The sun., 1908-08-23
EDUCATION SAVING LIVES
THE DEATH RATE IN THIS CXTY
BROUGHT AWAY DOWN. .

DhoCuA4 AW az SSSkve -
An Average OF 400 Fewer Deaths . Wee:
Than Last Year Reoorded-,Many Tenea
ment Babies ssved-Lower Immlgrn.
ton One OF the Contributing GArscs.
There has been o remarkable falling
OF In the death rate In New York during
the last few weeks, and this at season OF
the year In which one would naturally
expect large mortality. There are several
reasons why this fs 30. as pointed out by
DR.. 8. j. Baker Of the Board Of Health. who
has made study Of the situation. -.T
The largest decrease is In the number OF
deaths Of children under the age OF 8.
Last year there were A,5oo babies killed
by Harrhpal diseases in the greater city.
This year the number will fall far short OF
that. The enlightening Of the tenement
house mother on matters pertaining to the
care Of babies-the result Of the recent con-
ference for that purpose-is now bringing
forth Its fruit.
The first few weeks Of the heated term
showed increases In the number Of deaths
Of children. On July 1s the records af tho
Health Department showed that fort tho
| preceding four weeks 1,1eo children under
years of age had died. In the GORE
! spending weeks Of last year there had been
only 100 deaths in that class. Last summer
was a great deal cooler, however. 90 the
figures do not compare well, and then too
the increase in the population Of the city
must be taken into consideration.
The conference seeking to educate the
mothers of the tenements was held June 1,
and as soon as possible after that the nurses
were actively at work. Naturally 1t took
them some time to accomplish anything,
| and 30 for few weeks afterward no results
were evident.
But on July 25 the record showed that for
the week preceding only 424 children died,
| whereas for the corresponding week last
year the number was $780, The week ended
August 1 showed only 500 deaths, while for
| the corresponding week last year there
were 57e. The week ended August 8 the
| number had dropped to S2s as compared
with $50 for the like period last year.
sYou see the efforts of the nurses are be.
ginning to tell said DR.. Baker. aThe city
WAS divided into districts under the direc-
| tion of the board and nurses were esaht into
each district.
sThe most important thing about it ID
| the work of prevention, aadyat the same
| time Il Ia harder for the nurses to net tho
| uneduoated women of the tenenents prop
| erlv tn appreciate the value of1an ounce Of
| prevention. {,
.Tbe mothers had to be told lust how to
dress their children and how 70, feed them.
| in many instances antaponizinp the tradi-
| tiona AZ generations. Thew had b be made
| To understand that impure milk was tho
worst enemy OF the young child and that
| milk that had been allowed to reach a tenn
peratgro.higher than SO degrees was dam
oerous. 1. |.ipa
"A rood many persons have proflted by
| a little invention Of DR.. Hess of the depsrt-
| ment Of bacteriolo gy-a homo made refrie-
orator, 1t Ia easily constructed and inex-
| pensive. The only things necessary are
| two nails. one larger than the other. n ;aood
hox and sone excelsior. ,,@;g
sThe larger nail Ia placed inside the
aoods boz and packed about witksthe
excelsior. The smaller pail is then tslAced
| inside the larger and when oovereei with
a blanket the cooler is ready for immediate
service. The air spaoe between the two
] pals prevents the radiation OF the cold air
| in the smaller pail when ice has been placed
within it, and five cent piece Of ice can be
| kept for twenty-four hours.
sThe nurses have found that when they
make their first calls on the young mothers
they are met with glances Of suspicion,
and II is often several days before they can
| gain the confidence Of the women they are
aeeltinp to assist. Each day the birth
| certificates as registered at the Health
| Department are sent to the nurses, so thas
| they are constantly in touch with the loca-
tion of new arrivals.
aside from the difficulty of overoorn-
ing prejudice the nurses have to contend
| with prandmothers and busy neighbors.
all telling the young mother Just what she
should oosin most cases the wrong thing.
There Ia a tremendous amount of detail.
but the most important rules for the care Of
babies are set forth in a circular.
sThis circular irnpressee on the mother
the Importance of absolute cleanliness Of all
| utensils used in the PREPARATION OF the child's
food, of the necessity of daily Tubing for
the little one in addition to frequent
sponge baths and the necessity Of pure air
and ouiet and sleep. Finally IL contains