The Colorado statesman., 1917-05-05
BLINDNESS worst
In EARLIER YEARS
Government Report Shows Larg-
est Number Lose Sight When
Five Years Old.
MEANS LIFE OF AFFLICTION
Increase in Number of Adults Affect
ed in Recent Years Ascribed in
Part to Industrial Growth of
Country.


A report on the blind in the Unit
ed States made by Director Sam l..
Rogers of Uncle Sans bureau of the
census. indicates that 30.S per cent,
or somewhat less than one-third of
the blind population lost their sight
when less than twenty years of age
Cncluding those born blind); 47.4 per
cent, or somewhat less than one-half,
during the early or middle years of
adult life (from twenty to sixty-four
years.; and 21.S per cent, or little
over one-fifth, in old age (after pass
ing their sixty-fifth year). More per-
sons were reported as having lost
their sight when less than five years
of age than in any other five-year pc
riod of life, 1874 per cent, or about
one-sixth, of the total being included
in this group; persons reported as
born blind formed &c per cent of the
total and persons reported as losing
sight when less than one year old 8
per cent, these two groups together
contributing 11.6 per cent, or more
than one-tenth, of those reporting the
age wien NlSlOu WIS lOSl.
These statistics are based on an
enumeration of the blind made in
connection with the census of 1910.
The blind population enumerated was
57,272, and by sending out special
schedules through the mails the bu-
reau obtained data regarding such
subjects as the cause of the blindness
and the age when it occurred from
29,242 blind persons.
Significance of the Statistics.
The fact that the 10000 blind rep
resented in the returns had on the
average been blind for 16 years makes
plain the gravity of this misfortune,
says the report. Although the risk of
blindness in infancy, childhood, or
youth is relatively small, yet, as
shown by these figures the complete
elimination of that risk would reduce
the blind population by nearly one
third. Similarly, the elimination of
the risk of blindness during the early
or middle years of adult life would
reduce the blind population by nearly
one-half, while the elimination of the
high risk in old age would cause re-
Der of existing cases. OF course, the
earlier the age at which the sight is
lost, the greater the magnitude of the
misfortune; loss of sight in infancy
means a life of blindness, while loss
of sight in old age ordinarily means
only few years of that afillction. For
this reason the increase in individual
happiness and the benefits to society
in general that would accrue from a
successful campaign against blindness
in early life would obviously be vast
ly greater than would result from a
corresponding reduction in the blind
ness occurring in old age. In this
connection it is significant that since
1880 there has been a distinct de-
crease in the proportion of blind who
lost their sight in infancy. In 1880
persons who became blind before COM
pleting their first year of life formed
1913 per cent of the total reporting, as
compared with only 11.6 per cent in
1910.
Increase of OccupationaI Blindness.
The proportion of the blind who
lost their sight during the early or
middle years of adult life has in
creased somewhat since 1880. 1t is
probable that this increase is in part
the result of the great industrial
growth of the United States in the
last 80 years, which would naturally
bring in its train an increase in the
number of cases of blindness due to
occupational injury or disease, and
hence in the number occurring dur
ing the years of economic activity.
A much larger proportion of males
than of females lost their sight in the
early or middle years of adult life
(twenty to sixty-four years of age),
the percentage for males being 51.4,
or more than one-half, as compared
with percentage of 41.s or about
two-fifths, for females. This marked
difference with regard to the period
of life when loss of sight occurred is
of course the result in the main of
the cases of blindness from industrial
accidents or occupational diseases.
Below the Mountains.
RnSaorabas Of tho ITpitad Stotpc