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THE BLIND.

INTRODUCTION.

This report relates to the blind on June 1, 1900. Before discussing the results of the inquiry, the method pursued in the collection of the data should be explained. Heretofore census statistics of this class have been based upon the complete return, by the regular census enumerators, of all the details concerning each individual enumerated, upon special schedules designed for that purpose, and there has been no means of determining the thoroughness of their canvass or the accuracy of the returns made by them.

At the Twelfth Census, however, a change was made in the plan for securing the returns, and the work of the enumerators was restricted to a brief preliminary return showing only the name, sex, age, post office address, and nature of the existing defects in all persons alleged to be blind or deaf. The form of schedule furnished the enumerators for this purpose, including the instructions and explanations defining the defects mentioned, is as follows:

TWELFTH CENSUS OF THE UNITED STATES.

SPECIAL SCHEDULE.

Persons defective in sight, hearing, or speech.

State. Supervisor's District No.
County. Enumeration District No.
Township or other division of county.
Name of incorporated city, town, or village within the above-named division.
Enumerator.

INSTRUCTIONS.

The object of this special schedule is to obtain the name, sex, age, and post office address of all persons who are either blind or deaf (including those who are deaf and dumb).

After completing the enumeration of all the members of a family on Schedule No. 1 (Form 7-224), you will ask whether all the persons just enumerated have good sight and good hearing -- that is, can see well and hear well. For all such persons no further inquiry need be made; but if you find that some member of the family can not see well, you will then ask whether he or she can see well enough to read a book; and should it appear that the sight is so seriously impaired that it is impossible for the person to read a book, even with the aid of glasses, then you will note such person as "Blind," even though, as a matter of fact, he or she may have some slight power of sight.

In the same way, if you find that some member of the family can not hear well, you will then ask whether he or she can hear well enough to understand loud conversation; and should it appear that the hearing is so seriously impaired that the person can not be made to understand what people say, even when they shout, you will note such person as "Deaf," even though, as a matter of fact, he or she may have some slight power of hearing. You will then ask further whether this deaf person can speak; and should it appear that the person can not speak so as to be understood, you will note such persons as "Deaf" and "Dumb," even though, as a matter of fact, he or she may have some slight power of speech.

Only those dumb persons who are deaf as well as dumb are to be noted; so that if you should come across dumb persons who are not deaf, they should not be included nor should the "semi-blind" and those blind only in one eye be reported on this schedule.

For each person reported on this special schedule as blind or deaf you will write on the population schedule (Form 7-224), on the right-hand margin opposite the name of any person defective as above, the letter "B" if the person is blind; the letter "D" if the person is deaf; and the letters "DD" if the person is deaf and dumb. If a person is blind and also deaf, use the letters "BD"; if blind and also deaf and dumb, use the letters "BDD," You will then make the entries called for on this special schedule, in columns 1 to 9, according to the following instructions:

In columns 1 and 2 enter the number of the sheet and of the line of the population schedule (Form 7-224) on which the defective person is enumerated, and then copy in columns 3, 4, and 5 the name, sex, and age of the person as originally entered on that schedule.

In column 6 enter the post office address of the person reported as defective; or if the person is a minor, or unable, through disability, to respond to communications by mail, obtain and enter in this column the name and post office address of his or her parent, guardian, or nearest friend, using the two spaces as subdivided by the dotted line. The intent of this inquiry is to secure the name and address of the proper person from whom further information can be obtained by correspondence concerning the blind and deaf persons enumerated.

In columns 7, 8, and 9 note the nature of the disability as follows:

If the person is defective in sight but can hear and speak, write "Blind" in column 7 and ''No" in columns 8 and 9.

If the person is defective in sight and hearing, but can speak, write "Blind" in column 7, "Deaf" in column 8, and "No" in column 9.

If the person is defective in sight, hearing, and speech, write "Blind" in column 7, "Deaf" in column S, and "Dumb" in column 9.

If the person is defective in hearing, but can see and speak, write "No" in column 7, "Deaf" in column 8, and "No" in column 9.

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If the person is defective in both hearing and speech, but can see, write "No" in column 7, "Deaf" in column 8, and "Dumb" in column 9.

These returns supplied the primary information and located the persons alleged to be blind or partially blind, leaving the details to be secured by correspondence with the individuals or their guardians or friends through the medium of a personal schedule of the following form :

TWELFTH CENSUS OF THE UNITED STATES.

PERSONAL SCHEDULE.

State
S.D. ... E.D. ...

The blind.

Department of the Interior, Census Office,
Washington, D. C, October 1, 1900.

