Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-08-06
FACTS ABOUT BLIND
kffliction Less Common in Amer.
lea Than Other Countries.
More Prevalent Among Men Than
Among Women-More Blind indians
and Negroes Than Whites
Many Self. Supporting

WaSnlnet0n.-The blind population
of the United States in 1910 numbered
67,272. or 62,3 to each 100000 of the
total population in that year. Blind
ness is less common in America than
in most other countries; it has appar
emily decreased among the youngest
classes Of the population in the last
half century; it is more prevalent
among men than among women; it is
very much more prevalent among In,
dams, and considerably more prevalent
among negroes, than among whites
Trades taught in schools or workshops
or the blind have equipped more than
$500 blind persons for total or partial
self-support.
These are some Of the facts brought
out in a bulletin, "The Blind Popula'
ton Of the United States, 1910" re-
Gently issued by Director Sam L. Rog'
ers of the bureau of the census, depart.
ment Of commerce, and prepared I'm.
der the direction of DR.. Joseph A. Hill,
expert special agent in charge of re.
vision and results.
The total number Of blind persons in
the world is roughly estimated at @,
100000. The only countries and prov
inces in which the ratio of the blind
to the total population are lower than
that Of the United States 1928 per 100,
000) are Canada, where the ratio was
44.9 per 100000 in 1911; Belgium,
where it was 43.5 in 1910; Denmark,
52.7 in 1911; Germany, 600 in 1900;
Netherlands, 46.3 In 1890; New South
Wales, Ola in 1911; western Australia,
50.3 in 1911; and New Zealand, AIS
In 1911.
In the United States blindness Is
most prevalent in New Mexico and Ne
vada, in which states the ratios OF
blind to total population in 1910 were
1893 to 100000 and 1855 to 100 900,
respectively. The high ratio for these
states are due to the fact that Indians,
among whom trachoma (%granulated
eyelids) is Of frequent occurrence in
those sections of the country, consti.
tute relatively large elements in their
population. In Arizona, Kentucky,
Tennessee and Vermont the ratios are
also high-95.9, 81, 1915 and S4.6. re.
spectively. The relatively large In
dian population of Arizona is RESPONSE
BILE for the high ratio in that state;
trachoma is prevalent in certain parts
of Kentucky and Tennessee; and in
Vermont there are relatively more peo'
pie Of advanced ages than III other
parts OF the country, to which fact Is
doubtless due the high ratio for that
state, since susceptibility to blindness
increases with advancing age.
In 1850 and at every succeeding e n
sus the proportion Of blind has been
greater among males than among fe.
males.
Although blindness may occur at
any time Of life, it is peculiarly a de-
feet incident to old age. In fact, ap.
proximately one-half-49.4 per ceat-
of the blind population reported in
1910 were sixty years of age and over,
whereas only about one-ifteenth-6.S
per cent-of the total population were
sixty years of age and over.
Among native whites, the number Of
blind persons per 100000 population Of
the same race and nativity was only
fifty-five, whereas for the total popu-
lation the ratio was 62.3 to 100000.
The corresponding ratios for other ele-
ments of the population were. For.
eign-born whites, 74.5 to 100000; ne.
groes, 80 to 100000; Indians, 1925 to
100, 900; Chinese, Japanese and all 9TH
er nonwhites, 1872 to 100000. The fact
that blindness is more common among
foreign-born than among native whites
is, however, due to the fact that the
former. class contains relatively more
people Of advanced age than does the
latter.
OF the 31,473 blind males ten years
of age and over in 1910, only 1876, or
1858 per cent, were reported as being
gainfulV employed, while Of the a.
900 blind females ten years of age and
over only 1,345, or Sc per cent, were
reported as gainfully employed. The
corresponding percentages with refer.
ence to the total population were S1.3
males and 23.4 for females. It does
not follow, however, that more than
5000 blind persons were actually self.
supporting, since in most cases their
earnings were far from sufficient tc
constitute a livelihood, and often
to q mere pittance of less
than 800 a year. In this connection
it should, Of course, be borne in mind
that a very considerable proportion OF
the blind population haye already
passed the age when retirement from
active employment usually occurs, SO
that the number Of blind persons not
reporting an occupation does not by
any means indicate the number of in.
dividuals lost to the working force Of
the United States by reaso Of blind
ness.
OF the 1876 blind males reported
as gainfully employed, 1,768, or % per
cent, were returned as farmers; 665,
or S.3 pei: cent, as broom makers; GAG.
or 81 per cent, as musicians and
teachers Of music; 619, or 7.8 per
cent, as retail merchants and dealers