Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-07-02

WASHINGTON, ID. c., July 1.-THE
blind population of the United States
in 1910 numbered 57272, or 62.3 to
each 100. 900 of the total population In
that year. Blindness is less common
In America than in most other coun-
tries; it has apparently decreased
among the youngest classes OF the
population in the last half century; 1t
is more prevalent among men than
among women: il is very much more
prevalent among Indians. and consid-
erably more prevalent among negroes
than among whites. Trades taught in
schools or workshops for the blind
have equipped more than 1900 blind
persons for total or partial self-sup-
port.
These are some of the facts brought
out in a bulletin, The Blind Population
of the United States. 1910. recently
issued by Director Sam l.. Rogers. of
the Bureau of the Census. Department
of Commerce, aud prepared under the
direction Of DR.. Joseph A. Hill, ex-
pert special agent in charge of re-
vision and results.
Blindness I'm Foreign Countries.
The total number of blind persons
in the world is roughly estimated at
100000. The total number enum-
Grated at the most recent censuses of
the blind in all countries in which
such censuses have been taken Is l.
1874 ,346. These countries represent
all of Australia. nearly all of Europe
and North America, and portions of
South America, Africa, and Asia, to-
gether with certain of the insular
possessions OF European and Ameri-
can countries. The only countries
and provinces in which the ratios of
the blind to the total population are
lower than that for the United States
1923 per 100000 are Canada. where
the ratio was 44.9 per 100000 in 1911 (;
Belgium, where it was 43.5 in 1910;
Denmark, 527 in 1911; Germany.
500 in 1900; Netherlands, 46.3 in
1909; New South Wales. 61.4 in 1911;
Western Australia, SOB in 1911; and
New Zealand. AIS in 1911
Where Blindness is Most Prevalent.
In the United States blindness is
most prevalent in New Mexico and
Nevada, in which states the ratios of
blind to total population in 1910 were
1923 to 100000 and 1885 Ia
100000, respectively. The high
due to the fact that Indians, among
whom trachoma formulated eyelids)
is of frequent occurrence in those sec
tons of the country. constitute rela-
lively large elements in their popula-
ton. In Arizona. Kentucky. Tonnes
see and Vermont the ratios are also
high-959, "a, S9.5, and s4.6. respec-
lively. The relatively large Indian
population Of Arizona is responsible
for the high ratio in that State; tracb.
oma is prevalent in certain parts Of
Kentucky and Tennessee; and in Yer
mont there are relatively more PEG
pie of advanced ages than in Other
parts Of the country. TO which fact Il
doubtless due the high ratio for tina
State, since susceptibility to blind
ness increases with advancing age
Sex. Age and Marital Condition.
In 1850 and at every succeeding
census the proportion blind has beel
greater among males than among Re
males. In 1910 the ratio Of males 4
females among the blind population
was 1907 to 100. whereas in the tota
population the corresponding ratiI
was LOG to 100. In the majority o
foreign countries a similar condition
exists.
Although blindness may occur a
any time of life. it is peculiarly a de
feet incident to old age. In fact, ap
proximately one-half-494 per cent
of the blind population reported Il
1910 were so years of age and over
whereas only about one-fifteenth-6'
per cent-of the total population
we're so years of age and over. II
make the comparison in another way
The median age Of the total popula
ton in 1910 was 24.2 years-that is