The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1859-06-23
MORTALITY OF CHILDREN IN RUSSIA

MORTALITY OF CHILDREN IN RUSSIA.
y terrible picture of the mortality OF
children in Euss;a is given in Journal call =
cd the Eou>ky Dncvnik. 1t appears that
Il vast proportion ofthis premature death is
assignablc to that carelessncss of mothers,
which continually exposes children to f;,-
tai accidents. "'rhc Indifference of our
rcasantry," observes Il writer in the Jour
nal above mentioned, "with respect to their
children exceeds all belief. They give them
selves not the least concern about their
offspring. The consequence is that only a
very small proportion Of the children
brought into the world reach maturity.
The mortality Of children under five years
OF age is, no doubt, considerable in all
countries, but in Russia it is frightluI
Many more than one,haIf of the children
born i'll this country died in the very car
liest period Of infancy. Ouc,ciyhth die be-
tween tire ages Of five and ten, and another
eighth, bctwecn ten and twenty; thus
thrcc-tourths perish before reaching ma
turc age. Where are we to look for the
cause Of this mortality It cannot be re-
ferrcd TO climate, for throughout the whole
extent Of Russia there is no climate more
inimcal to health than that Of ST. Peters
burg and yet in the capital the deaths in
infancy are not, rs in other parts Of the
empire, i'll the proportion Of one half, but
only Of one third, to the births. The rca-
son is that children are more cared for, and
their physical development is better attcn.
ell to i'll st. Petersburg thar in the
provinces. The ignorance and superstition
of the lower Glasses Of the people have, in
many instances, n most fatal influence on
the management of children. OF this the
following facts afford q melancholy exam
pie. Last August small pox Of very ma-
lignant character broke out in several vii
lagos Of the government Of Voronetz,, and
made fearful ravagcs among the children
Of both sexes. The activity of the disease
was considerably heightened by the hu-
mid climate, the uncleanliness of the peo-
pie, the bad quality and scantiness of food,
and the ignorance and negligence Of mo-
theirs in the treatment of tho patients. A
physician residing in one of. the infected
districts found Young child suffering TN
der most terrible attack of small FOX.
lie offered his professional assistance,
which was obstinateIy rejected by the mo.
thcr. who observed that 81 it were written
that her child must die, no doctor could
save him. However, the poor. woman was
iondly attached to her Child, and at length
she yielded to the doctors reco,amenda,
tions, AMI said, "Well, you may try to cure
him, and may God help YOU" On being
asked why the child had not been -vaccna.
ted, she replied that when the men came
into the village 10 vaccinate the children
she hid her boy, and though. the men came
into her hut several times tlrey could not
ind, him.
Vaccination, she observed, was an i'm.
pious practice, and she could not char
her conscience with The sin of making her
child victim to it. "But," said the doc
tor, "you have been compelled to have
your child yaccinated." Tho woman shook
her head sorrowfuIy, and most pitcously
wept. Anothef woman, who happened to
be present, said that she had child, and
that if any doctor were to vaccinate if she
would suck the matter or even bite out the
piece.of flesh V Ith her teeth to prevent the
diab0lical opssatiOn taking effect. This
opinion on tie subject of vaccination is
general among the Ruskolnigs, or schis-
mates, of the district of Korotiak but it
also prevails in districts in which there is
no schism. The Russian peasantry gener-
ally look upon doctor with distrust; and
in cases Of illness, they invariably prefer
the assistance Of the village sorcerer."-