Dr. Alexander Graham Bell, of Washington, D. C, has been appointed Expert Special Agent of the Census Office, for the preparation of the report on the Deaf and the Blind, authorized and required by an "Act relating to the Twelfth and subsequent censuses," approved February 1, 1900, and he is empowered to conduct in his own name the correspondence relating to this branch of the census inquiry.

All communications and replies to questions asked by him will be held and regarded as strictly confidential, and no use will be made of them which can directly or indirectly injure the persons to whom they relate.

WILLIAM R. MERRIAM,
Director of the Census.

In the return made by a United States census enumerator for the state named above occurs the following entry:

Name of person reported
Post office address
This person is said by the enumerator to be.
Sex; age.

In order to verify the truth of this return, and also to obtain certain additional information regarding the case reported, the person to whom this circular is addressed (or some other person acting for him or her) is respectfully requested to write in the blank spaces below answers to the following printed questions.

The circular, when so filled, should be forwarded to the Census Office, at Washington, in the inclosed envelope addressed to Doctor Bell, which requires no postage stamp, but will be transmitted through the mails free of charge. An immediate reply is earnestly desired.

(1) Is the person named above blind?.... (Write "Yes" or "No," as the case may be.)

(2) Is the blindness total or partial?... Is he (or she) blind in one eye or in both?... Can he see to read?... Can he recognize persons or objects by the eye?... Can he go about the neighborhood without a guide?... Does he wear glasses?... If so, of what description? ...

(3) Was he born blind? If not, at what age did blindness occur? (State the age exactly, if known; if not, state it as nearly as you can.)

(4) What is the supposed cause of blindness?

(5) Has he attended, or does he now attend, school? If yes, where? (If in a special school for the blind, name it; if not, write "common school," "private school," "high school," "academy," "college," or "privately instructed at home.")

(6) Were his (or her) parents first cousins? If not first cousins, were they otherwise related by blood to each other, before their marriage?

(7) Were any of his relatives blind? (Write "Yes" or "No.") If yes, what relatives? (Father, mother, grandparents, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, and how many of each, so far as known.)

(8) What occupation does he follow for a livelihood, if any?

ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL,
Expert Special Agent.

CERTIFICATE.

I hereby certify that the answers given to the foregoing questions are true, to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Sign here. Name of informant
Post office address..
Street and number.
Additional remarks, if any.

It is from the data contained in the personal schedules returned to the Office that the appended tables have been compiled.

The enumerators reported a total of 101,123 persons alleged to be blind as defined in the instructions contained in the schedules, but this number was greatly reduced as a result of the correspondence directly with the individuals, 8,842 reporting that the alleged defect did not exist, and 6,544 that they were blind only in one eye but were able to see with the other, and hence did not come within the scope of the inquiry. No replies were received in 19,884 cases in which personal schedules were sent, although repeated inquiries were made; consequently these cases were dropped. In 380 cases the personal schedules returned were too incomplete for use, and in 75 cases duplication was discovered. The number eliminated for the reasons specified was 35,725.

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It was also found that the defects alleged by the enumerators did not, in many cases, agree with those disclosed by the personal schedules. In 561 cases reported by the enumerators simply as deaf or deaf and dumb, blindness also was shown to exist, and in 1,196 cases in which blindness was alleged by the enumerators there was no defect of vision disclosed by the personal schedules.

The result of the correspondence with the persons alleged by the enumerators in their preliminary return , to be blind, as set forth above, indicates that the accuracy of statistics of this class based upon the enumerators' returns are likely to be seriously defective, and that the personal particulars obtained by direct correspondence with the individuals are much more reliable. It also indicates that any comparisons with the published statistics of 1890 would be misleading.

Much of the detailed information furnished in the personal schedules is necessarily indefinite, particularly that relating to the causes of blindness, which, being stated in the language of the individuals, who are in many cases ignorant of the facts or are illiterate, does not permit a thoroughly scientific classification of the causes of blindness.

The number of cases remaining for statistical treatment, after making the eliminations and corrections described, was 64,763, representing 35,645 totally blind and 29,118 partially blind. This number, however, can be considered only as the minimum, as an unknown proportion of the blind were not located by the enumerators, and doubtless a considerable proportion of the 19,884 persons who failed to return the personal schedules should be included in the total. The number of partially blind by no means represents the facts as to defective eyesight among people, but so far as the returns cover the field they represent verified cases, and possess a greater authenticity than any heretofore secured.

Notwithstanding the probable deficiencies in the returns the figures furnish a basis for determining, with fair accuracy, the seat of the cause of blindness and the relative frequency of different diseases of the eye producing loss or impairment of vision.

