Medicine: Bitter Choice

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Even if it is detected early, cancer of the eye (retinoblastoma) imposes a harsh and agonizing choice: loss of one and often both eyes, or certain death as the disease spreads along the nerves to the brain. Last week the parents of two little victims of the disease faced up to that choice.

In West Milton, Ohio, 16-month-old David Michael Anderson gave his mother a big hug (see cut) as he returned home after an operation in which both of his eyes were removed. The son of a factory worker, David has been gradually losing his vision from the time he was three months old. The New York specialists who operated on him gave him a 50-50 chance to live. Said Mrs. Anderson: "I had faith all along. I feel God is going to let us have our baby."

In Atlanta, Arnold Pair, 36, father of five-year-old Johnny Pair (TIME, Oct. 1), finally consented to allow surgeons to remove his son's sole remaining cancerous eye. It was a decision he had agonized over for five weeks. "I've cried myself to sleep every night since I made the decision," he said, "but it's the only way to save his life. The doctors convinced me of that." After the operation, surgeons pronounced Johnny's chances of recovery from cancer "reasonably good." Two days later, Johnny's doctor explained to him what had happened: "The eye was sick, and I had to take it out to keep you alive. When I take this bandage off, don't open your eye because you won't be able to see, Johnny. You won't ever be able to see again, but you'll be all right." "O.K." said Johnny. Then he went out to play on his tricycle, guided by his older brother. At home, he felt his way around, found his way to the refrigerator for some mayonnaise to spread on bread. "I'll get it." he said when his mother offered to help. "You just tell me when I'm touching it." Said his mother: "I hope he understands. I believe he does."