The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1909-10-08
TO SAVE THE BABIES
Academy Of Medicine to Handle
the Question.
GREAT CONGRESS PLANNED.


Meeting to Be Held In New Haven
infant Mortality to Be Studied In All
tts Phases--The Death List 10 Most
Appalling.
And now the babies are to have a
show. Their right to life and to all
that promotes health in the way OF
favorable environment and Of favor
able physical, mental and moral in
heritnnces Is to be made the subject of
q campaign by the American Academy
OF Medicine.
As an initial step in the movement
conference Is to be held in New Haven
next November, at which leading ply
sicians, sociologists and educators
from all parts of the United States
will join forces in study Of the prob
lem. The general subject OF the con-
ference will be "The Prevention Of In
FAINT Mortality" and the four aspects
under which 1t will be considered are
the medical, philanthropic institutional
and educational.
Or. James II. Mason Knox, Jr., of
the Johns Hopkins Medical school,
Baltimore is chairman Of the section
on medical prevention, and DR.. Rich.
ard A. Urquhart, also Of Baltimore, is
secretary of the section. Such topics
as congenital debility, improper care
and environment, communicable dis.
eases and the dangers which arise
from unhealthful surroundings and un-
clearly or unsuitable food will have
right of way in this section. Edward
+. Devine editor Of the Survey, for
nerly Charities and the Commons,
6chinf professor Of social economy OF
Columbia university, New York, and
one Of the best known social workers
in the United States, is chairman of
the section on philanthropic proven
ton; Homer Folks, secretary of the
New York State Charities Aid asso-
citation, Of that on institutional pre-
vention, and Professor G. K. A. Wins
low Of the laboratory Of sanitary re-
search of the Massac husetts Institute
of Technology that on educational pre-
vention.
Slaughter Of the Innocents.
That thousands upon thousands Of
children fail to get the chance just to
keep on living is proved every year by
a glance at the mortality tables. The
last figures Of the government reports
available are those Of 1907 for the fif.
teen largest cities In point Of popula-
ton In the United States. They show
that during the single year ending
June l, 1907. the number Of deaths Of
children under two years Of age was
nearly 10000. New York city took
first rank in this slaughter Of the In
nocents with 1882 deaths out of
total Of 70,O36 deaths of persons of all
ages. Chicago came next with 1881
out Of total mortality of 32,19S.
Philadelphia had 6,632 out of q tota,
mortality Of 27,476, Baltimore 1914
out of 11,1S2 and Washington 1889
out Of total mortality Of 6343.
The New Haven conference is to be
held under the auspices of the Amer
lean Academy of Medicine, and DR..
Helen c. Putnam of Providence, r. l.,
chairman of the executive committee.
Other members of this committee are
DIR. George Blumer, professor of the
theory and practice of medicine of the
Yale Medical school; DR.. f. H. Gerrish,
the distinguished surgeon of Portland,
Me; Or. ID. c. Hawley OF Burlington,
VT; DR.. j, Madison Taylor of Phila-
dnIn La To mo L 10 nj 10 Of
Pasadena, Cal, the newly elected
president Of the academy, and DR..
Charles McIntire of Easton, Pa, the
secretary of the academy.
The members of the advisory COM
mittee include Miss Jane Adams Of
Hull House, Chicago, who has just
been elected president of the national
conference OF charities and correc-
ton; DR.. Charles V. Chaplin, superin-
tendent of health, Providence; Profess
or Irving Fisher Of Yale university.
president of the committee Of one hun
dred on national health of the Amer
ican Association For the Advancement
of Science; DR.. Laura Drake Gill,
president of the Association Of Col
derson, professor of sociology of the
University of Chicago, and several
others.
Problems to Be Considered.
All the problems which affect the
life and health Of the little ones will
be touched upon in the section on edu-
catiOnal prevention. The sources of a
city's milk supply may be investigated
first OF all for the sake of the babies
health. Sanitary conditions in the
home, especially in tenement houses
and other dwellings where sanitation
is not the browning thought of the in
mates, will also be looked into, and, in
fact. everything that has a bearing
upon the life and health Of little chill
dren will receive the careful thought
OF eminent scientists and others COM
petent to deal with such matters.
The outcome cannot fail to be Of
vast benent to the babies and to the
gFownup folks as well.