New-York tribune., 1908-07-26
A WEEKS SLAUGHTER
Eight Hundred Babies To DIE
First Week IN august, Says
DR.. Allen.

the Care OF Babies 10 Tribune reporter yestei-
day. "eight hundred babies viii die IN TINS CITY
next week.
when the conference was organized-whcn, at
the beginning of the summer the Board OF
Health sent out invitations TO half hundreo So
ciai agencies, asking them 10 come and reason To-
pether as to the best way to stay the slaughter
of the innocents in New York and 1ory re-
sponded and the league was forned-it was the
dawn according 10 DR.. Allen OF an e1ort 10 li-u
out where New York stands in regard to babes
Also of an effort secure cooperation and uni
form method the part of all the dlnereIt ele-
ments that are working for the same end
Even the Board of Health has never said
We're going to find out the truth about 100 per
cent of the babies" {" said DR.. Allen.
Investigations have been made in this part Oh
+be cit, and that part of the city by this agency
and that agency but that's not enough What we
hope to find out now is what New YORK IS not
doing for its babies That will clear the ground Ior
future work OF course, hope to save some
ba bies this year.
Tho last mart of that programme has not. so far.
heen made good. In the interval between June
and July 1S 1908 nearly half as many more oaoles
died from darrhoeal diseases as during the CORE
spending period in 1907. In exact ngures' the IN
crease is 47 per cent. Many persons are wondering
- tbere Is anv relation between this fact and the
fact that the city reduced its working stan OF
physicians. The chairman of the summer CONFER
ence holds that nurses are better investment
than doctors. -,
..Nurses work all day and paid SO a month
he said Doctors work hour or two DAY
and are paid 500 month Lectures ana various
engagements occupy the doctors. Wn1ie tne Ilui9e,
neg away at their tenement visiting all DAY Iohs-
.Grs,t the Board of Health hasn't increased its
staff of nurses to make up for the physicians laid
OFF,
Not appreciably. The board holds that there's
no use taking on more till they have proper
supervision for them-that subordlnates "-'lou'
oversight useless
why don't they have supervisors tnen! ISM
the force of nurses inadequate to the Held! Last
wear 1872 visits made and only loso re-
visits What is the Of a visit without a re-
visit? Can they do any better this year?
THAT is what we want the Board Of Health 10
tell US" said Dr. Allen. Eight hundred oaoles
| will die next week sounds pretty bad Those
who go into the tenements and see the little lives
easnine themselves away know just how pad II
is Into some of these tenements the Tribune re-
porter went last week with a Greenwich Rouse
nurse Greenwich House is one of the agencies
| allied with the Board Of Health this summer IN
! the infant mortality work This nurse visits ad-
dresses sent her by the Board or Health and re-
ports to that body; but the mothers OF the oaoleS
she sees are encouraged to bring the oaoleS 10
| the clinic Greenwich House-held there three
times a week-and in general she can follow up
+b. csses better than can the nurses who go out
from the Board of Health. having less territory
| to
THE first visit shall make to-day IS revisit
she said as she left Greenwich House. followed
vouns Italian girl It's over Leroy street
The baby is eight days old was called there
last evening very suddenly. The baby is sick and
the mother too. She got up the second day
fancy. The fathers a presser but he's out OF
work
None of the pressers have work-none," said
the dark eyed interpreter
..I found last night that this hadn't had
ANYTHING to eat for three days. the nurse went on
"r5e,s tall large framed man. But emaciated.
ad o
world in his face. He's so worried about this
baby. He can play little by ear, and the night
before the baby was torn he got job to play
somewhere. and made g. He paid the doctor 81 %
and 50 cents for medicine
In hot little ROOM filled with nies, was tne "Iiite
raced italian woman, sitting UP in bed. On her
arm was the baby. tiny baby, with an DID, OLD
face under its little The husband had gone to
look for work a neishbor from above was sitting
with the mother
The babv was CRYING a weak little. unceasfng cry.
..she thinks it's mouth Is sore" reported Anita,
after listening TO the mother
The nurse took the tiny thing on her arm and
examined its mouth. Tell her you will bring
boric acid and show her how 10 use it. she said
TO Anita Has the baby cried like that all night?
Here the neighbor put in something 1T cried
all night" interpreted Anita The mother didn't
sleep ten minutes
we must have doctor here said the nurse
Tell her Anita. that a doctor will come, and they
shall be looked for-they shall have food Has
she had any breakfast?
SHE saws she had cents worth OF milk. A
neighbor brought something for her husband last
night hut he couldn't eat-he was so kind of
worried But isn't it good thing added Anita,
hopefully as the led the way downstairs.
that she has a good neghbor 10 and sit with
her?'
This visit necessitated going back Greenwich
House that the doctor might be telephoned and
relief arranged for
II wanted say" the nurse remarked to the
reporter. on the way that though that case
may have seemed sensational 1t wasn't 1t was
Just case
The next visit little Irish baby The
mother came to the door with the baby in her
arms-a jolly little fellow. getting over sickness
which began with commissions.
Are you careful about his feeding?" asked the
nurse You don't give him so-and-so and so-and-
SOP" naming several things that good for
babies
Il gave him ice cream yesterday" conf----1 e.
mother.
The nurse shook her head at her. oh you
mustn't do that" she protested. It's so lad for
the baby 1t does this. and this. to babies" and
she made a careful explanation. 10 which the
mother listened placidly.
The next visit is revisit. TOO. We haven't
really begun our regular routine yet" said the
nurse, she led the way up flight of stairs
This baby eight weeks old and very tiny lay
asleep the bed in the inner of neat little
room=.
IT'S getting along beautifully said the nurse
she looked at IT, It's really wonder that this
baby is alive n all. fo- It's been very sick What
with? A dtarrhoeaI disease
we slept the roof last night said the young
mother. who could speak English. But I brought
the baby down at O'Clock. It so cold"
Presently the father came In. slender stripping
with neat. self-respectng look.