The Washington times., 1903-08-14
Condition Will Continue
Till Fashion DEGREES
Otherwise. y
LENIENT WITH THE POOR
Suggests Day Nurseries
Where Mothers May
Leave Babies.


| fcer for the District of Columbia. in an
interview today. declares that an in
justice is being done his department Iy
arrs ing 1t against the mothers in plac-
ing he responsibility for infantlle
| deaf Dr. Woodward does not wish 20
go on record as opposing the methods
practicec by all mothers, but only the
society mothers" and says that the de-
plorable condition Will probably continue
in that quarter until fashion DEGREES
otherwise, or until a greater sense OF
responsibility for the welfare of off,
spring reaches this class in the COM
muuity."
The Health Department" said DR..
woodward this morning. has been in
vestigating the relation between the diet
OF infants and deaths from diarrheaI
diseases Ii has been glad to have the
results of such Investigations given as
wide publicity as possible. SO that the
citizens. having knowledge of the dan
gers incident TO the use OF substitute
| foods. might govern themselves accord
ingly. The department has not under
taken, however. except in the most
casual way. to indicate the prime cause
of the difficulty; that is. TO Indicate the
causes which in the first instance lead
to artificial feeding
Not Blamed as a Class.
1T has not undertaken to blame
mothers. as class. for the use of sub
stitnte foods, and certainly has not in
limited that the situation with respect
! to such matters is worse in Washington
than elsewhere Women would be In
difficult situation II they were on the one
hand TO be blamed for being parties TO
race suicide and on the other subjected
to oensure il. having an offspring. they
did not nurse it. although they might be-
unable &c do So
only the most superficial observer
can charge deaths from diarrheaI dis
eases primarily TO artificial feeding The
use Of such foods is but a step in the
process, and IN order to discover a rem
| edy 81 IS necessary TO seek further back
and to learn the causes which lead TO the
adoption of such diet, and TO the errors
with respect tn it. after il has been
adopted.
| Demands of Social Life.
$50 far as relates TO the adoption .f
substitute feeding for Infants. there is
undoubtedly a certain number of moth
ers who. although able 10 nurse their
| children, decline TO do so because Of
| the demands of society or personal van
ity. The Investigations of the Health
| Department show. however. that these
form but small part Of the total num-
Der. Other mothers find artificial feed
| ing necessary because they are phys
ically unable 10 supply natural nourish-
ment or because they find il necessary
TO leave their infants during q certain
part OF each day in order 10 earn
livelihood.
"a few. possibly. give artificial
| nourishrnent too soon, in an honest be-
| lief that = is what the child requires.
/ So far as relates TO errors in diet after
an artificial diet has been established
| the two chief causes may be said TO be
| ignorance Of what constitutes proper
/ diet for the individual child under con-
sideration. and inability to supply the
necessary food because of poverty. This
latter condition is. of course. ordinarily
associated with the former. although the
/ former may exist alone In connection
with this matter of errors of diet comes
one of the most important factors. and
| that is, defects in the municipal milk
supply.
Responsibility Not Felt.
This analysis of the situation with
! reference TO deaths from infantile diar-
rhea indicates fairly we'll, IL would
| seem. that but a certain portion of the
mothers. OF the babies which die from
such troubles are personally to blame
for such deaths. With such cases prob
ably little can be done until fashion de-
crees otherwise or until greater sense
of responsibility for the welfare of Of
spring reaches this class in the COM
munity. The remedy in the other cases
cannot be found by arraying the Health
| Department against mothers or mothers
/ against the Health Department.
1T will be found. II found at all
first. in the cooperation of all toward
the diffusion OF knowledge throughout
the entire community with reference TO
sanitary matters and in this case par
tieularly with reference TO infantile diet
and disease; second, in the establish
ment throughout the District of suita-
| Bile day nurseries where mothers who
are compelled to earn their livelihood
may safely leave their children; and
third, in the continual Improvement OF
! the milk supply both as to its eondi-
I ticn when & reaches the retail pur-
chaser and as to its condition when IL
| is administered to the individual In
| FAINT"