New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-27
ERATIONS on EYES OF MANY SCHOOL CHILDREN
Re PREPALENCE OF TRACHOMA GREATLY DE-
CREASED BY WORK OF HEALTH DEPARTuENT

ms companions. He struts. and in several in
stances he has become leader OF his gang. FOR 10
other reason than that he had been under the
knife at GOuverneur.
curly headed ffteen-vea--ols t-o,-, - -.
house stan as Sam" plays assistant clerk AZ the
clinic Tor outdoor patients. He has been coming
BACK every spare afternoon since he was operated
upon His scorn for those who are taking the
terful.
Hey. Tony, why don't you get operations" be
demanded OF one OF his friends who came in 70
nave his examinations burned out. It's lot OF
nun only you don't know abou: IL TIL It's al over
he inclination OF the East Side tough bow 20
steal anything he can get his hands on has been
Illustrated several times at the hospital A big
DoN nIed with records OF cases under treatment
sal by an open window Some youngster came
along seized upon several hundred Of the record
cards. and fed. The police afterward recovered
some % the cards from the ash barrel but they
do not catch the thief What he hoped 10 do
with the cards Is a mystery. Another boy broke
window TO steal a dozen sulphate OF copper
pencils The police found him trying 20 write with
the caustic upon brick wall.
There have been a number Of cases Of had re-
action. and the children have had - be kept in
the wards FOR several weeks. Almost invariably
after long siege they refuse 10 go home when
tho time comes. The nurses come from the training
school on BlackweIls Island. and spend a month
at the eye hospital When 81 is time for them 10 80
TO other duties the children beg for their caps and
play nurse with the skin Of their well developed
powers o. mimicry one little boy absolutely re-
fused 10 home. lie had a nurses cap and
apron. and was determined TO annex himself TO the
hospita. STAFF whether they wanted him not.
I won't go home" ne declared. I'm a nurse.
SO much work one. anyway. ] sweep. and
carry water. and read 20 the sick ones. Why can't
] stay"
Tie had 70 be carried out bodily and planted or the
sidewalk For several days De 'ried 10 break ia
Whenever the door was opened. Yet these same
children and their parents set up a terrible howl
when the Department % Health desires 10 vacci-
them.
'Nog cannot rake me believe that We have not
made substantial progress against trachsma.
said Dr. Wootton. These $500 operations alone
would make a showing. All 81 the hospitals which
take eve cases have been more less busy with
frachoma operations although We have no definite
figures 10 the number u cases treated.
For a number 81 years Dr. Huber has examined
che hundreds % children which the Society Tor The
improvement Of the Condition OF the Poor sends
ifo the country IN the past from 10 90 80 ger cent
81 them have been ira ch0na sufferers. his last
summer he examined . 800 children and found the
trachoma percentage 20 be between and per
cent This is a small number % children ont o.
the thousands in the city schools Tut II shows
the way things are going. i is really too soon 10
make comparisons and gather statistics. Thu
disease Is very obstinate and relapses are likely.
test Of the schools made the arst u the new year
will be more Trustworthy"