The Health bulletin [serial] - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

310 THE HEALTH BULLETIN.AOPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM.Big Name for an Easily PrerentableDisease.Do you know what ophthalmianeonatorum means ? It is the scientificname for baby's sore eyes. Itmeans a pus discharge from the eyesand lids of little new-born babies.It means that the baby's eyes havebeen infected at the time of birthor soon afterward. There are overone hundred thousand blind peoplein the United States today, over tenthousand of them have been madeblind by this disease. Enough peopleare made blind by this diseasealone every few years to populate afair sized city, because of the carelessnessor neglect of some one incaring for the little new-born babies.Doctors have been trying for yearsto stop this unnecessary blindnessby educating nurses to recognize itin its beginning and by getting lawspassed which require midwives,nurses and others to report at once,anything wrong with the little one'seyes or lids, so that proper treatmentmay be given before it is toolate. But so far the public is notsufficiently educated to appreciatethe importance of preventing thisdreadful disease, nor the danger ofthe neglect of these cases. Thereare still many such cases occurringevery day in which life-long blindnessfollows for want of precautionson the part of parent, midwife ornurse, or some one else who hascharge of the little bnby. It is nnawful responsibility when throughsuch carelessness or neglect, a babyis allowed to become blind for life.This disease progresses rapidlywhen once contracted. Some doctorsmake it a rule to have everybaby's eyes cleansed carefully immediatelyafter birth and preventivemethods used, to destroy any possibleinfection that may have enteredduring birth. But doctors are notalways present, and it is for thisreason it is necessary that every parent,every midwife, every nurse,or whoever has charge of a new-bornbaby should report to the healthofficer, any trouble with a new-bornbaby's eyes, for on prompt actionmay depend whether the baby mustbe blind through life or not.AIR LINES.The cold snap is more of a "snap"for the undertaker than it is for thelifeinsurance companies.* * *The best way to avoid doing businesswith an undertaker nowadavsis to ventilate.* * *Ventilate now, if never before.Pneumonia and tuberculosis are diseaseschiefly of improper house condition.s—ofimpure house air.* * *Pure air is your best protectionagainst diseases of the respiratoryorgans.H: * ^Ventilate! you lobster! Ventilate'