, 1877-07-08
SAVING THE ISNOCENTS-
lfoncure Con,cuvs London Letter to Cincinnati Com

i
Moncure Conwuvs London Letter to Cincinnati Com
fnerci1i.
A very interesting, and at the same time un-
obtrusiyc, work, has been going on III London
through the devotion OF a truly t'noblc " lady
the Countess Ebersblrg. Some years ago this
Countess lost her two babes, aud she then con-
secratcd her fortune and her life to the single
work of saving the lives OF children. As she
began to cxatoinc the subject, she met with tho
statement that in England 200, COO children die
annually under the age OF 5, and OF these per
ceut die OF preyentablc causes. She wrote to
the Registrar-General to ask II this rate OF i1-
FAINT mortality is really true, and received con-
r1nation oft Then she set herself to the task OF
going around and visiting tho poor and con:
vcrsing with mothers. She found these poor
mothers so hopelessly ignorant Of the most pri-
mary laws Of health, and, il they Knew them, so
entirely unable from drudgcry and poverty to
practice them, that she (the Countess) gradual
" felt her way to some kind of practical
method. In the first place she instituted
weekly mothcr's-nceting, which might be
attended by those who were able, at which she
gave them instructions in cCOnomizlng their
poor means, and in the kinds Of food most
nourishing, and answered, from the best author
tiles, the mothers questions to treating their
own and their childrenfs ailments. The Count
information. As an illustration of how mihute-
ly she studies the situation OF these mothers,
may mention that she found that, In their de-
sire to make their little means go Us far as pos
buying sa1t-herrine Tor breakfast, because it
can be bought for a penny. But the herring
makes tho husband or son thirsty, and after it
he goes and spends two-pcuce for beer. SO she
persuadcs the mother that the herring Is d de-
lusiye economy, and the instruction has been
n
own means, aud those Of her friends, to provide
Matted Food Extract and similar things for all
ing children, and, by spending about e400 year
in this way, saved many lives. The ill-spelt,
upon. her by grateful mothers are pre-
served BY her az proudly as any warrior
preserves the medals that reward his SUCCESS
full slaughters. No CRY OF mother or
child has ever been unheeded. Gradually
dren's Retreat in the country for babies whose
lives depend on a change of air, and day
nursery, where women may leave theC children
in good care while they are at work. Her work
is now arranged in districts amid the poorest
parts Of Loudou, and she distributes some 9,000
pounds of baby food per annum. Instruction
as to health is given in four different centres.
A great many leaflets containing simple san
itary instructions are also distributed Tue
crusade OF this gentle Countess against Hcrod,
though it has attracted no attention in Royal
circles here, seems to have been heard Of else
where, and the Empress Of Russn last year
sent tic Countess donation for her work and
q warm letter Of sympathy. The Grand Duchess
Of Baden has this year done the same. II few
more ladies in London were to 20 and do like
wise, especially those wealthy and titled Indies
who, thc physicians say, are often invalids
through sheer lack OF interest in ANYTHING at
all, the RcgistrarGeneral'su ugly statistics would
soon show change, aud the annual massacre
Of the innoccnts assume less frightful propor-
tiors. 1t is rather q singular example Of the
difference between the laws Of cause and effect
in the physical and the moral worlds that the
have lctl to the salvation Of many in the homes
Of poverty.