Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1910-01-01

i SSSA ~ --lA...lgs
Dr.. s. cOSERt1,|XE 6HhIR (N
I words, blindness at birth has been
| practically abolished in New York"
Much Good Work Done.
DR.. S. Josephine Baker is the head
of the New York health departments
division of child hygiene. In speak
ing of the work of the nurses and
physicians in her department from the
period of April 10 to September 1, DR..
Baker said: $50 far as / know, this
is the first authentic investigation in
which data were obtained on which to
base statistics regarding midwives. 1t
showed that there must have been a
great improvement over conditions
which were alleged formerly to exist
In New York city last year. there were
reported $4,000 births. of which 55.-
900 were reported by midwives.''
1T is most decidedly not true said
DR.. ]. Herbert Claiborne, one of New
York's eminent eye specialists, that
blindness is on the increase. In no de-
partment of medicine have such
strides been made as in the treatment
of ophthalmia. In one particular alone
we have reduced percentages of blind
ness following upon b nth from twenty
to thirty per cent. to one-half of one
per cent in skilled institutions and to
one to two per cent. in hospitals,
where less care is exercised. In other
words, where previously 100 children
were born with ophthalmia neonato-
rum, twenty to thirty went blind. Now
this percentage has been reduced by
skill and supervision to one-half of
one per cent.
Much Good in Crede Method.
"Ophthalmia neonatorum is the dis
ease which in former times was the
curse of infants, particularly among
the lower classes. 1t was the cause of
blindness in twenty to thirty per cent.
of all the victims of the disease in all
the lying-in hospitals of the world.
Since then we have adopted the
Crede method. This was the method
instituted by DR.. Crede of Leipsic.
Germany, for the treatment of all chill
dren from the moment of their birth.
By this method the eyelids of the
newborn child are separated and two
drops of one per cent. solution of nj
trate of silver are dropped into each
eye.
I'm many countries the Crede
method has been made obligatory by
law, and it is enforced in several
states of the union. 1t is the endeavor
of ophthalmologists to have this Gus
tom made obligatory among all per-
sons who are accoucheurs. That man
who to-day does not use the Crede
method at the birth of a child is guilty
of a crime.
The Crede method is one of the
greatest blessings that ever came to
the human race 1t has been in use
for the last Is years, and previous to
that time the blind asylums of the
world were filled with victims of this
preventable disease.
EyebaIis Too Short.
We're a hyperopic race Our eye
balls are short, and to overcome it
we've got to use muscle of accommo-
dation in vicarious way. This, how
ever, is not a disease.
The very beginning of all peda-
gogy is the proper adjustment of the
visual and breathing organs. Before
any child is sent to school its eyes,
nose and throat should be examined.
We rush our children in a shameful
way In the public school system of
this country the epitome of pedagogy
in the early stages is that it is made
obligatory that all children must have
their eyes examined for retroactive err
rors. besides having the nose and
throat examined.
I'VE have a regular battalion of
young doctors who are examining chill
dren in the schools If they find any
whose vision is lacking. such children
are at once sent to the hospital or
home to be corrected. Children who
are suffering from headaches are i'm
mediately relieved. In fact. the chill
drer of this country are achieving
education with less pain and discom-
fort than was ever known before in
the history of the entire world.
Fifty years from now the blind
asyIums will not have anything near
the number of inmates they have at
present. Blindness is becoming less
frequent in all civilized countries.
which have reduced to an absurd per-
centaSe that disease which has filed