The Detroit times., 1914-02-17
Government to Regulate
Cocaine Traffic

"' q" u'NSS as one OF the worst men
aces which Ibis country faces today.
Ia section Included in four noun.
tam counties OF eastern Kentucky
the government u
ramona carrying on an i'm.
Flsntln9. portant campaign
10 eradicate one or,
tue most dreaded OF Infectious dis.
eases the eye trouble known as tra-
choma. and az The same time a con-
Quoting an experiment IN hospital man
agement which ~ setting a new REQ
ord In economy and efficiency. This
Work Is carried on in Perry Laslia-
Breathitt and Knott counties by the
United states public health service.
and is under the immediate direction
OF Surgeon John McMullen, who has
mad extensive experience in campaigns
against uachoma
This peculiar disease OF the ewes
which often results in blindness and
winch many peonle believe exists only
among few american Indians ana
among some OF the immigrants who
arrive IA this country. has been found
TO be prevalent among native Ameri-
cans In number or communities Ia
the Cumberland mountain region OF
Kentucky the government Tor several
years has been conducting a campaign
IN cooperation with the state authori-
ties 10 stamp ont this eye trouble.
which, IN some sections OF the country.
Is merely known AS sore eyes" or
"granulated nds" or'
A. three places In eastern Kentucky
the United States public health SER
vice has established small hospitals
where trachoma victims are treated
free OF charge, and up to the present
time more than 5000 persons nave re-
ceived help and l67 important eve OBJ
. erauons have been performed by I'm
Gle Sans physicians Each OF the
three hospitals established Is run at
the low cost or $50 per day, exclusive
OF salaries OF the public health otl.
GERS Although these hospitals are
run most economically, they have
proved most efficient. and OF the 5000
! persons treated more than $500 have
| been cured and put back into useful
service IN the community. The con.
ditiOn OF most OF the others has b.en
very much improved, and II the pres
emf progress OF the work continues
public health service officers believe
| that trachoma IN few years viii be-
! stamped oat OF Kentucky
Or McMullen. under whose immedi-
/ ate supervision the three hospitals
have been established and under
whom all the work has been carried
ron, Is one OF the most experienced
men in the United States In the treat
/ ment or trachoma, having for a mum
Der OF years been stationed at the i'm
migrant hospital at Ellis Island. Ira
choma is one OF the diseases most
carefully watched for by the inspeo
/ tors OF immigrants IL is a disease
! which spreads rapidly and will soon
affect a whole community unless con
/ siderable care is taken II is spread
In many ways. but chiefly by the use
OF common wash basins and common
towels. In some places children az
school have been known 70 convey
the disease TO others by exchanging
or using the same lead pencils, states,
cloths, or in playing games
! The news OF the cures spreads rap
/ idly and the number or patients COM
ing for treatment has swelled 80 that
! II has become necessary for the gov
eminent to establish fourth hospital
in Kentucky. Each OF these hospitals
consists OF an ordinary dwelling house
| which is rented after being made thor
| oughly sanitary. Each contains is
beds and proper equipment both for
the care OF serious cases and for cases
In which only slight treatment is neo-
essary. When the fourth hospital IL
established the government will have
| trachoma stations at Jackson. In
Breathitt county; Hazard. In Perry
county: Hindman, IN Knott county.
and Hyden. In Leslie county. All or
this work is done In conformity with
the laws and policy OF the federal gov.
eminent TO assist state and local
boards OF health in stamping out any
disease which may affect the com
munity
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