SUMMARY OF RESULTS.

The principal facts concerning the blind set forth in the general tables are those relating to sex, color, general nativity, marital condition, present age and age at which blindness occurred, causes of blindness, and occupations. Consanguinity of parents, the number of the blind having blind relatives, and the educational advantages as indicated by school attendance are also shown.

The general relation of these data to the blind, distinguished as totally and partially blind, is shown briefly in the following tables and comments:

Sex. -- Of the 64,763 blind reported, 37,054, or 57.2 per cent, are males, and 27,709, or 42.8 per cent, are females, the number per 100,000 of corresponding population being: Total, 85.2; male, 95.5; female, 74.5. The numbers, percentages, and ratios to population are shown in relation to sex and degree of blindness in Table I.

Regarding the degree of blindness, it is shown that 35,645, or 55 per cent, of the blind are totally blind, and 29,118, or 45 per cent, are partially blind. Of the totally blind, 56.5 per cent are males and of the partially blind, 58.1 per cent. To state these facts in another way, blind males show a smaller proportion of their number totally blind than do blind females, the respective percentages being 54.4 and 55.9. The number of totally blind per 100,000 of total population is 46.9; in the male population, 51.9; and in the female population, 41.7. The corresponding numbers per 100,000 for the partially blind are 38.3, 43.6, and 32.8, respectively. These figures indicate that blindness, both total and partial, is more common among males than females.

Table I. -- The blind, by degree of blindness and sex.

States and territories. -- The distribution, by degree of blindness, of the blind and the number of each class per 100,000 of the population are shown for states and territories in Table II.

Table II.-- THE BLIND, BY DEGREE OF BLINDNESS, FOR STATES AND TERRITORIES.

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Color. -- The number of white persons returned as blind is 56,535, of which 30,359 are totally blind and 26,176 are partially blind. The number of colored blind is 8,228. This includes 7,646 negroes, 568 Indians, and 14 Chinese or Japanese, which, in the tables, are grouped under the caption "colored." Of the 8,228 colored, 5,286 are totally blind and 2,942 partially blind. The numbers, with the percentages of each class, and the number per 100,000 of corresponding population are shown in Table III.

The figures in the following table show that of the blind whites, 53.7 per cent are totally blind and 46.3 per cent are partially blind. Of the colored blind, the per cent totally blind is much greater, being 64.2; while the per cent partially blind is correspondingly less (35.8). The number of blind per 100,000 is greater in the colored population (89.6) than in the white (84.6). The number of totally blind per 100,000 is also greater among the colored than among the whites, but the number of partially blind per 100,000 is smaller.

Table III. The blind, by degree of blindness and color.

Table IV shows the number of white and colored blind, by degree of blindness, in each state and territory, with the number per 100,000 of corresponding population.

COLOR.

Table IV.-- THE BLIND, BY DEGREE OF BLINDNESS AND COLOR, FOR STATES AND TERRITORIES.

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Table IV.-- THE BLIND, BY DEGREE OF BLINDNESS AND COLOR, FOR STATES AND TERRITORIES. (continued)

The relation of color to blindness is shown in the following general tables:

Table 1 gives details of color, nativity, and age.

Table 3 gives details of color, nativity, age, sex, and age when blindness occurred.

Table 8 gives details of color, nativity, cause of blindness, and sex.

Table 12 gives details of color, school attendance, sex, and age.

Table 13 gives details of color, school attendance, and age when blindness occurred.

Table 15 gives details of color, age, sex, and occupations.

Nativity of the blind whites. -- Of the 56,535 blind whites, 45,479 are native born and 10,694 are of foreign birth. The number and per cent of each class, by degree of blindness, and the number per 100,000 of corresponding class of population, are shown in corresponding class of population, are shown in Table v.

Table V. -- The blind whites, by degree of blindness and nativity.

From these figures it appears that a smaller proportion of the blind are totally blind among native whites (52 per cent) than among foreign born whites (60.9 per cent).

The number of blind per 100,000 of population is considerably greater among the foreign born white population than among the native white (foreign born whites, 104.7; native whites, 80.4). The difference is more marked for the totally blind (foreign born whites, 63.7; native whites, 41.8) than it is for the partially blind (foreign born whites, 41; native whites, 38.6).

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The greater proportion of blindness among the foreign born whites, as compared with the native whites, is due to the difference in the age distribution of the two classes, 46.5 per cent of the foreign born white population being over 40 years of age, while 49.5 per cent of the native white population is under 20 years of age. The differences in the proportions for the native and the foreign born whites are further explained in the discussions under "ages of the blind" and "age at which blindness occurred."

