The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1906-07-20
In the United States as Reported
by the Census
NUMBER THOUSANDS.
The Total Number of Blind Is Nearly
Sixty.Pive Thousand, and the
Total Number of Deaf
Is Nearly Ninety
Thousand.

IUOuSdUu.
The bureau Of census has just issu.
ed o special report on the blind and
deaf In the United States In 1900.
The inquiry was conducted under the
direction Of DR.. Alexander Graham
Bell, who determined the scope Of the
Investigation and wrote the text Of
the report on the deaf.
The report OH the blind gives not
only data concerning color, sex, M.
tivity, marital condition, school at.
tendance, and occupations, but also
much information in regard to the
age when blindness occurred and the
cause of blindness.
The total number of blind persons
in the Uoited States In 1900 was "a,
763-or about one In every 1900 Of
the total population, There were
35,645 totally blind, and 20, 118 par
TALLY blind. These figures, however,
can be considered only as the mini
mum, as an unknown proportion of
tho blind were not located by the
enumerahors. The number OF partial.
ly blind by no means represents the
facts as TO detective eyesight, but re
presents only verified cases.
OF the total number Of blind, 81,
054, or 81 2 per cent. were males, and
27 TOO, or 40 per cent. were females
Since in the general population only
81. per cent. were males and 48 8 per
cent ware females, 1t is evident that
blindness occurs more frequently
among males.
About 66 per cent Of the blind re-
ported wore totally blind and about
As per c81t. were partially blind. A
slightly smaller proportion Of blind
males than Of blind females were to-
yally blind.
Almost65 per cent. Of the bllud be
came blina after 20 years of age, and
only q % more than 80 per cent.
before 20, Fears, Thus 1T is seen that
.ntsN ~ - H'.iJ a4dAfeoh -of admit
life. Son interesting to note that
about ons fourth of the persons blind
from childhood, or about one tenth OF
the total number Of blind, were born
blind.
The number Of blind per 100, 900 of
population was greater among the
negroes than among the whites, and
greater among the foreign born whites
than among the native born whites,
the difference In each case being more
marked tor the totally blind than for
the partially blind. The difference iu
the proportions for the native and
the foreign born whites are due large
ly to the difference in the age distri-
buttons Of the two classes, the great
majority Of the foreign born whites
being adults, among whom blinCness
Ia more common.
The most important causes of blind
ness we're, cataract; injuries, acci-
dents. and operations; congenital
blindness; old age; and sore eyes. Un
known causes were responsible for a
slightly greater proportion Of cases
than any of the above causes.
The principal causes of blindness
occurring after birth and under 20
years Of age were, injuries, accidents,
and operations; sore eyes; catarrh
measles; and scrOfula. The principal
causes Of blindness occurring in adult
life were, cataract; injuries, accidents,
and operations, old age, affections Of
the nervous apparatus, military ser.
vice, sore eyes and neuralgia.
The report on the deaf gives not
only the date concerning color, sex,
race, nativity, marital conditions,
school attendance, and occupations,
but also much information In regard
to deafness as q defect and to the
ability OF the deaf to communicate
According to this method Of class
tication, the total number OF deai
vas finally determined to be 80, 278,
or one In every $50 OF the general
population. There were 81, 426 total.
ly deaf and 81, ,S6l partially deaf
Among the total number Of deaf 2,
772 were also blind and "a 800 dun b
OF the total number OF deaf, 48
0l5, or 81 per cent. were males, anC
Az ,372, or 475 per cont were females
Since In The general population only
5l.1 por cent. Were males and AS f!
por cent. were females, 1t would seen
that there iS some truth in the r. >
thesis that males are moro exposeu t(
accidents than females, or more aus
ceptible to the diseases which pro
duce deafness.
Negroes constitute II per cont. o.
the general population and only 6.s
per cent. OF tho deaf. That the ne
groes seem less susceptible to deafness,
than the whites Is probably due ii
part to less complete returns from tht
negroes deaf The proportion OF ne
groes Is larger among those becoming
deaf In childhood and also among thu
totally deaf than 1t Is in the aggre
gate deaf population.
The age when deafness occurred Il
definitely stated for 81 500 persons
aid OF these 80 per cont. became dea
before the age Of 20 years, 48 pc
cent. before the age OF 10 years, ant
40 per cent. before the age OF years
and 18 per cent. were born deaf.
or the totally deaf, 81 per cent
were 80 from childhood (under &c year
of ago., and SO per cent. from birth
More tnan one half Of the totally dea
Lost oil power Of hearing before the,
were years old.
Or the partially deaf about Que
third became deaf before they wer
20 years old, one. third between 20 an
40, and one third after reaching 40.
OF the 80 287 persons returned q
} deaf, 90, sol were able to speak well
] 8 All were able to speak imperfeotly
and 4,369 could not speak at ali
Practically aI of those who speak in
perfectly or not at all lost their hea,
Ing Ia childhood (under 20 years G