The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-12-18
PREVENTION OF BLINDNESS
I NiTI0NtI ORG ANIZtTfON ~
FORMED 10 INIFr OTHERS.
state Legislation to Csairsi Nisi~iNrs.
nhesr IGNORANCE O. Held hrspcnsasie
Tor Much Pre-, rnt abir Kindness. wili
tie Our of the OrxanisAtien's Cares

B \ national society for prevention of
blIndnc~, and conservation OF vision was
organized yesterday at a conference held
IA the nited Charities Building. AT Fourth
av-nu. and Twenty SECOND street The
meeting had heen called 10y Dr Park
Lewis Of the American Medical Associa-
ton committee ON prevention OF blind
ness: Edward NJ Van Cieve. president of
the Ohio commission for the blind and
James y Monroe. president Of the SINH
lar commission Of Massachusetts, who
were committee appointed for the pur-
pore at "a conference in February last.
The object of the organization Is 10 unity
the campaign which has been carried on
hv s-parat" organizations in various
STATES and localities. The committee ON
organization recommended that IN.
ci-ty include all persons and bodies desir
ing To cooperate IN prevention of infan-
I'll" blindness. prevention OF blindness
from industrial and other accidents and
from disease and conservation of vision
through improved hygiene during school
lIfe. and in industrial occupations.- and
that It invIt. the cooperat ton of proven
ton societies now IN existence. Of state
and na Ional medical societies. educ al ional
bodies. labor organizations. commercial
bodies women = clubs and the like An
organizing board Of directors was Also
recommended. with DR. Lewis a. chair
man
4 resolution moved nv Dr Studdiford
Of the Board OF Health was also passed
recommending that measures he taken
30 secure state legi-lat ION for The train
Ing. regist rat ion. licensing. supervision
and control of midwive- for the reason
thar. half the births in cities are attended
by these women. many of whom are igno-
rant, unframed and incompetent. and
that unnecessary blindness. mental and
physical d.Gen.racy and suffering or deaf h
~ infants and mothers are among the
results Of obstetrical malpractice. DR.
! " Brannan of the Bellevue schools
system said that with the cooperation
II IN" Bellevue authorities attempts
ar" being made to provide inst ruciion
for thssc women. hat the eyes of newborn
children may hav. proper care. In some
States nitrate OF silver. the antiseptic
used. IL distributed without charge
n } Porter. a consulting engineer
who was first TO .Namin. swimming bar hs
for their infectious po-sib,lit lee and has
been doing that service for Pitt sburg.
said that many infected eyes are due TO
lIfrsquenCy 81 the change Of water IN
public swimming baths and in pools
IN E-ymnssIums and fact ories He advo-
Gated the eNaminat ion Of prospective
bathers IN such pools
Other speakers were Dr. Max ID Ste
venSon Of AKRON. Ohio. Miss Lucy Wright
superintendent Of the Massachusetts com
mission for ia. blind DR. &. p Franklin
. chairman of the trachoma COMMITTEES. of
the BursaI Of Municipal Research in
Philadelphia: r. IeavenTo. ia Elliott
who told Of the scientific determination
Of proper light in school rooms; Miss
katherine u Blake. chairman of the child
welfar" committee Of the Association of
New forks Women Principals: Miss
Lila Greene. who told of the dangers -
the IN cent spectacle that are sold ard
Dr. tressy L. Wilbur. chief statisticiA1
Of the United Stairs Bureau II Vital
Statistics. who advocates immediate no
tifiCaiion and later registration Of facts
for The birth record Of the whole country
DIR Lewis N his opening address, ax-
plaln" IN" naiUT" and scoop. of the can
piiRu against prevent able blindness
particularly against new born babies
sore eyes. caused chiefly by lack Of props,
care AZ birth samuel Ely Eliot -ec-e
tagy Of the Russell Sage Commission for
lantern slides some safety appliance,
for Use IN schools
Five of IN. leading oculists Of New
York and Philadelphia have approved
the rational organization project