New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-06-05
MATERNAL GOVERNMENT.
The Prize Babies of Huddersfed-
Prevention of Infant Mortality.


It established municipal lodging hotses for
women as well as for men, ard supplied homes
for mechanics and for married couples; and 1t
was the first town in me kingdom TO bring
the traalways under the direct management OF
the local authorities. paying heavily for its en-
terprise owing to the steep gradients of the
streets two serious accidents futile experiments
with steam traction and the final Introduction
OF electric power after two processes Of costly
reconstruction. These matters Attracted little
attention since Glasgow. Birmingham, Man
chester. Liverpool ard other cities were carrying
out on a larger scale the principles Of COLLECTIVE
ism and municipal ownership It was not until
the Mayor offered 81 for every child born in
Iougwood during his term Of Office VINO should
round out the first year Of mortal existence
that HuddersfeId began to be talked about as
the haunt of municipal faddists, and speedily
everything that was done by him, the health
officer and the council was grossly exaggerated
and grotesaue accounts appeared IN print Of the
vaearfes of grave local councillors who were
devoting their leisure to the preservation OF in
FAINT life authorizing the payment of shilling
to midwives promptly reporting birth, teachlhg
ignorant mothers how to take care OF their
babies establishing town nurseries ana
dancing riotously with the wanton socialist
satyrs The good people of Huddersheid were
ANNOYED at the outset by the ludicrous misrepre-
local administration. and were inclined to re-
nroach the MAYOR and the health officer for
bringing them into unpleasant notoriety; but
now they accept with good grace their pre-emi-
nence in paternal, or. rather, maternal govern
ment, especially as they are aware that they
do not deserve their unique reputation, and that
as many as forty English and Scottish towns
have been interesting themselves in the question
| Of reducing infant mortality. There is no mu-
| ie one n
British town, but practical measures have been
! adopted in Huddersfed, in Manchester.
| Wakefield and other cities. for the preservation
| of infant life.
| The subject was taken up here, not by lad
| dists as a detail of municipal socialism, but by
! the sanitary authorities as a matter OF public
health. DR.. S G. Moore. the able and expert
enced health officer, presented a most thought
! full report in December. 1903, on the mortality
statistics showing that during the decade i4o
| out of every 1000 children born annually IN
| Huddersfield died at an age Of less than one
year and recommending the consideration OF
preventive measures. such as the establishment
of day nurseries. the appointment of lady visit
ors and the opening of depots for the supply
of milk. In the course of six months the health
| committee appointed a subcommittee TO take
| I'D the subject. and the health officer was IN
structed to collect information from French.
German and English towns He made thor
ough study of the replies which he received
from three countries. and was greatly IN
pressed by the report received from the COM
n1une of villiers lie Due. Cote dor where IN
i FAINT mortality had been virtually stamped out
| by regulations issued by NJ. Morel de Ffuers-
He presented an exhaustive report OF the sub
| iect to the health committee. but no irlnediats
! action was taken to carry out the recoT1r1eil-
! dations. He had succeeded in Interesting n
| dernan Benjamin Broadbent in the amazing
| achievements of NJ. Morel de Viliiers. and nal
| excited In him spirit of emulation "heh
the alderman became Mayor last November ne
adopted remarkable expedient for directing
public attention to the duty Of educating is-
| norant mothers in the proper care OF their
| children. At Villiers lie Due every woman
| bringing I'D a child, at the breast or by bottle,
| is entitled to a grant of two shillings a month
when the first year is completed. The Mayor
of HuddersHeld decided to introduce the same
system on a restricted scale during his term OF
Office.
AS the Mayor had been born in the Longwood
district of the county borough Of Huddersheld'
he selected this ward for his experiment With
a population of five thousand, this district would
naturally be increased by about one hundred
children in twelve months The Mayor de-
nosited in bank f1OQ and announced that for
be reserved and paid soon as 1t was Twelve
months old He prepared promissory notes IN
the form, of ornamental cards. which could De
sent to the mothers and hung UP in the nursery
The card contained the date of the chllds prth
and the promise to pay Il at the END OF t"ei'o
months on production Of proof that 1t was d
wear old. This golden rule for the NE anu
health of the baby also INSCRIBED III ootu
| letters: Feed with the mothers milk Inc
mothers milk is the natural food and the pest
On the back of the card were short directions on
the care of children. reciting what mothers ought
| 10 do and what they ought not to do 1hese
| cards have been sent alike to rich and poor
whenever certified announcement OF oirth IN
| 7 oneO,ood district has been received at lhe
,Favor's Office y committee of ladies has oeen
Amounted to visit the mothers regularly ana 10
offer advice The Mayor himself takes warm
interest in the prize babies. knows their names
and smiles berevolentiy when fresh caro- IS
hooded He sent Christmas presents with blue
ribbons to the frstiings of the flock ana Easter
eggs later on; and when he leaves ONCE III
| October he will have the satisfaction OF payIAs
the hundred or more promissory notes as they
fall dine Only two babies born since last oc-
tober in Longwood have died. and the heaIth
officer has worked out the averages and SHOWN
that the mortality of infants in the ward has al
ready declined several points
7 asked the Mayor whether he expected that
tbe offer of a prize Of IL for child Twelve
roo,+be old would have any permanent ell
foot in lessening infant mortality in the town
I4a shook his read emphatically and called M
4 attention to the fact that mayors were not -
$50. :. I-,,olor5 and that his Schena E-}li$