This drawing is one of many studies Larry Rivers created for History of Matzah: The Story of the Jews , his comprehensive overview of Jewish history. In preparation for his monumental triptych, Rivers consulted many scholars, organizing the selected events chronologically in three panels: Part I (Before the Diaspora), Part II (European Jewry), and Part III (Immigration to America). A study for Part III, this scene focuses on the compulsory examination for trachoma immigrants had to undergo at their arrival to Ellis Island. About one-twelfth of the newcomers were afflicted by this eye disease.