The relation of nativity to blindness is shown in the following general tables:

Table 1 gives details of nativity, color, and age.

Table 3 gives details of nativity, color, age, sex, and age when blindness occurred.

Table 8 gives details of nativity, color, causes of blindness, and sex.

Age. -- Blindness, either total or partial, is so largely a defect of the aged, and occurs with so much greater frequency as the age advances and the population diminishes, that in any comparison of the proportion of the blind in the general population of different classes, such as native and foreign born whites, or white and colored, the age distribution of the population of each class should be constantly borne in mind. The differences in this respect account for many of the differences in the gross ratios, and it is only when ratios are compared for classes of population of identical ages that their relative liability to blindness can properly be inferred.

The proportion of the general population of the stated classes of each age, per 100,000 of all ages, is shown in Table VI.

Table VI. -- Proportion of the general population of each specified age per 100,000 of all ages.

The figures given in Table VI show that the proportions of the native white and the colored population comprised in the specified age groups are very similar, while the proportions of foreign born whites at ages above 20 years greatly exceed those of the native whites; the proportion of foreign born whites between 60 and 80 years of age-- the period in which blindness most frequently occurs-- being nearly three times that of the native whites (foreign born whites, 13,678 per 100,000; native whites, 4,779 per 100,000).

Table VII shows the classification, by degree of blindness, of the blind under 20 years of age, 20 years of age and over, and of unknown age, with respect to color and nativity, with the number at the specified ages per 100,000 of population in the same age group.

Table VII.-- The blind, by degree of blindness, age periods, color, and nativity.

It will be seen from Table VII that among the blind under 20 years of age the number of totally blind is practically the same as the number of partially blind -- 4,123 and 4,185 being the respective numbers. But among the blind 20 years of age and over the totally blind are much more numerous, the number of totally blind being 31,363 and of partially blind, 24,802.

It will also be seen from the preceding table that the number of totally blind under 20 years of age per 100,000 population of corresponding age is practically the same for native whites, foreign born whites, and colored, the numbers being, respectively, 12.1, 12, and 12.6. In the group 20 years of age and over the number totally blind per 100,000 of population is about the same for the native whites (70.8) and the foreign born whites (69.8), but is considerably greater for the colored (103.3) than for either class of whites.

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The number of partially blind per 100,000 of population in the age group under 20 years is greatest for the native whites (12.7), least for the foreign born whites (9.5), and intermediate for the colored (10.3). About the same relative difference occurs in the proportions for the group 20 years of age and over (native whites, 63.9; foreign born whites, 44.5; colored, 54.1).

Table VIII shows the number of the blind, by present age and degree of blindness, and the number at each age per 100,000 of corresponding age.

Table VIII. -- The blind, by degree of blindness and age periods

The proportion of the population totally or partially blind, as shown in the above table, increases steadily with advancing years. In the age group 10 to 19 years there are more persons partially blind (20.1 per 100,000) than totally blind (18.3 per 100,000), but in all other age groups the totally blind exceed the partially blind.

Table IX shows the number of blind under 20 years of age, 20 years of age and over, and of unknown age in each state and territory, with the number of each specified age per 100,000 of corresponding population.

Table IX. -- The blind, by age periods, for states and territories.

The relation of age to blindness is shown in the following general tables:

Table 1 gives details of age, color, and nativity.

Table 2 gives details of age, and age when blindness occurred.

Table 3 gives details of age, color, nativity, sex, and age when blindness occurred.

Table 12 gives details of age, color, sex, and school attendance.

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Table 15 gives details of age, color, sex, and occupations.

Age when blindness occurred. -- The age at which blindness occurred has a most important bearing upon the statistics showing the relation of other factors to blindness; but the nature and development of the disability in certain cases prevent an accurate statement of the age at which it occurred, and where the exact age could not be given the individuals were requested to indicate the approximate age by specifying the period of life, as infancy, childhood, youth, adult life, or old age.

This permits the subdivision of age of occurrence into two broad groups -- under 20 years and 20 years and over -- which have been used in all of the tables showing the age at which blindness occurred.

Table X shows, by degree of blindness, the number who became blind in the specified age periods, and the number in each age period per 1,000 blind of all ages.

Table X. -- The Bind, by degree of blindness and age period when blindness occurred.

The figures in Table X include the foreign born whites, for which class the number who became blind under 20 years of age is inadequately represented, as the disability prevents their immigration; the proportions under 20 years are therefore somewhat too low, and those for 20 years and over are somewhat too high.

Table XI shows, by degree of blindness, the number who became blind at the specified ages, and the number who became blind at each age per 1,000 blind of all ages.

