ention. It is
estimated that twenty babies in every one thousand have sore eyes, and
that from five to eight of these cases are serious, and capable of
causing blindness. Infant ophthalmia is found among all classes, but
more especially among the poor, who must so often depend upon the
services of a midwife or neighbor who, in most instances, does not know
the meaning of the word antiseptic. Consequently, it was found necessary
to make laws for the prevention of this disease. For various reasons, it
is difficult to pass a law making the use of a prophylaxis compulsory,
and in only a few states has this been done. But in more than thirty
states the immediate reporting of infants' sore eyes is compulsory, and
in thirteen states the prophylaxis is distributed free to doctors and
midwives.

In our own state, every precaution is taken to prevent infant
ophthalmia. Dr Edward F. Glaser, secretary of the State Board of Health,
has given this subject unlimited time and study, and, with the help of
the California State Library, California Society for the Prevention of
Blindness, and many social and civic organizations, has conducted a
continuous campaign, and has succeeded in passing a law which is both
simple and effective, and which has resulted in lowering the percentage
of infantile blindness, and in arousing the public to a sense of its
duty in this regard. Dr Glaser and the above-named organizations have
also rendered yeoman service in securing the passage of laws prohibiting
the use of a roller towel, and for the licensing and registering of
midwives.

In this state, the law for the prevention of infant ophthalmia provides
for the immediate reporting of every case of babies' sore eyes, and
failure to do so is considered a misdemeanor, and a third offense
results in the revocation of the license to practice medicine. In 1915,
the State Board of Health purchased 23,000 prophylactic outfits. These
are little wax ampules, containing just enough one per cent nitrate of
silver solution for the eyes of a child at birth. These ampules are
distributed free to physicians and midwives all over the state, and in
the past two years, more than 16,000 have been so distributed. In
California, the birth certificate asks these questions: "Was a
prophylactic for ophthalmia neonatorum used? If so, what?" The birth
certificate must be filed within five days. Few doctors have the
temerity to ignore these questions, or confess that they have u