The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1910-02-03

Thoughtful Consideration.
by Physicians and Parents
"a special committee of the New
York Association for the Blind which
was appointed to investigate the
causes OF preventable blindness and
to cooperate with physicians in seek
ing measures of prevention, has re-
! ported that the State Board of
Health has taken steps to insure
the widespread causes of blindness
through Infection at birth.
"The committee has found that
about One-half of all blindness is due
to preventable causes, and that
about One-third of the cases OF blind
ness iii children is caused by ophthal-
MIA moratorium, preventable in
tectlOus disease occurring at birth
a drop OF il one per cent. solution Of
silver nitrate dropped into the eyes
OF child at birth is a sufficient pre-
ventive of this infection. The use of
this antiseptic, has been recommend
ed by the American Medical AssOcia-
ton, and the committee of the New
York Association for the Blind has
united with the State Commissioner
of Health in enforcing the general
Use of this precautiOn. The State
Commissioner of Health will endeav-
or to provide this solution through
local health officers to any physician
and midwife applying for it.
birth certificates issued by the
State Department bear the query:
What preventive for ophthalmia
neonotorum did you use? If none,
state the reason therefor 1t has
been enacted that these notifications
OF birth be returned in thirty-six
, hOuas instead of ten days, as hereto
fore. 1t is believed that if the physi-
clan has failed to use such a precau-
ton the reminder on the certificate
will in most instances prove effec-
tive"
The above is a clipping taken from
a recent issue of the New York Sum-
1t tells its own story. 1t shows that
the authorities of at least one State
are alive to the appalling condition
which cOnfrOnts the commonwealth.
Nor is New York the only State in
which active effort is being put forth
to "head OFF, one of the most dis
tressing calamities that can befall a
human being. And to realize that
much of this distress can be prevent
ed is a loud call to every good citizen
in the nation.
There are enrolled the present ses-
sion of the North Carolina State
School for the Blind and Deaf 26S
blind children (besides 100 deaf chill
dren). At least one-fourtb of these
need never have been blind, and
would not have been, if proper pre-
ventive remedies had been employed
within twenty-four hours after the
birth of the child. Gentle reader, do
you realize that there are from sixty
five to ninety children in this school
doomed to darkness and handicap
in the race for bread winning all
their days-sOme of them to lead the
lives of helpless dependents, if not
abject paupers? And there are at
least 12S more blind children in the
State who have not been enrolled il
F. our school at all. This will make
\ the figures the more appalling-One
hundred and thirty-five blind child
rem in North Caralina whose sight
might have been preserved with q
little care exercised, and almost with
out expense!
Is it not high time that the lega
and medical authorities in our State
e were taking steps to prevent thi:
d condition Of affairs? In the mean
= time will not the parents Of all in
' fants see to it that Immediately after
birth the eyes shall be thoroughly
washed and then have one drop o
). the solution of no greater strength
- than one per cent. of silver nitrate
] put in each eye not later than twenty
four hours after birth? This is {
i precaution and preventive which, i
properly applied, is harmless anC
may prevent your child from becOm
ing blind.
And let every physician and mid
wife in North Carolina supply him
! self or herself with the preparation
and attend to its proper administra
ton in every case. Care should b.
taken that the solution shall not bt
stronger than ONE PER CENT.
There is yet one other phase O
this situation. 1t costs at least 500
annually to properly teach blind
child and not less than $50 to cloth
3 him. For ninety blind children thi,
8 aggregates SO, 800 annually; anC
for 100 children S2S,60O annually
What a saving to the State thi
: would be! And in the course of tn
ten years covered by our curriculum
this would amount to the saving
to the State of S3S6,OO0. Is thi
worth considering?
There is yet another phase OF pre-
ventable blindness about which
will not write fully now. 1t is in con
= nection with hereditary blindness.
& had not laid very much stress upOl
this until I read a very learned trea
tise recently written by Clarenc'
Leob, 4. NJ, NJ. D., of st. Louis, Mo
] He examined thoroughly and minute
8 ~ into the history of 1904 familie
in all parts of the United States il
which one or both parents are blin'
from one of twelve diseases of tn
eye. The percentage of blindness i
the 4, 155 children born in these fam
lilies varies from 81 to 664 An
TO my surprise the percentage {
blindness in the collateral hereditar
8 is greatest. viz: 66.4! DR.. Loeb cor
3 cludes from the result of his invest
cations that persons born blind (cOr