TRACHOMA IN THE UNITED STATES.

Because of the relative frequency of trachoma in the countries of the Orient and southern Europe, we have perhaps been accustomed to attach less importance than we should to the comparatively few cases in this country. Attention has been called to the danger of spreading this disease in this country by allowing immigrants who are affected with the disease to come here. Wilder1 has pointed out that there are already large numbers of cases of trachoma in the United States, and he has especially investigated the prevalence of the disease in Illinois. In the Illinois Institute for the Blind at Jacksonville, 9.09 per cent, of the 451 pupils in attendance were totally blind from trachoma. As a cause of blindness trachoma was second only to blennorrhea neonatorum, which was responsible for 17.25 per cent, of the total number of cases of blindness. At the Illinois Charitable Eye and Ear Infirmary,