PREVENTION OF BLINDNESS 177 



blind, and each of these commissions exists for the sake of 

 doing three things : 



1 . To educate the public for the saving of sight. 



2. To start and carry on enterprises that will give work to 

 those who cannot see : broom-making, basket-making, chair- 

 caning, weaving, typewriting, mattress-making and pillow- 

 making, upholstering, massage, etc. 



3. To provide home teachers for those who become blind 

 after they are full-grown, and in this way to lighten their 

 affliction. 



The state commission of Ohio also gives definite advice 

 for the benefit of every, baby born. 



Directions for the Treatment of Babies' Eyes 



" As soon as the baby is born, the midwife must carefully 

 clean the eyelids with water that has been boiled, using a 

 separate soft linen cloth or clean absorbent cotton for each 

 eye. 1 She should wipe the lids from the nose outward, with- 

 out opening the lids. Then the eyelids should be separated, 

 and two drops of one per cent solution of silver nitrate dropped 

 in each eye. A dropper must be used which is employed for 

 no other purpose. Nothing that is not perfectly clean should 

 touch the baby's eyes. If the baby's eyes get red, if a drop 

 of matter appears between the eyelids or in the corner of the 

 eye, a physician should be called. Do not delay in procuring 

 treatment, as the eyes can only be saved by applying proper 

 remedies at once." 



The germicide needed kills the microbes if they chance 

 to be in the eyes, while at the same time it does no harm 

 to the eye if the microbes are not there. Nevertheless, it 



1 That one eye may not infect the other. 



