MEN BLINDED IN THE WORLD WAR Many thousands of young men were blinded in the World War. High explosive shells and hand grenades caused by far the largest number of casualties, but a few were the result of rifle and machine-gun bullets, explosions, etc. Various forms of chemical warfare caused tens of thousands of cases of temporary blindness, but extremely few were permanently disabled even in a small measure by this weapon. There were in addition a considerable number of men who became blind through hardship, exposure or disease contracted on service. In most of these cases the British Government recognized that their condition was aggravated by service and granted pensions.
The blinded soldiers, sailors and airmen of the British Imperial forces numbered in 1928 2,131. They receive pensions from the United Kingdom or Dominion Governments varying from £2 per week for a private in the United Kingdom army, with an addition of los. a week for his wife and los. a week attendant allowance, and allowances for children born before disablement, to the maxi mum of L5 under the alternative pension scheme (based on pre war earnings of the individual) for a private soldier, with appro priate increases according to rank. Over 95% of these officers and men were trained at and receive the life-long care of St. Dunstan's Organization for Blinded Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen, London (q.v.).
It is of interest to add that at the eleventh session (1927) of the League of Nations' health committee, at the instance of the Brit ish member, it was decided to utilize the machinery of the League for a general enquiry into the welfare of the blind.