Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-11
infant MORTALITY
MOTHERS PROBLEM
"Dep0t FuIcrum on Which Pre-
vention Affect Their Pur-
pose," Says W. c. Phillips.

BALTIMORE, Md, November H.
Asserting that 1t was up to the mothers"
to solve the problem of infant mortality,
Wilbur C. Phillips. secretary of the New
York milk commission, in an address on
Infants Milk Depots and Infants Nor
tally" at the annual meeting of the
American Association for Study and Pre-
vention Of Infant Mortality, here en-
phasized the importance Of the educa-
tional features of the babies milk dis
pensaries.
I'm the last analysis" he sand, infant
mortality is to be solved, not by philan-
thfopy or bw institutions, or by, the
medical, social, educational and philan-
throphy, or by Institutions, or by the
medical profession, or by the state, but
by intelligent motherhood
Mr.. Phillips characterized the milk de-
pot as the fulcrum on which rests the
lever of the situatiOn-the instrument
through which medical, social. education
al and philanthropic prevention effect
their purpose and achieve success.
Value Of Milk Depot.
Operated as it should be-" he declared,
sit is more than depot from which
milk is distributed. 1t is an educational
center. district branch for the dispen-
sation of relief, and an indispensable CO.
ordinating unit between nurses. physi-
clans. clinics. dispehsaries, hospitals and
various philanthropic institutions which
concern themselves directly with the well
fare of the child
The speaker described in detail various
features of the model milk ,dispensary-
personnel Of the staff and spoke also of
the special qualifications Of nurses and
physicians. He advocated classes for
mothers in infant hygiene, periodical con-
situations under the direction. of physi-
clans for weighing and examining the ba-
bies, and follow-up work in the homes by
visiting nurses.
IF infant mortality is to be prevented
and not cured" he said. the home must
be the crucial place Of attack
Lastly" he said, the work of infants
milk depots must be coordinate with the
hospitals, clinics, dispensaries, floating
hospitals, fresh-air homes, day nurseries
and all the agencies which are interested
in the baby problem. The milk depot is
thG1 natural co-ordinating unit in all this
work because of its proximity to the
home.
II look forward" the speaker said. Ito
the time when more effective ways of CO.
operation and coordination can be worked
out between milk depots which reach di-
rectly into homes and hospitals, dispen-
saries and clinics which care for babies
vi q larger lHStltutiOIldI scale, ana i De-
heve 1t is desirable that the assistance
and supervision exercised over mothers
from the period before confinement until
the child is weaned should be as uniform
as possible with respect to instruction
given and methods taught
Bureau of Child Hygiene.
Probably some day the Institutional
work to prevent infant mortality, which
at present is being paid for either by
philanthropy or given gratuitously by
physicians. will be taken over by our cities
or towns. Already in New York city we
have seen organized the bureau of child
hygiene, with the great corps of nurses
working at least during the summer
among the babies. and 1t is not unreason-
able to expect this work in New York city
and elsewhere to continue permanently
throughout the year.
Aroutsing present and future mothers to
a full consciousness of the significance. of
child birth and the responsibilities of
motherhood is surely equally important
as the teaching of Greek and algebra to
children who will perhaps never make any
practical use Of their knowledge along
these lines