The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-11-11
UP To MOTHERS
To SAVE BABIES

BALTIMORE, MD, November H.
Asserting utat II was up to the moth
ers to solve the problem OF infant
mortality, Wilbur e.. Philips, se.Ie-
tary of the New FORK Milk Commits
sion. in an address on infants Miik
Depots and Infants Mortality at the
annual meeting of the American AS
socIation for study and Prevention OF
Infant Mortality. emphasized the i'm
portance OF the educational features
OF the babies milk dispensaries In
the last analysis" he said, infant
mortality Is to be solved, not by phil
anthropy or by institutions. or by the
medical profession. or hy the State,
but by Intelligent motherhood
Mr. Phillips characterized the milk
depot AS the fulcrum on which rests
the lever or the situation the fnslru-
ntent Through which meuISai social.
educational and philanthropie prsyen-
ton affect their purpose and achieve
xuccess Operated as II should be.
he declares, lit Is more that depot
from which milk is distributed. II is
an educational center, district
branch for the dispensation Of reiief.
and an Indispensable eo-ordinafAns
unite between nurses physicians.
clinics dispensaries. hospitals and
vtrieus pbilanthfopic institutions
which concern themselves directly
with the welfare OF the child.
Describes Features.
Tho speaker described in detail va
riaus features of a model milk DIS
pensary-~~locatiog. equipment, man
agemant and personnel OF the staii'
-SrrufSs Of ttttr tta-
cations of nurses and physicians. He
advocated classes for mothers In III
FAINT hygiene. periodical consultations
.tl<a. .ss.Va or
weighing and examining the babies.
and fo!low-np work In the homes by
visiting nurses IF infant mortality
In Il, be prevented aid not cured he
said the home must BIS the crucial
place of attack
Lastly. he said the work OF in-
fants milk depots must be coordinate
with the hospitals. ciinics, dispen-
saries. floating hospitals, fresh AIR
homes, day nurseries and all the
agencies which are Interested in the
baby problem. Before birth the
depot nurse. through her intimate
knowledge Of these agencies, VIII as
sume the responsibility Of preparing
mothers for successful delivery.
After tho baby is born she Will CON
sinna to took after ii and VIII place
at the mothers disposal every known
means Of bringing IL to strong ana
hGa4tiiy CHduhGou- HS hs'A@ e.FRN'N
ts the natural eo~ordinating unite IN
nil this work because OF its proximity
to the home,
Co-Operntion.
Il look forward" the speaker SAID.
~tu the time when more effective ways
of cooperation and coordination can
be worked cut between milk deposs
when reach directly into homes and
HOSPITALS. dispensaries and clinics
which care for babies on larger IN
stitutionaI scale. as l relieve 1t Is de-
sirab1e that the assistance and super
, vision exercised over mothers from
the period before confinement until
uniform az possible with respect to
instruction given and methods taught.
Probably some day the insfruetsnnal
work to prevent infant mortality.
which AT present Is being paid for
either by philanthropy or given
Rratritously 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 II Is
not unreasonable TO expect this work
in New York city and elsewhere TO
continue permanently throughout the
year. Accusing present and future
s mothers to full consciousness OF the
sfgniti canoe of child birth and the re-
sponsibilities Of motherhood IL surely
equally important as the teaching OF
Greek and Algebra to children VINO
will perhaps never make any prac-
teal USE of their knowledge hions
these lines