PREVENTION OF BLINDNESS 179 



says it often lies in wait for years, then unexpectedly brings 

 destruction to a man or perchance to his dearest friend. 



One such case was supposed to be thoroughly healed ; not 

 a sign of the trouble had shown itself for six years. The man 

 supposed he was perfectly well, when, without warning, he 

 infected his own eyes with those microbes that bring blind- 

 ness. " At the same time all his joints became involved, as 

 well as the tendon sheaths of one foot. The microbes were 

 obtained from the discharges of the eye, proving the real 

 nature of the infection." 



It is such cases as these that led Dr. Wilson, of the Uni- 

 versity of Pennsylvania, to answer his students as he did. 

 They asked, " Can this disease be cured, and can a patient 

 be sure that he is 1 cured ? " His answer was, " To the first 

 question, ' yes,' and to the second, certainly, ' no '." 



This disease has the same source as syphilis — immoral 

 living. It is not the same disease, however, and, as we have 

 seen, it manifests itself in different ways. We understand, 

 then, the need of prevention through right living. We also 

 understand why city after city is forbidding the use of the 

 public roller towel, and we are not surprised that traveling 

 men who spend so much time in public places are learning 

 to carry their own towels with them. They were frightened 

 into this in one place by the true report that " at least three 

 traveling men had to give up their positions recently on 

 account of infection from this source." 



Rules of Prevention 



1 . Never use a towel or handkerchief that others have used. 



2. Never put your fingers to your eyes unless you have 

 just washed your hands ; use a clean handkerchief or a bit 

 of clean cloth to wipe out the corners of your eyes. - 



