The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-01-05
WHAT MAKES PEOPLE BLIND.

WHAT MAKES PEOPLE BLIND.
Did you ever stop to think Of the
one hundred thousand blind people In
the United states. and what caused
their misfortune7 DID II ever occur to
you that about thirty thousand OF
these unfoftunates are unnecessarily
blind Do you know that about twelve
thousand Of these are children who
are blind because Of the unfaithful-
nsss Of either the father or the moth
err Are you aware that twelve thou
sand people are cropping their way
about IN darkness due to injuries which
In most instances could have been
avoided by the installation in factories
Of proper safety devices? thus queries
the Journal Of the American Medical
association. and it continues: Twenty
five hundred Of them are deprived
from a livelihood because Of granular
lids. which II preventable by the ap-
plication Of proper remedies. Two
thousand are deprived Of their sight
because Of Fourth of July accidents.
Fifteen hundred will never again see
the light Of day because Of various
causes, such AZ the drinking or aO-
sorbing Of wood alcohol and the neg
lect of proper treatment Of certain eye
affections. If we look at these fig
ures calmly. they are amazing. we
can hardly believe that thirty thousand
human beings are shut out from earn
| ing . livelihood. who might now be
employed, self-supporting and pro-
ductive Of several million dollars
worth of labor. IL preventive measures
had been employed in their cases. VIC
are a long-suffering people. but now
much longer must we keep our eyes
closed to the fact that II the doctor or
midwife had dropped a per cent So
luton OF nitrate Of silver into the eyes
of the newborn babe. six Thousand
pairs of eyes would have been saved
from the dreadful effects of gonor-
rheal ophthalmia. If the twelve thou
sand now sightless from injury had
been employed in factories where SAFE
ltv devices were installed they would
be producers instead of dependents.
Granular lids or tfachoma IL amen
able to treatment. yet twenty-five
hundred persons were allowed to be-
lcome blind from this cause. 1t must
be a happy thought to all OF US to
know that the past two years have
shown a marked diminution in the
number of injuries from Fourth OF
July accidents. The use of wood alco-
i hol. working in rooms where 1t Is used
or drinking ''power-house whisky OF
some of the various soft drinks con-
tanning wood alcohol. has caused 9
large number Of persons to become TO-
tally blind. There will always be q
certain number Of cases Of blindness
which cannot be avoided. but 1t is ap'
palling to think that the sight Of thir.
tv thousand of those now blind couIe
have been preserved. How shall W.
limit blindness IN the future? BY IN
ststinR that our children's eyes -shal
have proper care. By compelling oul
. factories to install safety devices. b.
: medical inspection OF schools TINT
child sitting next to your child ma!
, | have diphtheria and convey 1t to you
. child's eyes, BY demanding a safe ant
sane Fourth Of July in your OWE town
Bv abolishing the roller towel and b!
e establishing such other hygienic meas
8 ures a. will tend to keep us health
3 oud %r>a from. diaeAAe