The Washington times., 1903-07-23
RACE MURDER
SAYS WOODWARD
Arraigns Mothers for Neg
lect of Their Babies.
CAUSE OF HEAVY DEATH RATE
Infant Mortality Due Largely TO Use
Of Substitutes for Natural
Nourishment.

Race murder" is the expression
coined by DR.. William c. Woodward.
Health officer for the District. in ex-
PLANTATION OF the abnormal death rate Of
infants under one year of age.
To the ignorance. inability. or neglect
of mothers to care properly for their
offspring is attributed the cause Of the
distressing condition.
we are daily seeing the destruction
of human life through the unwillingness
OF mothers to nurse their young chill
dren." asserts the Health Oflcer. '1: is
nothing short OF race murder, and can
De compared with the ravages wrought
by race suicide
Startling Mortality Figures.
To substantiate this declaration. Dr.
Woodward presents some startling fig
ures. In the week ended last Saturday
more than one-ffth of all deaths in the
District occurred among children less
than two years OF age. The cause In
almost every instance is traced directly
TO the three factors mentioned by him.
OF the infants who succumbed last
week, four were nursed by their
mothers, three on cows milk alone, and
thirteen on condensed milk.
Even under the very best conditions, =
says DR.. Woodward, in commenting on
the fact that the mortality was so large
ly associated with the use of condensed
milk as a substitute for natural nourish-
Tnent, condensed milk is an unsatisfac-
tory substitute for the proper food. II
is administered to the unfortunate little
ones chiefly through the desire OF the
mothers to avoid giving the right nour-
ishment.
The abnormal statistics since Monday
alone are sufficient to show the preva-
lent condition. Since then the average
OF deaths among infants has nuctuated
between 30 and A. per cent OF all those
reported to the Health Department.
Actual Race Murder.
1T almost goes beyond comprehen-
sion" declares the Health officer. ito
believe that such terrible evil as race
murder exists. But it does. And what
IS more, there seems 20 be no way 10
prevent It,
Behind The mere announcement that
a child died OF diarrheal trouble there
can generally be found another and
more interesting cause. In the investi-
cation of most cases We have discov-
cred that the baby's demise has beer
directly or Indirectly due 20 improper
attention on the part of the parents.
Three factors stand out prominently
in summing up the circumstances Of racf
suicide. These are the ignorance, inabil-
ity OF poverty. and unwilllngness o
mothers. not necessarily inhuman. L
care for their offspring as they should.
No Excuse for Ignorance.
There is no excuse for a wife no,
20 know how to nurse her young chill
dren, and il is astonishing to believe
that a mother viii not. II she can
There is a possible excuse for those who
cannot on account of poverty.
~ great remedy for the terrible con
dition would be the establishment o
more day nurseries. where mothers
could leave their little ones while a
work. These institutions are sanitar.
and the proper food can be given tn
youthful guests"
Dr. Woodward further said he ha
learned OF cases where infants had bee
given bread and gravy. fresh fruit, an
similar articles. Defective clothing
also considered a factor II increasin
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