The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-11-30
BLINDNESS or BABIES.

One half OF all the blindness Is pre-.
fentable. One-tenth OF all the prevent
able blindness is due to babies sore
eyes. Stephenson describes babies sore
eyes as an nflammatory disease or the
conJunctiva usually appearing within
the first few days of life and generally
due to micro-organisfms."
These terms may be too technical.
Let us state 1t again in simpler Ian
guage. Within two days after the birth
OF the baby some matter is noticed in
the corner OF the eyes. Within an hour
or two 1t will be noticed that the eyes
are red n yellow pus is oozing from
between the lids. A little later h eye
lids are noticed to be puffed. IL q little
or this pus be placed under a micro
scope 1t will be seen that the suppura-
ton is due to pus germs.
The more frequent pds germs causing
babies sore ewes are g~onococci, chain
cocci, n pneumonia cocci.
! Babies sore eye is ~preventable, 1s
contagious, is durable IL treatment Is
started early. II treatment is delayed
a single day 1t may be found that the
sight is gone since the disease runs a
very rapid and violent course
Some mothers think that babies sore
eyes are due to the light or to cold.
Some yer think that it is due to the
c~onjure put on the baby by some evil
person. The first group of mothers
laugh at h ignorance n superstition
of the second group, but without justice
since their opinion is no nearer the
truth than that of those at whom they
laugh.
Babies sore eyes are an infection and
are due to pus cocci getting into the eye
during birth, at the time of birth, or
soon after. T~hirty-six years ago a Ger
man hospital surgeon, by name Crede,
noted that one-tenth Of the babies born
in his hospital developed babies sore
eyes. He commenced he policy OF drop
ping n 2 per cent solution of nitrate of
silver into the eyes Of each baby as
soon as 1t had had it's bath. In six years
the babies sore eyes rate in his hos
pital dropped from n In 8 to one in
400. 81 ""' u
The result of this experiment was a
newly born babe. Immediately after
birth the baby is given his bath and
his eyes are treated. Each eye is wiped
with a piece Of absorbant cotton dipped
ina saturated solution of boric acid
Cooled water will do as well as boric
acid ~solution). "A separate pledget of
cotton is used for each EYE. The cot
ton is not put back into the solution
after touching the eye. Next the aye
lids are gently separated with the fin
gers and II drop or two drops OF ]
'per cent solution OF nitrate, OF silver is
dropped into each eye. This is done
/. only once. 1t is done not to cure sore
eyes but to prevent eyes from becoming
/ sore. A.t q
II the eyes begin to suppurate the
doctor must be sent for without delay,
The sight cannot be saved unless treat
ment is begun at once. a.
Essentially the above facts are taken
from an Illustrated pamphlet on Saw
ing the Sight OF Babies" issued by the
national committee for the prevention
OF blindness. This committee, located
| at 1870 East Twenty-second street, New
York, has issued a series OF six pam
phlets on preventable blindness. They
will give one pamphlet to any person
sending a stamped addressed envelope
The pamphlets a be bought for q
few cents each.