[du-list] 'Too many babies without eyes'
Source: Nederlands Tijdschrift Geneeskunde, 2001, 26 mei;
145(21), blz.1024
(Dutch Journal Medical Science, 26 May, 2001; 145(21), p.1024)
Foreign news
Iraq
Too many babies
without eyes
Mohammed A. Salman, an eye surgeon from Baghdad, is reporting via
the internet about the phenomenon anophthalmos: babies who have
been born with only one eye or who are missing both eyes. This is
a rare anomaly, which normally exists at 1 of the 50 million
births. The Iraqi eye doctor, however, is reporting 9 cases in
two years; 8 babies are missing both eyes. The Flemish eye doctor
Edward De Sutter from the Groeninghe Hospital in Kortrijk picked
up the message from internet and started a scientific discussion
with Salman per e-mail. On the critical and unbelieving questions
from De Sutter, Salman proposed to come and to look by himself.
De Sutter accepted the invitation and came to Iraq, together with
two other colleague eye doctors. What he saw in Iraq, was
horrible, like he writes in the Flemish daily ‘De Standaard’
(5 May, 2001).
De Sutter examined a number of children by himself which was born
without eyes, but also saw some pictures of children with
grotesque anomalies, such as the start of one eye in the middle
of the face: the so-called cyclops. His colleague Roland Bonneux
examined children with an absent crown of the skull who were
keeping alive in the incubator. I am not so much bewildered about
the presence of the anomalies as well about the great number out
of them, says De Sutter. Out of the 4000 births there are 20 with
such anomalies. Iraq seems to be a scientific curiosity.
The cause is evident according to Salman: from 7 of the 8
anophthalmosic babies who missed both eyes, the fathers have been
exposed to U.S. antitank weapons during the attack of the U.S. on
Iraq in 1991. At this depleted uranium was used. According to the
official point of view from the U.S. the radioactive particles,
which released during the use of such weapons, pose no danger for
the health, but various groups amongst them participants of the
conflicts in Kosovo in 1999 disputing this.
Leaving all political sensitivities aside it has been clear to De
Sutter that Salman needs help. Not only concrete aid of medicines
and material, but also aid in the field of scientific knowledge
and support. On a special web page of the Association of Eye
doctors in Flanders (www.vvov.be)
more is mentioned about the mission of De Sutter to Iraq and the
aid program that he and his colleagues want to set up.
Translation by Henk van der Keur
Notes: The web page is Dutch; however also for not Dutch speaking
people it is worth to visit. There is a report with pictures.
Contact:
Dr.Med.Dr.Sc. Edward De Sutter
Dienst Oogziekten
C.A.Z.K. O.L.V. Groeninghe
Campus Sint-Maarten
B. J. Vercruysselaan 5
B-8500 Kortrijk
edward.desutter@azgroeninge.be
The web page on which Dr. De Sutter is referring to is probably:
http://www.uruklink.net/iraqnews/echild.htm