LONG-DELAYED BLINDNESS

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21707, 14 February 1936, Page 14

LONG-DELAYED BLINDNESS

EFFECT OF BEING GASSED DURING WAR AUCKLAND MAN LOSING HIS SIGHT (press AsaociATiojr telegram.) AUCKLAND, February 13. A case was reported by cablegram from England on Wednesday of a man who had just lost his sight as the result of being gassed at the battle of Arras in 1917. The cablegram said that Vis was the fifteenth case of "delayed action" in blindness due to mustard gas, that had been admitted to St. Dunstan's Home for Blinded Soldiers in the last two years: As far as is known, there is only one similar case in New Zealand—that of a man who has been attending the New Zealand Institute for the Blind at Auckland daily since February of last year, \pnly 37 years of age now, hje 1 was little more than a youth in the Royal Scots Regiment at the time he was gassed. He came to New Zealand after the war, and for some years his sight was all right, although he had been affected by gas m the chest. This man started to lose his sight in 1932, and although he is not totally blind his sight is still deteriorating. Because of his disability he is unable to be engaged in the permanent occupations of the blind men at the institute; but he has been taught hobby work, Braille and typewriting, and is taking lessons on the piano. He receives a full disability pension from the Pensions Department in London. It was stated by Sir Clutha Mackenzie, director of the institute, that from a technical report received it seemed that nothing could be done for such cases. It was stated that.a good deal of pain was suffered during the loss of sight.