The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-03-04
OF TRACHOMA
INVADING THE U.S..
Kentucky Mountaineers Who
Live In Bad Surroundings
Suffer Most.

the cases receive no treatment, and
each case becomes a local focus of con-
tagion. 1t appears that the disease
| must be of long standing in these
mountains and that it is getting pro-
! igressively worse.
"Trachoma is chronic and persistent.
Treatment for it must be long continu-
ed and carried on with unremitting
care. 10 prevent its spread among the
southern mountaineers DIR. McMullen
emphasizes the need of a campaign to
show the Importance of sanitation,
frsh air, clean homes and personal hy-
giene. Stereopti"on lectures in public
buildings and schools will help. Visit
ing nurses and social workers are need
ed to preach the gospel of sanitation il
the individual home. Other social
agencies must be organized to include
the entire affected territory. Especial
| ly among school children cases of ira
choma should be isolated. Schools
must be properly lighted and ventilated.
Need of Public Clinics.
actual care and cure of existing
cases offer the greatest problem. Pub
lie clinics ought to be established sim
liar to the one now conducted by DR..
j. A. Stucky under the auspices of the
W. G. L. U. settlement school at Hind
man, Ky. Movable field hospitals in
connection with these clinics could af-
ford surgical treatment to cases requir.
ing it. The same cases and territory
should be covered periodically by dis
trict visiting nurses. Great patience
and long continued effort, as well as
much money, will be needed to eradi-
cate trachoma from these mountains.
But with perseverance and enthusiasm
the task can be accomplished.
"Trachoma has been found most de.
structive among the American Indians,
particularly among those leading res.
ervation life. In some of the reserva-
tions in the southwest trachoma is
found in 65 per cent of the Indians.
Over 5000 Indians were treated in
1911 for trachoma, and at the ira
choma hospital of the Indian service
at Phoenix, Ariz., over 800 were oper-
ateu upon ana treated.
Diseases of Alaskan Indians.
"Dr. NJ. H. Foster in a report to the
secretary Of the treasury on Jan. %
stated that of 1864 Alaskan natives
examined by him 1876 per cent had
some eye trouble, and 7.2 per cent
from all parts of Alaska suffered from
trachoma. In some sections Of the
southwestern portion of Alaska the
disease was present in % per cent of
the native population. DR.. Foster
urged the great need of a government
home for blind natives in Alaska and
the provision of some trade or occupa
ton to relieve their present pitiful con-
dition.
/ Among immigrants 2,504 cases of
trachoma were certified in the fiscal
year 1911 At Ellis island alone 71S
cases were certified. Considering the
pitiful conditions into which the dis
ease throws its victims, the serious ex-
tent to which it is already prevalent
in the country and its economic and
social menace, effort to prevent the
entrance of new cases and the estab-
lishment of new foci of contagion be-
comes imperative.
"Trachoma has been shown to be a
public health problem Of national con-
cern. Prompt, persistent and energetic
measures must be undertaken by local,
state and national health officers to
check its further spread and to eradi-
cate it where it is already present"