New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1916-03-15
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PREVENT SPREAD OF DANGER
Gus EYE DISEASE. z. :

FO'~-.~~AeNNS9
hospitals in localities where this contag-
tagious disease of the eyes is prevalent
presents the best solution of the trachoma
problem, according to the statement
contained in the annual report of the
Surgeon General of the United States
Public Health Service. The Service
now has five trachoma hospitals in the
three states of Kentucky, Virginia and
West Virginia, and so great has been the
number of applicants for treatment that
waiting list has been established. In
the past fiscal year $4,000 cases of
trachoma have been treated, the larger
proportion of which were cured, while
those in. which a cure was not effected
have been greatly improved and rem
dered harmless to their associates.
The great majority of these trachoma
patients were people who lived in remote
sections far removed from medical as
sistance, and who, but for the hospital
care and treatment provided would
have remained victims of the disease
practically the remainder of their lives.
when it is considered" the report
of the Service states, "that thousands of
p ,rsons suffering with trachoma, a dan
gerous contagious disease, would other
wise remain untreated, it is realized how
farreaching results have been obtained
through these trachoma hospitals and
other public health work done in this
connection. It is would be impossible
to estimate with any degree OF accuracy
the number of people who have been saved
from contracting this communicable
disease by thus removing these thousands
of foci of Infection
In addition TO treating persons with
the disease the hospitals have been used
for educational work. Doctors and
nurses have visited the homes of the
patients and have explained how to pre-
vent the development and recurrence Of
the disease. One thousand three hum
dred and eight such visits were made
during the year in Kentucky alone. "It
has taken some time," the report con-
tinues, Ito educate the people afflicted
with this disease to the Importance of
cleanliness and the use of simple hygienic
measures in their daily life,'' That re-
suits have been obtained is evidenced by
the noticeably better observance of
hygienic precautions by those among
whom the work has been done.
In addition to the hospital work, sur
veys were made in 16 counties in Ken
lucky, especially among school children.
Eighteen thousand and sixteen people
were examined, per cent being found
to have trachoma. Similar inspections
in certain localities of Arizona, Alabama,
and Florica resulted in finding the dis
ease present in from three to six chill
dren out of very hundred. Periodic
examination of school children for the
disease and the exclusion of the afflicted
from the public schools, are two of the
recommendations the Public Health
Service lays emphasis upon.
One Of the special features of the
trachoma work was the giving of lectures
and clinics before medical societies in
various counties where trachoma hospi-
tails could not be established. Patients
were operated upon in the presence of
physicians and the most modern methods
of treatment demonstrated. Through
out, the purpose had been to stimulate
local interest in taking up the cam
paign to eradicate trachoma.