The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-02-11
flammation and blindness. 1t is both
communicable and durable.

CONFERENCE.-The ana CuTaDlS.
Among the mountaineers the work
of curing the actual cases Is proceed
ing rapidly; but more important is the
task Of teaching the mountain popula-
ton to avoid infection by adopting
more sanitary living arrangements.
Their cabin homes are overcrowded;
they use common wash basins and
common towels; the mother is apt to
wipe the eyes Of the child with an
apron upon which she wipes her own.
These people have lived much as
they do now for $50 years, and, OK.
cept for communicable diseases. such
as trachoma, they are q healthy class.
To effect change among them. in view
of their isolation and decidedly settled
opinions, has been a large undertake
ing.
The public health, service Is work.
ing a change among them. however.
Frequent meetings are held in school
houses and churches, at which stere-
opticon slides are. exhibited showing
the precise means by which trachoma
and other diseases, including typhoid.
spread. This campaign Of education
has made rapid Roadway and. as cures
multiply, the faith Of the mountain
public in Uncle Sans teaching Is in
creased.
itor from the United States govern.
ment who was familiar in the Ken.
lucky mountains carried Winchester
He was looking for secret whisky
stills and was venturing upon O dan.
gerous errand am ong very hostile
people, The good samaritan from the
public health office, upon his errand
of love and charity, has now become
as thoroughly an established charac-
ter in this rugged region as the inter.
nal revenue agent used to be. Prob
ably no other influence has served
more effectively to bring the outside
world into close and friendly relations
with the r1ountaineers.r
Sixty Miles for Treatment.
THAT these people realize and ap-
preciate what we are trying to do for
them," said the medical officer in
charge of the ltrachoma work at the
headquarters of the public health
service in Washington recently, was
impressed upon me by an. incident
which. occurred when 1 was at the
Hindman hospital not long since.
AN old man brought in his son who
was badly afflicted with trachoma. 1t
was decided that an operation was
necessary. but the boy overheard us
tell his father this. The lad slipped
out and ran away, home. 1t was ~
miles across the mountains. The ia
Their and son had walked this 20 miles
to the hospital.
THE father at once walked back,
found his son and repeated the long
foot journey into Hindman the next
day. where the operation was per-
formed and the boy cured. That meant
60-mile trip on foot-hard, rough
going all the way-by the parent to
force his son to take advantage of the
opportunity offered by the govern
ment.
when we see these things we know
our work is well worth doing"
The appeal of such incidents to tho
hearts Of a simple, natural and kindly
people is manifest. There was the case
of a mother of four children, none of
whom she had ever seen. The vision of
both eyes was so far impaired by ira
choma that in bright sunlight she
could not recognize anyone. Following
brief treatment at one of the noun.
tain hospitals she returned to-, her
family and saw her children for the
first time. d
There was an old man who was led
40 miles across the mountains for
treatment. Though blind for years, his
vision was restored and he returned
home without escort.
Gas stated, there is no miracle-cure
about it; no use Of marvellous eye-wa-
ter, no mystery whatever. Eliminating
medical terms. 1t is largely business
OF rolling back and sandpapering the
inside Of the eyelids. After that comes
thorough cleansing, continued regular
ly by the patient. OF course, If the con-
valescent returns to the cabin and
uses infected towels. the disease re-
turns ,s..,
The work of the government sur.
geons in the mountains is not limited
to trachoma. Not long ago one un-
usually busy day, an assistant surgeon
general Of the public health service
received an unexpected visitor. 1t was
teacher from Hindman, KY, where
the eye hospital has since been estab-
lished. She had ridde~ % miles to the
railroad station and thence had made
the long trip to Washington upon most
urgent business. The assistant sur
geon general had made her acquain-
lance in course of the trachoma fold
investigations. ...
Finding Typhoid Source.
Doctor" she said, there are SO
cases of typhoid in Hindman and no
means of caring for them. We do not
know the cause Of the epidemic and i
came here to see II you cannot help
U.S."
to a quarrel with his wife. was found
" ttEFas tgF'. ~