It will be seen from the figures that of the totally blind, 2,317, or 65 per 1,000, have been blind from birth, and that 2,084, or 58.5 per 1,000, became blind after birth but under 2 years of age. Of the partially blind, 2,413, or 82.9 per 1,000, are blind from birth, and 1,352, or 46.4 per 1,000, became blind before reaching 2 years of age. Thus the number who lost their sight, either entirely or partially, before reaching the age of 2 years, is 8,166, or 126.1 per 1,000 of the blind at all ages.

CAUSES OF BLINDNESS.

Table XI.-- The blind, by degree of blindness and age when blindness occurred.

The proportion of congenital blind, or blind from birth, is greater among the partially blind (82.9 per 1,000) than among the totally blind (65 per 1,000); so, too, is the proportion that became blind under 5 years of age -- 170.1 per 1,000 of the partially blind and 163.3 per 1,000 of the totally blind. But the proportion that became blind in each age period above 5 years of age is greater among the totally blind than among the partially blind.

The relation of age or period of life when blindness occurred is shown in the following general tables:

Table 2 gives age of the blind and age when blindness occurred.

Table 3 gives present age, sex, color, and nativity of the blind and age when blindness occurred.

Table 4 gives the age when blindness occurred.

Table 5, in greater detail than Table 4, gives the age when blindness occurred.

Table 6 gives the data similar to those in Table 5, with greater detail as to age when blindness occurred.

Table 7 gives the age when blindness occurred, sex, and marital condition.

Table 10 gives the age when blindness occurred and causes of blindness.

Table 13 gives the age when blindness occurred, color, and school attendance.

Tables 14 and 16 give the age when blindness occurred and occupation.

Table 17 gives the age when blindness occurred and age when deafness occurred.

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TABLE 13 THE BLIND, BY DEGREE OF BLINDNESS, COLOR, SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, AND PERIOD OF LIFE AND AGE WHEN BLINDNESS OCCURRED, FOR CONTNENTAL UNITED STATES: 1900.

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TABLE 13 THE BLIND, BY DEGREE OF BLINDNESS, COLOR, SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, AND PERIOD OF LIFE AND AGE WHEN BLINDNESS OCCURRED, FOR CONTNENTAL UNITED STATES: 1900.(continued)

TABLE 14 -- NUMBER AND PERCENT DISTRIBUTION BY CLASS OF OCCUPATIONS OF THE BLIND 10 YEARS OF AGE AND OVER GAINFULLY EMPLOYED, BY DEGREE OF BLINDESS IN RELATION TO AGE WHEN BLINDNESS OCCURRED , FOR CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES: 1900.

TABLE 14 -- NUMBER AND PERCENT DISTRIBUTION BY CLASS OF OCCUPATIONS OF THE BLIND 10 YEARS OF AGE AND OVER GAINFULLY EMPLOYED, BY DEGREE OF BLINDESS IN RELATION TO AGE WHEN BLINDNESS OCCURRED , FOR CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES: 1900. (continued)

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THE DEAF.

By Alexander Graham Bell.

INTRODUCTION.

This report relates to the deaf of the United States living on June 1, 1900.

In accordance with the census act the enumerators of the Twelfth Census were required to return only the name, sex, age, and post office address of each deaf, or deaf and dumb person, leaving all further details to be ascertained subsequently through correspondence with the deaf persons themselves, or their parents or guardians.

The nature of the instructions to the enumerators is indicated by the extract given on page 3.

Upon receipt of the enumerators' special schedules containing lists of persons reported to be deaf, or deaf and dumb, a circular letter of inquiry, or individual schedule, was sent to each address given, asking whether the person had been correctly returned as deaf, or deaf and dumb, and requesting further information in the form of replies to specific queries.

The special schools for the deaf in the United States were also requested to furnish the Census Bureau with the information contained in their school records concerning deaf pupils admitted between June 1, 1890, and June 1, 1900. Similar information concerning all pupils admitted from the opening of the schools up to June 1, 1890, had been collected in 1890 upon cards which have been preserved. The same form of card was used in 1900, and the complete card catalogue, arranged alphabetically, was employed in checking and verifying the returns made by the enumerators and by the deaf persons themselves in cases where the persons had attended special schools.

The special schools for the deaf were also supplied, upon request, with lists of deaf children of school age within the territory covered by the schools, taken from the enumerators' returns, and the superintendents were requested to inform the Census Bureau of any erroneous returns discovered. The replies to the circular letter of inquiry, and the correspondence with heads of schools for the deaf, enabled the Census Bureau to eliminate from the enumerators' lists large numbers of persons who were only hard of hearing, or who had been erroneously returned as deaf, leaving a total of 89,287 persons with seriously impaired powers of hearing.

