The Washington times., 1909-06-28
INACCURACIES FIGHT
AGAINST BLINDNESS
mcfarland Asks for Re
port on Cases Among
Infants.
PROPOSES TO ADOPT
NEW REGULATIONS
Large Percentage Can Be Pre-
vented by Prompt Treatment
of Inflammation.

With a view OF adopting regulations
governing the subject. Commissioner
Macfarland has called upon the Health
officer for a report on the prevention of
blindness due 20 Inflammation in the
eyes OF children at the time OF birth.
That blindness can be prevented IN
many instances by proper precautions
is the opinion OF the leading medical
authorities. The subject at present is
one OF widespread agitation, in which
the District viii take a leading part
The agitation for the prevention OF
blindness, by which is ordinarily under
stood the prevention of such blindness
as is due 70 diseases OF the eyes occur
ring at the time OF or shortly after birth.
bids fair to rival in its territorial extent.
If not IN its magnitude, the agitation for
the spread Of consumption says DR..
Woodward.
Causes Of Blindness.
1T IS not commonly known that a
considerable Part OF all blindness is
due TO an Inflammation OF the eyes in
cidsnt to birth and that this in1am-
nation can be avoided IN nearly all
cases by proper care at the time of
birth. But while a considerable part OF
ell blindness is due to causes arising
AZ the time of birth, yet the number
Of children who become blind from this
cause is. as compared with the entire
number of children born, so Insignificant
as TO render the average midwife for
getful Of the grave results that may
follow the neglect Of preventive meas
ures with respect TO the matter, and the
medical profession taken as a whole
has not been free from criticism with
respect thereto.
AS g remirder. for some time past
there has been printed on the cover
OF the books containing blank forms for
reporting births. that are issued TO reg
istered physicians and midwives. the
following statement:
The Health OFFICER desires 10 cali
attention to the widespread agitation
that IS now going on with respect to
the prevention of such blindness as
arises from Inflammation Of the eyes
OF newborn children Aside from the
Importance Of preventing such blind
ness as a public duty, the fact that the
laity is becoming aware that the adop-
ton Of proper measures at the time
OF birth may prevent such a catastro-
pne renders II peculiarly important
that physicians and nurses in their own
interest adopt in their practice. II they
ures as have the support OF the medical
profession for the prevention Of such
loss OF eyesight.
Printed Instructions.
The department now has under con-
sideration the ACCESSIBILITY of issuing 10
nurses Of the city printed instructions
as 10 the precautions that should be
taken TO prevent blindness arising from
Inflammation OF the eyes at the time OF
birth. ana by physicians 81 the families
Of persons who are unable TO pay for
medicines, the remedy generally re-
garded as the best for the prevention
OF this trouble. In order that the deter
ncination of the remedy to be so advised
IN such cases might be most carefully
made. the Wash ngton ObstetricaI and
genealogical Society has been asked 10
consider the subject and give the Health
Officer its views with respect thereto.
only recently there was brought to
the attention or the Health officer a
case IN which the childs eyes became
inflameds and the nurse In charge had
undertaken 70 treat the difficulty as an
ordinary cold in the eyes Fortunate
" the case came under the observation
OF a trained nurse in the service OF the
Instructive Visiting Nurse Society, who
was familiar with diseases OF the eyes
HmoHg children, and through her efforts
the case was promptly brought TO the
attention OF A physician.
as a result OF her prompt action II
seems likely that the child viii lose only
che eye. The other win probably be
merely badly damaged In some States
Il Is necessa== TO report all cases OF
Inflammation OF the eyes OF babies al
time OF birtk 20 some responsible
der that such disaster may be prevent
ed -