ally the result of acute ophthalmia occurring in infancy, and
it is fostered by the superstitious observance which prevents the
mothers from washing their children from the time of birth until they
are two years old, at which late date only they are weaned. There is
also a great deal of infection carelessly and ignorantly conveyed
direct from eye to eye, by means of unwashed fingers, and this is
accountable for the occurrence of much more eye-disease than any that
may be caused by the proverbial flies. The only employment followed by
the blind, both Mahommedan and Coptic (or native Christian), and that
only to a limited extent, is recitation aloud--the former repeating
portions of the Koran at funerals, and the latter chanting the
church-ritual in their services; the blind girls and women are without
occupation. Practically no education is given to the blind as a class,
and anything which they learn has to be acquired orally by frequent
repetition. The blind were not always so completely neglected, as the
native ecclesiastical authorities (Wakf) gave an annual grant of L2000
for the continued maintenance of a school for the blind and the deaf
and dumb in Cairo, which taught about 80 day-pupils; the latter years
of the school were passed under the ministry of education, and it was
ultimately discontinued. Such a condition of affairs appealed to Dr
T.R. Armitage, and explains his motive in trying to establish some
proper means for affording the blind in Egypt the necessary scholastic
instruction and other training. In Egypt, as in other countries, it is
occasionally very difficult, and takes some time, to start any
enterprise such as this on a satisfactory and practical footing, and
it was left for Mrs T.R. Armitage to be the means of successfully
carrying out her husband's wishes in this particular. In 1900 Mrs
Armitage asked Dr Kenneth Scott to prepare a scheme for the education
and welfare of the blind in Egypt, on lines suggested to her. This,
through the British and Foreign Blind Association, was submitted to
Queen Victoria, who graciously commanded it to be sent, through the
foreign office, to the khedive, who in mark of approbation and
encouragement generously gave a handsome donation towards its
realization. The Institution for the Blind was established at Zeitoun,
Cairo, early in the year 1901, through funds provided by Mrs T.R.
Armitage. The obj