The Prescott daily news., 1914-05-22
THE SPREAD OF TRACHOMA

ICSdtullS CIdCHOfnd among the FeSer- vation Indians and the mountain popu- lation of Kentucky and other states have stimulated interest in this dis ease. Investigation has shown that 1t affects many communities, to a greater or less extent, existing in a number of instances among school children. Attention has been direct ed to the great industrial establish ments where large numbers of for eign laborers are employed. In each instance, when a focus of the disease has been found, it's origin has been carefully investigated so that preven- tive measures might be instituted. J. w. Schereschewsky of the Public Health Service has examined the 5,962 employees of the Youngston (Ohio) Sheet and Tube Company with refer ence to the prevalence of trachoma.
 He found among them seventy-six cases, rates of prevalence of 1.3 per cent. Nineteen cases of suspicious conjunctivitis were also observed. Of the employees 2S.5 per cent, were Americans. Among the HOO Ameri- cans the rate of prevalence was 0.23 per cent, and among the seven foreign nations represented the rate ranged from 0.9 to 80. After careful in- quiry as to the time these men had been in the United States, Scheres- chewsky expresses the opinion that with but few exceptions the disease was contracted subsequent to landing in this country, and in great majority of instances while the men were em- ployed in East Youngston. It was not thought that the disease had been spread to any great extent by condi- tions in the mills. Close physical con tact and the use of common towel and hand basin are known to be favorable to the spread of trachoma, but these conditions do not prevail in the works of the company. Most of the foreign CTS do not wash in the mills, and those Americans of the skilled labor class who do, have their own buckets or yes sells and towls. One possible source of infection in the mills is the habit of the workmen of removing from each others eyes foreign bodies that may lodge therein, although they are in structed to apply to the medical ser vice for relief Attention was direct ed to the living conditions of the work CTS, and here Schereschewky discover ed the chief source of infection. Many of the lodging houses of the workers were much over-crowded. Thus, in one instance twenty-three lodgers were found in four-room house, as many as ten or twelve in one room. Insanitary conditions prevailed in East Toungston as well as in the immediate surroundings of the men. The presence of recent cases showed that the disease was gradually spread ing from foci of chronic cases in state of acute exacerbation, some of which Schereschewsky observed. In most instances, perhaps as at East Youngston, the cases are among la borers from foreign countries who have been in the United States com paratively short time. The inspection at the ports of entry serves to detect practically all cases that have reach: ed a stage at which diagnosis is pos sible; an immigrant when he lands may have the infection in such an un- developed state that it cannot be de- tected and he may then in a short. time become a focus for the spread of the disease. The employers of la bor in the great industrial establish ments should be warned of the serious ness of trachoma, and especially of it's liability to spread. The health au- thorities of the cities and towns where i { h e se establishments are located says The Journal of the American Medical Association, should realize their responsibility in this matter. Bad housing, overcrowding and lax personal and community hygiene will contribute to the spread of this highly infectious and disabling but wholly preventable disease.
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