New-York tribune., 1911-03-06
SCORNS TRACHOMA SCARE
Horrors of Disease of Eye MuCn
Exaggerated, Says Doctor.
NO DANGER OF AN EPIDEMIC
Sanitary Conditions Here Pre-
vent spread-0nly Mildly
Contagious and Durable.

DR.. Aaron Brav, medical director OF the
Trachoma Institute, Of Philadelphia, in dis
crssIng that supposedly contagious ana
dangerous disease OF the eye In recent
paper. arrives at the optimistic opinion 'ha'
II is country is In no danger OF n trachoHi'
epidemic. and that It's ravages and enects
have been highly exaggerated to the lay
msn.
ITO create fear among the lay people as
to the existence OF imminent danger re-
sulting from trachoma, which Is purely
ina aginary, Is entirely unscientihc ann
harmful to the best interests OF the COM
munity," he says. I'm this country II never
leads to total blindness. except, perhaps
among the Indians, and II seldom results
in q reduction OF the acuity OF the visioh'
except in neglected cases, and II Is not
nearly as contagious as II has been thought
to be-" Dr. Brav says.
The disease Is prevalent In menacing pro-
portions In the rural districts OF many OF
the countries Of Europe particularly where
the sociaI and economic conditions are low.
30 that II becomes n serious problem FOR
government control. but there Is no neces-
sity for stringent measures on the part
trachoma In this country he says. IL Is
essentially a country disease. even In this
country he points out. and 1t Is not found
TO any extent in the cities where the sani-
tary conditions are comparatively good.
few cases develop each year In the United
States army, with perhaps one or two ois-
charges from the service on account OF
physical disability owing to trachoma' but
the navy Is practically free from the dis
ease
"Trachoma In this country, and especially
In Philadelphia. does not constitute PROB
lem that requires governmental interIer-
ence" DR.. Brav says. we arc fortunate
~. economically. socially and financially on
a higher scale OF civilization than other
countries where II thrives. Whatever else
may be desirable In our process OF advance
ment, this much is sure, that we have all
the facilities that medical science can IN
vent. All we need is a campaign OF educa-
ton to bring the matter intelligently De
fore the public. Trachoma In this country
must be stripped Of its horrors. IL Is only
slightly contagious by direct contact. ana
a knowledge OF ptophylaxis fs or course
desirable The layman must not be un-
necessarily alarmed, neither Is 1t necessary
10 create hatred against the foreigners be-
cause of their inability TO cope with the
disease IN the old countries. Nor should we
apply the methods Of European govern
ments in dealing with this disease
The appearance Of few granules on the
lids OF foreigner are often hastily ana
with a certain prejudice against the immi-
grant, particularly the Russian Jew. dag
nosed as trachoma. when the infection
proves not TO be the dreaded disease, DR..
Brav states.
Referring to the recommendations OF the
trachoma commission in Philadelphia, Or.
Rray ridicules all as unreasonable except
the one applying to the examination OF
school children, which Is already in vogue
in that city, he says. The commission rec
ommended, among other things, medical
inspection Of alien employees and the intro
duction in the next Legislature Of a bill
declaring trachoma a quarantinable dis
ease.
DR.. Brav has drawn the following con-
clusons:
"Trachoma is a disease not so contagious
as It has been thought to be.
There Is no trachoma problem in our
country.
"Trachoma does not thrive in civilized
surroundings.
"Trachoma is a durable disease.
only neglected cases terminate In a re-
duction OF vision
"In this country il never leads to total
blindness, except perhaps among the Ind
ans
Laws on this subject need not be op-
pressive.
"Trachoma is not on the increase, but
rather on the decrease.
And, finally, to create fear among the
lay people as 10 the existence Of an immi-
nent danger resulting from trachoma
which is purely imaginary, Is entirely un-
scientific and harmful to the best interests
OF the community"