Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-10-21
INFANT MORTALITY.
Important Conference on the prevpu-
ton OF infant uoriulity. nj New
Hnypu. (nnp

| ton OF Infant uoriniity. nj New
Haven. Conn.
Apropos Of tho appalling mortality
among the babies, rot only In our own
lnrd. but throughout the civilized world
| no single factor can I've pointed ont az
| the primary carso II this blot on our
modern civilization. The problem and
| tho rosr'hility Of its prevention arc TO
be considered at o special conference
| arrange" by tho -nerican Academy OF
Medicine. to he held Mt New Haven.
| Conn. November II and T. what are re-
garded aS contributory causes can he
! gathered from some of the subjects men-
! tlon~d in the announcement Cor meeting.
| tour avenues for the Introduction Of
| prevettVe measures are indicated by the
titles OF the scssions--nlcrlical philathro-
| pic institutional and cduca tional Prac-
/ tically all causes suggested under these
headings are summarized In the four
mentioned in the sec ton on medical pre-
Ncntion- conPnntial debility unsuitable
( nourishmcnt improper care and commun-
/ cable or infectious diseases. When 1t
IS recalled thnt tho mon who are in tho
thick Of the fight against tho Needless
and unnecessary waste Of baby life as
cert that the present Infant death rate
I could he cut in half - tho enactment
and rigid enforcement of laws requiring
the adequate Inspection Of tho sources
or tho milk supply, coupled with the
sanitary inspection % tenemcnts. the
accurate registration Of births and tho
instruction Of the mothers by visiting
nUrscs or other properly accredited re-
personalities Of the local boards Of
health, It Is readily seen that two verv
:
| IN the quality of the nourishment fed 10
babies and tho conditions OF the homes
themselves. Serious as the problems of
pure milk supply is. It Is much less
difficult Of solution than the more COM
plicated orc OF housing conditions.
| One hundred years ago three and ono
third per cent. OF the reputation Of the
United states lived in the cities. To-day
| thirty-three and one-third per cent Of
our s., 10000 people are crowded into tho
cities. Overcrowding. the congestion Of
population In slum districts. the herdng
together Of the great urassimilated mass
OF immigrants In inadequate and unsan-
itary quarters. the eclfshness OF proper
! ~ owners the apathy OF municipal gov
| ernments In dealing with situations
| which require drastic measures all con-
| tribute TO make this one Of the most
complex. as well as one o. the most dis
heartening factors in tho big problem
OF The prevention Of infant morality.
The appointment of tenement house
commissions arc preliminary steps only.
and steps which are OF no consequence
whatever unless the recommenda tons
of the commissions are enforced Not
even Burbank would attempt to bring
a plan 10 maturity by deprving It Of
li.ht and air and sunshine, but, accord
Ing TO a recent report. there are 100000
absolutely dark bedrooms in the city Of
New York alone, where huma nkind old
as we'll as Young, supposed to live
end move and have their being.
SIX years ago Bruins Investigated o70l
!rfnnt deaths in Berlin. OF that number
i.7fo occurred in families OCCUPYING one
room tenenlents. 75t in those living In
two rooms ~ In those occupying three
rooms. and only AZ in families living in
larger establishments. That congestion
OF population within q given area would
not necessarily mean the absence Of
hvgienic conditions was pointed out re-
Gently IN q paper by Or. Stowell, of New
York, visiting physician to the New
York city Children's Hospital and
schools. AS instance Of congestion. nm
81, anu
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fneiahH' Is oelhs 'staoHS'e" III some
p'r.s OF urea nri'al'' a'n ." our o""
country me removal or tNe WahuIHot-
ur'ns plant which employs very large
numbers or individuals TO some supur- !
ban district and the erection OF cottages
a"o their FAMILIES the cstabilSAinent or
schools ana other FEATURES or CITY me-
the development OF the property along |
community lines. with the agreement that |
all interest over fiv. Der cent on the in |