BUND, DEAF AND DUMB

Hokitika Guardian, 21 April 1925, Page 3

BUND, DEAF AND DUMB

FIGURES FOR AUSTRALIA. SYDNEY, April it. To the ordinary person. statistics are uninteresting things which would ke least expected to reveal the tragedy and pathos of life. lull under the analytical treatment of experts they bring forth aspects that are as absorbing as those of a naval. Since the census of 1021. the Commonwealth Statistician (Mr C. 11. Wirkens) lias issued a. score nr su of “bulletins.” which give publicity to the various salient discover ir- resulting from the decennial count of “heads.” The 1a I - est of tin' series deals with the numbers of blind and deaf and dumb people ill Australia.

Tliis bulletin showed that blindness, that most terrible condemnation to pepetnnl darkness, had in the decade ended 1921 only increased to the extent of 12 persons, which number, in view of the much larger proportionate increase in population, was actually a aecrep.se. The total was 2b~4. comprising ISi D males and 1335 females, an increase of 05 and decrease ol 53 respectively in II) years. Thai: blindness is no resnocter of persons or ages is confirmed by Mr Wickens’s figures. At the last census 40 children no to the age of four years were blind. There were 35 persons between the age of 00 and 94 without sight. The ages showing the greatest number ol sightless people* were GO to 04 for males and 75 to 79 for females. The census of 392! recorded 1855 deaf mutes, only three more than in 1911. There were 21 more deaf mute women and IS fewer deal mute men. S-n(v deaf muteism, unlike blindness, is not an occupational ntfilietion, the small neiva.se. also proporlinnately a decrease, may he assumed to he due to the causes (if the affliction not being so prevalent as tliev were ten years ago. From .Mr \\ iekens’s figures, it would appear Lliat most dent mutes do not live to an old age. The greatest number of I Kith sexes were between the a.m* of 29 and 21. hut at the ages which contain most blind people, namely GO to G 4 for males and 75 to 79 for females, there were hut 48 deal mule men and eight women.

Tlio greatest tragedy of till the sense afflictions is that of the blind (leaf mutes. The only communication with the world ’ outside themselves which these people have is through their sense of touch. Hone, fear, misery, joy can only conic to them through their lingers. palates and noses.' Fortunately such cases are rare. In all Australia at the end ol the. 1921 census, there were onlv lo of these. Despite their total reliance nn the. senses of touch, taste and smell, two of the blind deal mutes were between 80 anil 81 years of age: one 70 and 74: there. GO and Gl : three. 55 and 59; two 40 and 44.