Of these, 51,861 were not totally deaf, as they could understand loudly shouted conversation. The returns in these cases have been tabulated separately under the head of "partially deaf," although of course they represent only a portion of the partially deaf of the United States, every effort having been made to exclude persons merely "hard of hearing" from the returns.

Persons returned as both blind and deaf numbered 2,772. Since the returns in these cases are included in the report on the blind because they were blind, they are also included in the present report on the deaf because they were deaf.

Comparing the total number in the two afflicted classes, 71,795 persons were returned as blind and 89,287 as deaf; tut the aggregate number of blind and deaf is less than the sum of these two figures, because the blind-deaf cases are doubly reported.

The present report differs in several important respects from former Census reports on the same subject.

In order to secure as large aggregates as possible upon which to base the statistical analysis, the tables deal chiefly with the deaf of the whole of the United States, rather than with those of the states and territories individually, or of the counties contained in them.

States and territories are the lowest units of geo- graphic distribution employed; county tables are omitted altogether, as they occupy space quite out of proportion to their real importance or value, and the figures are too small to yield statistical results of significance.

Another difference relates to institution statistics: No special inquiry has been made through the Census Office concerning the deaf persons in institutions or schools for the deaf, as such inquiry appeared to be unnecessary in view of the fact that statistics of this character are collected no less than three times every year through other agencies. Such statistics are compiled by:

1. The United States Government, through its Bureau of Education (published annually in the report of the United States Commissioner of Education).

2. The Conference of Superintendents and Principals of American Schools for the Deaf (published annually in the "American Annals of the Deaf," Kendall Green, Washington, D. C).

3. The American Association to Promote the Teaching of Speech to the Deaf (published annually in the "Association Review," Mt. Airy, Philadelphia, Pa.).

The published results contained in these three sources of information are utilized in this report.

The assigned causes of deafness are classified by their effect on the ear All the assigned causes act only indirectly, the true cause of deafness being in every case the injury to the ear and not the cause assigned.

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The present classification has been effected through the cooperation of a committee of experts -- Dr. Z. T. Sowers, general physician. Dr. Charles W. Richardson, aurist, and the late Dr. Swan M. Burnett, oculist, all of Washington, District of Columbia.

Diseases that produce the same effect upon the ear are grouped together. For example, scarlet fever, measles, disease of ear, etc., operate to produce an abscess in the middle ear. They are therefore grouped together, and the deafness is assigned to a "suppurative condition of the middle ear."

The assigned causes of deafness are also considered in connection with hereditary influences shown by the consanguinity of the parents or the possession of deaf relatives. Deaf relatives are classified into four groups: a, deaf brothers, sisters, or ancestors (relatives in the direct line); b, collateral relatives (uncles, aunts, cousins, and other relatives not a, c, or d); c, deaf children (sons or daughters); and d, deaf husbands or wives.

The present report also differs from former reports in its treatment of occupations. In order that the occupations of the deaf may be compared with the occupations of normal persons, the same classification has been adopted as that employed in the Twelfth Census for the general population of the country.

The occupations of the deaf are also considered in connection with sex, race, and education, so that the occupations of the whites can be compared with those of the colored, and the occupations of the educated deaf contrasted with those of the uneducated. In relation to the educated deaf, the kind of school attended is noted, so that the occupations of those who have been educated in special schools for the deaf may be compared with the occupations of those who have been educated in the ordinary public schools of the country, or who have not been educated at all.

Another difference relates to the classification of the deaf themselves.

In the earlier Census reports the attempt was made to enumerate the "deaf and dumb" alone, excluding all of the deaf who could speak. In the Tenth Census all persons who lost hearing before they reached the age of 16 years were classed as "deaf and dumb," whether they could speak or not; and in the Eleventh

Census the deaf were divided into two broad classes based upon their ability to speak, viz, "the deaf and dumb" and "the deaf but not dumb."

In the present report the age or period. of life when deafness occurred is adopted as the basis of classification; and the deaf are divided into two broad classes quite independently of their ability to speak -- "the deaf from childhood" and "the deaf from adult life."

The ability to speak is an acquired condition, and not, therefore, suitable as a basis for classification. Speech is usually acquired through hearing and imitation, but it may also be acquired (independently of hearing) through special instruction; and, as a matter of fact, many deaf mutes are now taught to speak in a more or less intelligible manner. These cases make their appearance in the census returns as "deaf but not dumb," thus apparently reducing the numbers of the class "deaf and dumb," to which they originally belonged.

