Lucien Howe

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Lucien Howe (1848-1928) was an American physician who spent much of his career as a professor of ophthalmology at the University of Buffalo. In 1876 he was instrumental in the creation of the Buffalo Eye and Ear Infirmary.

Howe is mainly remembered for his work in the prevention of blindness. In 1926 he established the Howe Laboratory at Harvard Medical School for research and study of biochemistry, genetics, neurobiology, and physiology concerning the eye. Also the American Ophthalmology Society names its most prestigous award- the Lucien Howe Medal after him.

However, Howe was also a major figure in support of the dubious "science" of eugenics as a weapon in the war against preventable blindness. He believed that by sterilization of the blind, the undesirable trait could be eradicated along with the suffering it caused.

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The Howe Laboratory