth Of the matter. as has been pointed
out by distinguished German oculst. is
that the great majority of cases of blind
ness are due to fever and the same au-
thorities declare that Is per cent. of the
afflicted persons could have retained their
sight had they been properly treated
Some figures i'm confederation of this are
supplied by the official statistics Of both
England and France. BY the last reports
there were 1900 sightless persons in Eng
land, the average being $40 for each mil
lion inhabitants. The percentage of
blind persons among infants of less than
five years was 1876 for each million: be-
tween and Is it rose to 2SS; between 20
and % to 422; between As and 90 to 625
and above 65 years of age, 1000 for each
million inhabitants. Similarly in France
the official figures show that only one
sixth of the sightless were born blind, and
five-sixths became bind through Illness
or accident. The French official figures
further show that of those born blind SIS
per cent were males, and only 80
per cent. female children. Another Curl
Gus result shown by the figures is found
in the fact that while the number of
blind male and blind female adults was
substantially the same, the number of
sightless married men in France issdouble
the number of sightless married women.
Less than 10 per cent. of the total num-
Der of sightless persons in France by the
last report were under the age Of q.
Russia and Egypt are the two countries
in which blind persons constitute the
largest proportionate number Of the total
population in Russia on account of the
lack OF experienced medical attention. and
in Egypt on account Of ophthalmia due TO
the movement Of the sand by the wind or.
more properly to the irritation caused by
this unusual local condition, which has
made ophthalmia general There were at
last accounts nearly 100000 blind persons
in European Russia, the proportion being
highest In northern provinces and con-
spicuousy SO In Finland. where the preva
lence Of blindness, four times greater than
the general average In Europe IL ascrlbed
20 the flatncss OF the country and the inn
perfect ventilation OF the huts used bv
The peasantry. Many OF these huts are
either without ehimneys or are supplied
with primitive chimncys. which do not
draw. and the escape OF the smoke into the
living apartments has a marked tendency
60 angravatc all eye troubles. Though more
than half the blind population OF Europo
D. t0 De- found in Russia there are only e
nrylumf for the blind in that empire.
Though The number of blind persons boo tho
United states n Larger fhap in any other
country ~ The world. By the last reports
mo total number ~ pupils in Institutions
f0r fhc blind in fho United States was
A" nnd ihe grounds ana buildings devoted
% their ute were valued "a 100000