Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-29


Stamping Out Smallpox elm mated
-. the cause for
in Philippines. more than
one-third of the cases of blindness In the
archipelago. In the past great economic
loss to the people of the Philippines mas
been caused by the large numbers OF ma
tives who have been made blind and have
become unable to provide for themselves
because of their aff1,ctfon.
An investigation of blindness has Just
been completed in the Island Of Ceou IN
the Philippines to ascertain the extent TO
which blindness exists, and Its chief
causes: to select suitable cases for sur
gical treatment, and to give those who
are unable or unwilling to go to the hos
pital remedies which they could use them
selves. This investigation has been car
ried on by DR.. Louis Schwartz. assistant
surgeon in the United States public health
service. Dr. Schwartz visited. in all,
twenty-three towns and examined 14o
cases. of which fifty were found to be
suitable for surgical treatment with an
almost certain restoration of vision
THE chief cause of blindness In Cebu
and perhaps throughout the Philippine
Schwartz Most of the smallpox cases
have been blind for many years. only
three which came to my opservaton II!
Cebu having occurred within The last
five years. Since the Americans nave
begun the systematic and compulsory
vaccination of all the people smallpox IS
no longer the cause Of blindness. Gaia
ract comes next as cause of blindness.
and Is closely followed by trachoma
Most Of the blindness in Cebu and other
DJ,fl 10
ventable diseases. More than one-thrd
of the blind can be relieved by surgical
treatment
The fear Of the natives OF being arrest
ed as lepers or being compelled to under
go an operation made it very difficult for
the governments surgeon to induce the
blind to come for examination, and as a
consequence all of the sightless people IN
the towns could not be located. 1t Is esti-
mated that in the Island OF Ceou, win
a total population of 452.0O0, more than
900 persons are afflicted with total blind
ness, and of this number more than 2oO
after simple operations. might be made
to see and become wage earners instead
of public charges.
Dr. Schwartz had an interesting time
and many difficulties in making his exam
nations and in getting the natives TO
use the remedies to restore their sight or
better their condition. Speaking OF these
troubles, DIR. Schwartz says:
1.-THE treatment advised was often dis
regarded because of the distrust of Amer
lean physicians, fear of surgical opera
tons, to which many would not SUBMIT
even though vision was promised them
as a result, and because many of them
implicitly believed in cures OF their own.
These native cures include the applca-
ton of certain leaves to the eye TO cure
Inflammation or wearing certain charms
when affected with eye disease to prevent
loss of sight and the carrying of a small
pebtle in an incision In the arm or leg
to cure blindness. Then there were three
patients having cases of simple cataract
who could have been helped with an op-
Grafton which they refused to undergo.
sa wing that they had seen enough OF Ire
and did not care to see any more.
"a large number of the natives have
accepted help. however, and as result
of the governments investigation sight
is being restored to many people who
have been blind hopelessly. as they
thought, for years. When they returned
to their different homes. others. learning
of the good results obtained. lost their
fear of surgical treatment and also came
to benefit by it
DIR. Schwartz recommends that the
government extend its Investigations OF
the causes and prevalence OF blindness
throughout the islands of the f'hii1ppines.
He advises tours of the towns perloof-
cally by a competent oculist Tor the pur-
nose of advising treatment OF the eyes
selecting cases for surgical operations.
of advising natives who are afflicted with
trachoma. and, IL possible. isolating
them until they are no longer CONTAGIOUS.
To further this work he suggests the
use of the hospital train idea as used ny
Dr. Stiles. the hookworm expert- he
thinks that this could be applied IN the
form of the hospital automobile. which
should periodically make the rounds OF
the towns Of the island for the treatment
of the SICK and to carry advice on ny
yiepic matters to the natives.
quarter Of a billion tons or coal are
wasted annually in mining the '""."DS"
tons necessary to supply the