220 A Short History of Nursing might have been prevented, and all the possible lines of prevention have been vigorously urged, and popular support sought by the most effective methods of publicity. At the outset is the care given to the eyes of the new-born. This brings inquiry into the laws covering the registration of births, the reporting of sore eyes to the health department, the asepsis of medical men, mid- wives, and nurses, and the use or non-use of prophy- lactics. It was found that in no state did all the necessary preventive legislation exist. The New York Committee planned and organized the first training school for midwives in this country and did much to bring about a standard technique for the care of the eyes at birth. In later childhood, and again in industrial life, certain preventible dangers to eyesight are to be guarded against, in all of which the watchful care of the nurse must be enlisted. Thus it is seen that the lines of blind- ness-prevention are closely linked with baby wel- fare, public school nursing, and industrial service, and these, again, with legislative enactments, and the prevalent degree of popular knowledge or ignorance. Progressive New Zealand first attracted the world-wide attention of social workers and medical hygienists to a notable achievement in life conser-