It is very desirable that the classification of the deaf should be based upon a natural condition which can not be changed. The age or period of life when deafness occurred is a condition of this kind, and the deaf and dumb, whether they have been taught to speak or not, belong naturally to the class "deaf from child- hood," and are thus differentiated from that large class of speaking persons who lost hearing in adult life.

Another noteworthy difference between this and former reports consists in the copious use 6f graphical diagrams upon a small scale, illustrating the tables. The smallness of the scale employed reduces to insignificance minor details, in which only small numbers are involved, thus bringing out clearly in relief the really salient features of the tables. The diagrams give a sort of bird's-eye view of the general features of the tables, and when closer inspection is desired the tables themselves give the details.

All the information tabulated by the Census Bureau concerning the deaf will be found fully elaborated in the general tables. All other tables used in this report have been compiled from these. Tables 1 to 10 of the general tables are summary tables, giving a survey of the whole scope of the investigation.

COMPARISON WITH FORMER CENSUSES.

In taking the earlier censuses (1830 to 1870) the enumerators were instructed to return only those who were actually deaf and dumb; but in 1880 it was recognized that many of the so-called deaf and dumb could speak -- imperfectly perhaps, but still sufficiently to enable them to escape enumeration as persons totally deprived of the power of utterance. It was thus seen that the plan of limiting the returns to those who were unable to articulate failed to secure a full census of the class intended to be enumerated; and in taking the census of 1880 the plan was adopted of considering all persons who lost hearing in childhood as belonging naturally to the class " deaf and dumb," whether, as a matter of fact, they were able to speak or not.

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This same plan has been adopted in the present census, but it has been deemed advisable to extend the age limits assigned to "childhood" from 15 years (1880) to 19 years (1900), for the reason that special schools for the deaf and dumb are open to all deaf children of school age. All persons, therefore, who lost hearing before the age of 20 are admissible as pupils, and this quite irrespectively of their ability to speak. It has also been deemed advisable in the present report to designate this class as ' ' the deaf from childhood (under 20)," rather than the "deaf and dumb;" for it is manifestly incorrect to label as "deaf and dumb" a class of persons containing many members who can speak. For this reason the "deaf and dumb" of 1880 would more properly be termed "the deaf from childhood (under 16)."

The inclusion of speaking persons in the returns of the deaf and dumb for 1880 is probably the main cause of the increased ratio per million noted for that census (Diagram 1).

There are other causes, however. Previously to 1880 the accuracy of the census returns depended upon the enumerators alone, for there was no possibility of going behind their returns and correcting errors; but in 1880 the Census Bureau entered into correspondence with physicians residing in all parts of the country, through whose agency the enumerators' returns were checked and verified. Many names of deaf-mutes who had been overlooked by the enumerators were supplied to the Census Bureau by the physicians.

This correspondence revealed the fact, which has been amply substantiated by the experience of the present census, that the returns of the ordinary enumerators regarding the deaf, or deaf and dumb, are erroneous in a large proportion of cases, and need correction and verification before being made the basis of statistical inquiries.

In 1890 a new departure Vas made. Previously to that year the census returns related to a portion only of the deaf and not the whole, viz, the deaf and dumb (1830 to 1870), or those who were supposed to belong naturally to that class, even though they could speak (1880); but in 1890, instead of relying upon the enumerators to make the distinction desired, the attempt was made to take a census of the whole number of the deaf, and to have the dividing line drawn by experts in the Census Office during the examination of the returns.

In 1890 the enumerators were instructed to make returns of all persons who were so deaf as to be unable to understand loudly shouted conversation, with the object of limiting the inquiry substantially to persons who were totally deaf.

The dividing line was drawn in accordance with the practice of the earlier censuses and not with that of 1880. The deaf were divided into two broad classes, viz, the "deaf and dumb" and the "deaf but not dumb." Deaf-mutes who had been taught to speak in oral schools were included among the "deaf but not dumb," but comparison was made with former censuses on the basis of the "deaf and dumb" alone.

Under such circumstances we would naturally expect to find a falling off in the ratio per million of population returned as deaf and dumb proportional to the activity displayed by the special schools in imparting speech to their pupils; and by reference to Diagram 1 it will be observed that there was a decrease in 1890 as compared with 1880.

This falling off, however, is more apparent than real, because the returns of the deaf and dumb for 1890 included only persons who were reported as unable to speak; whereas those for 1880 included all persons who lost hearing before reaching the age of 16 years, many of whom possessed some power of speech. The true comparison, therefore, should be made with the earlier censuses, in which the returns were limited to those who were de facto deaf and dumb.

