Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1911-04-18
IS TRACHOMA
PREVALENT HERE?
Sensational Statistics as Re-
suit of Examination by
an Expert ..
CLEANLINESS IS COUNSELEO
Local Physicians However Lar
gely Discount the Alarming
Figures,

Santa Fe is the worst infected town
with trachoma in the country. That
is the inevitable conclusion fr0a the
statistics given out by DR.. A. II. Dunn,
specialist and expert on the disease,
who has been sent to the southwest
by the Bureau of Indian Affairs to
stamp out the disease in this coun
try and especially among the Indians
DR.. Dunn, yesterday and today exam
ined the pupils in the public schools
and the result is disquieting, not to
say startling, for the inevitable result
of trachoma is blindness. unless the
disease is checked. 1t attacks first
the interior lining of the eyelids;
its cause is dirt, carelessness and in
fection of those who are healthy US
ing towels, or ever pencils or touch
ing those who are affected and then
involuntarily touching their own eyes.
The great number of cases of blind
ness among the Indians are due o
trachoma and the disease is spread
ing to the white people of the south
west with rapidity.
OF the pupils examined in the second
ward school on the southside, 100 per
cent have trachoma. IN most of the
cases, it is only in its incipiency and
can be easily checked by cleanliness
and washing the eyes with boracic
acid; in few cases an operation will
be necessary to save the eyesight.
In the high school OF 1874 pupils eX-
amined yesterday, eliminating all
| doubtful cases, so per cent have ira
choma; of 139 pupils examined today
90 per cent have trachoma A trained
nurse from the U. S. Indian School
assisted in the examination of the
eyes Of pupils and the community
owes a debt of gratitude to DR.. Dunn
for calling attention to the grave dan
ger.
| Local physicians today, when ques-
| toned, declared that while they do not
dispute the diagnosis of DR.. Dunn,
| they would want to examine the eyes
of the pupils themselves before giving
their assent to his figures. One ply.
sicisn, an eye expert. said that he vel
had the first case of trachoma to finC
among white people here and he has
examined a good many eyes. He said
that at this time of the year, on ac
count of wind and dust there is a good
deal of conjunctiyis among the people
of the southwest, as well as granu
lated eyelids caused by dirt and lack
of cleanliness or infection, or because
those afflicted have not provided
themselves with glasses. However
they all counsel cleanliness and the
use of separate towels by those un
der suspicion as well as the applica
, ton of an antiseptic eye-wash. ]
nine out of every ten children in San
ia Fe have trachoma, the proportion
+ of those afflicted among the adults
must be even greater.
An AIarmist.
: One physician stated this Afternoon
:. that the figures given by DR.. Dunr
[ are TlulCulOuS, lndC nS 10 du ldIlliSl I
1 that he is a young man who sees
Y trachoma in every eye that is slightly
4 inflamed. He said that there are ;
I few cases of trachoma in every plac'
5 of the southwest, but in very ligh
Y form. He added that DR.. Dunn is an
Xious to secure federal and state leg
d islation and therefore is undul
d alarming people.
e However, that may be, the loca
: board of health and board of educa
{ ton will ask two physicians, men o
experience and maturity, to examin
every pupils eyes in the publ
schools and thus check up DR.. Dunn
:. figures