The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1916-07-01
sAsiEs' soRE EYES.

One of the most common toFins Oh
unnecessary blindness IL the result OF
an eye disease which atflie,s the baby
before IL is month old and which
nearly always could have been pre-.
vented by proper care and treatment
at the time the baby was born This
dreadful disease Is commonly called
Babies sere Eyes" and Is sometimes
spoken of as u "eold Ia the eyes,
Physicians call II 0phihalmIa Neona'
forum
II begins as a redness of the eyes,
usually within the frat week after the
baby Is born, but II may come later
Besides the redness, the lids become
swollen and matter or pus il discharg
ed from between the lids II Il Ia at
first neglected, II becomes much more
difficult or even impossible 90 cure and
unless a doctor sees the ease soon
after the frat signs Of the disease
show themselves and If proper treat
ment Is not at once commenced, the
eyes may be damaged 80 that, even II
| they do not become entirely blind.
sight may bee lost TO very great
extent Enough damage may be dong
In one day to make II impossible, even
with the greatest care. 10 prevent
total blindness.
This eye disease can nearly always
be prevented Many years ago great
doctor In Germany. who took care of
hundreds of babies every year made
wonderful discovery. lie found that
| II the doctor, nurse or midwife who
takes care Of the baby when II Ia born,
would put few drops of simple
medicine in the baby's eyes as soon
as lis born, this would prevent the
disease In almost all cases. Ever since
this doctor In Germany made this dos.
eoyery, doctors everywhere have been
| using this medicine and have proved
| that II VIII prevent even the worst
form OF Fables Sore Eyes"
One of the chief reasons why II IL
| not always used Ia because II some.
times happens that when doctor uses
| the medicine In baby's eyes al birth,
II makes the baby's eyes a little sore
and red for a day or two, and the
mother and friends think that Instead
of preventing sore eyes 1t has caused
them. However, this form OF sore eyes
Ia never serious aud requires only
simple treatment. although the physi
elan should be called In such cases
the mother often makes the mistake
Of thinking that the treatment vas
harmful and tells her friends about II,
30 that when their babies come they
will not permit the doctor TO use the
medicine Ia their baby's eyes They
should not forget that while this treat
ment often causes simple sore eyes,
which lasts only few days, II pre-.
vents the dangerous sore eyes which
cause blindness
Another reason why Il is BOT always
used, is that for time people sup
posed that II baby had sore eyes II
vas because the baby's parents had
not lived clean lives, and had given
the baby a very serious disease which
might make the baby blind There.
fore, II doctor, nurse er midwife
offered to use the medicine to prevent
sore eyes. parents at once felt that
they were accused Of having a shame.
ful disease Today We know that this
II not always true. for there are many
eases OF Babies Sore Eyes" which
| may be serious enough 10 make the
baby blind but for which the parents
are In no way to blame. Unfortunately,
In some of the worst eases the disease
Is directly due to disease Of the parents
In such eases the preventive treatment
is absolutely necessary. When parents
know they have this disease. they
| should be all the more careful Of the
babys eyes
Mothers who are anxious that their
babies shall be perfect should not only
permit the use of the medicine to
| prevent the worst fern OF sore eyes,
but should Insist upon It's use
-
Constitutional amendment to permit
4 ........a. -, aakaaI H.. so. 10 ,......l