In taking the Twelfth Census (1900) the plan of 1890 was adopted of taking a census of all of the deaf who were unable to understand loudly shouted conversation; but in accordance with a special statute of Congress the enumerators were required to report only the name, age, sex, and post office address of deaf, or deaf and dumb, persons discovered, leaving all other details to be ascertained by correspondence with the deaf persons themselves.

After all corrections had been made in the data secured for the present report, it was found that of those who had been correctly reported as deaf, the majority were able to understand loudly shouted conversation, in spite of the specific instructions to the enumerators that such persons were not to be returned. Out of 89,287 deaf, 37,426 were totally deaf and 51,861 could hear loudly shouted conversation. These latter cases were too numerous to be ignored in the tabulation of the results, and the returns have therefore been analyzed under the head of "partially deaf," although of course the cases reported constitute only a small fraction of the partially deaf of the country.

It must be difficult for enumerators, who are usually strangers to the persons they return, to decide definitely whether a person is or is not totally deaf; and we must credit the enumerators of the present census with the intention of fulfilling their instructions to the best of their ability. It is therefore probable that the majority of the partially deaf persons returned were laboring under serious defects of hearing, and were not simply "hard of hearing." They are believed, as a class, tQ be persons so deaf that it required correspondence with the persons themselves to ascertain the fact that they were not totally deaf.

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In the present census the proportion of the population reported as deaf and dumb (unable to speak at all) is less than one-half of that returned in 1890 (648 to the million in 1890, 321 to the million in 1900). (Diagram 1.)

In explanation it may be said that many thousands of persons who belong naturally to the class "deaf and dumb" are reported, or rather reported themselves, in the present census as able to speak; so that it is obvious that the increased activity in articulation teaching in our schools for the deaf is responsible for a considerable portion of this result. It is doubtful, however, whether this explanation alone is sufficient to account for the great difference between the two censuses in this respect; and it is possible that there may have been an overestimate of the deaf and dumb in 1890 or an underestimate in the present census, or perhaps both suppositions may be correct.

The returns of the 1890 census were based upon the reports of the enumerators alone, without verification by correspondence with the deaf persons, as in 1900, or by correspondence with physicians, as in 1880. It is therefore probable that erroneous returns, similar to those discovered in 1880 and 1900 through correspondence, exist uncorrected in the returns for 1890.

On the other hand, several thousands of circular letters of inquiry, sent out to the addresses of persons reported as deaf by the enumerators of the present census, failed to bring any reply, in spite of repeated requests for information. These cases were therefore thrown out of the investigation as resting upon insufficient evidence. They may represent erroneous returns; but, on the other hand, it is possible that the enumerators were correct, and that the deaf persons reported belonged to illiterate families unable to respond by mail.

Whatever may be the deficiencies of the present census, the information actually compiled is authoritative so far as it goes, because it is based upon statements made by the deaf persons themselves, or by parents, guardians, or friends intimately acquainted with the condition of the deaf persons considered.

In addition to the "deaf and dumb" returned in 1890, 80,616 persons, or 1,287 per million of population, were reported as "deaf but not dumb," so that the whole number of deaf returned in the 1890 census was 121,178, or 1,935 per million of population; whereas, in the present census, 89,287 deaf are reported in all, constituting a ratio of 1,175 per million of population, and the number able to speak (including those who speak well and those who speak imperfectly) is 64,918, or 854 per million.

Table I shows the number of deaf and dumb re- turned at each census since 1830 and the ratio per million of population, the figures for the present census including only those of the deaf who are "unable to speak at all."

Table I. -- Number of deaf and dumb and the ratio per million of total population: 1830 to 1900.

Table II shows the "deaf from childhood" of the present census compared with the "deaf and dumb" of former censuses.

Table II. -- Comparison of deaf from childhood in 1900 with deaf and dumb of former censuses: 1830 to 1900.

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TABLE XX. -- Number and present of deaf taught speech in special schools for the deaf in the United States for specific years.

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TABLE 46. -- NUMBER AND PER CENT OF THE DEAF 10 YEARS OF AGE AND OVER ENGAGED IN EACH SPECIFIED GROUP OF OCCUPATIONS, BY AGE AND PERIOD OF LIFE WHEN DEAFNESS OCCURRED: 1900.

TABLE 46. -- NUMBER AND PER CENT OF THE DEAF 10 YEARS OF AGE AND OVER ENGAGED IN EACH SPECIFIED GROUP OF OCCUPATIONS, BY AGE AND PERIOD OF LIFE WHEN DEAFNESS OCCURRED: 1900 (continued).