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About The Chemawa American (Chemawa, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1943)
Trachoma Conference In the last six months the Washington State Health Department has thought it advisable to institute a trachoma program in connection with other health activities in that state. To do this it was necessary to make a special study of diagnosis and treatment of trachoma. After several conferences with the dis trict medical director of the U. S Indian Service, it was decided tnat Chemawa Indian School was the best place available for this study. Through the co-operation of Dr. Lombard, district medical di rector; Miss Grace G. Englemen, director of tra choma nursing; Dr. j. F. Lane, special physician of the U. S. Indian Service at large: Miss Adeline Lynch, trachoma nurse at large; Mr. M. W. Evans, super intendent of Chemawa Indian School, thirty tracho ma students and twenty non-trachoma students of Chemawa Indian School, they were able to obtain the desired information and instructions. Those in attendance were, district medical director, three ophthalmologists, one state epidemialogist, six coun ty health officers, state supervisor of public health nurses, and fifteen public health nurses. The puplic health men were here for one day, but the nurses stayed for three days. These activities took place on the 28th, 29th, and 3()th of November, and Dec ember 1st. Trachoma (As told to Paul Svinth by Dr. J. F. Lane.) Trachoma, meaning roughness, is a granular in- flamation of the conjunctiva of the eyelid. It is a virus disease exclusively from the secretions of an infec ted eye. It is spread by direct, or indirect, contact of towels, handkerchiefs or any other material used by the infected person. The symptoms of this particular disease are: A. Sometimes symptomless. B. Sensitiveness to light. C. Itching or burning of the eye. D. Feels a foreign body in eye. E. Tears. F. Sticking together of lids due to discharge. G. Pain if ulcers or if imflamation develops. H. Visual disturbance. I. Follicles in conjuntiva( hazy, vascular cloud iness in the upper part of the cornea.) Trachoma frequently develops very slowly. It is a disease extended over a long period of time. The conditions that are liable to follow are par tial blindness or complete blindness. Also lid de formation in which the lids turn in and bring the lashes in contact with the cornea causing constant damage to the cornea, often resulting in complete blindness. Assemblies Assemblies are held in the auditorium on Wed nesday morningsat 10:45. The first ones were chief ly for getting acquainted with employees and for group singing. Later assemblies have each been in charge of a class. The freshmen. Mrs. Weigel's class, entertained us with a play, singing, some stunts, and readings. Miss Sunrise's third grade presented a program of folk dances. They were very cunning in grown-up costumes. The dances were Varsoviana, waltzes, and Virginia reel, and others. Miss DodrilLs seventh and eighth grades each gave a program. The audience was very apprecia tive of th^ir songs to guitar accompaniment, stunts, readings, acrobatic stunts, and tap dancing. The beginners and first grade entertained us De cember 8 w ith games and songs. They played Little Black Sambo in pantomime while Miss Page read the story. We enjoyed their costumes and acting. Education Education today is a necessity. After the war w hen the jobs are scarce, you w ill almost have to have an education. Education isn’t something to be poured on you by your teacher, your parents and other people who might be called educators. It is something you, as an individual, will build up for yourself. A graduate from high school or college is foolish to think education stops there; for education is part of our everyday Life; we learn something new’ every day. We must never stop learning, for that is what makes life more enjoyable and understandable. So let’s not pretend we know it all; let’s get in dig out some of this EDUCATION.—C. P erry . George W. Bent George W. Bent, former boys’ adviser at Chema wa for 15 years, passed away at his home in Salem Oregon, after a months illness. Besides Chemawa, Mr. Bent served in a similar capacity at the Indian schools at Genoa, Nebraska and Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. He had many friends among his fellow workers and students with whom he worked. The treatment that is used mostly is sulfonilamide drugs. This drug has replaced almost entirely the older methods of treatment. With this drug it has been found that a greater improvement in a much shorter period of time has been accomplished than with any other type of treatment.
