MUSTARD GAS HORRORS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21912, 22 September 1934, Page 2 (Supplement)

MUSTARD GAS HORRORS

AFTERMATH OF THE WAR MEN STILL LOSING SIGHT CASES AT ST. DUNSTAN'S It will probably come as a surprise to the goneral public that exactly 20 years since the war began men in Britain arc still losing theii sight as the result of injuries received from gas and other causes while on active service. During the last 12 months, says tho News of tho World, 10 now cases have been admitted to St. Dunstan's, which cares for the war-blinded soldiers, sailors and airmen. These included five men whose affliction was attributable to gas. Two more of what may bo called "gas-blindness" are under observation, and it is feared that there are quite a number of others still to come. It has been found in each instance that tho loss of sight is due to the effects of mustard gas. In every case the men received some slight injury to the eyes all those years ago, and this has gradually developed, until to-day the victims are suffering either from total blindness or from such an advanced lack of sight that tliCv can no longer do their ordinary work. It is one of the functions ot St. Dunstan's to search such men out and set about training them to overcome their loss of sight. The other 14 cases were duo to wounds from shells or bullets. During the previous year there were 27 new cases of men blinded through war injuries, and the year before that 33, so that in three years there have

been nearly 80 new cases to come under the care of St. Dunstan's. It now looks after something in the neighbourhood of 2000 war-blinded men and 5000 of their dependants. At the time of tho Armistice there were 1300 cases. The average age of the men is new just under 45, and, on this basis, it lias been calculated that in 1945 there will still be alive 1300 men, and in 1974 more than 400. A few may still be alive at tho end of this century. That may sound startling, but, in this connection, it must be borne in mind that the last pensioner from the Crimean War only died quite recently.