Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-06-05
SOLUTION OF RACE SUICIDE
Excessive Mortality Due Primarily to
Ignorance and Improper Care.
VIEWS EXPRESSED BY DR.. BAKER
Says with Campaign of Prevention,
Carried on by Medical Science,
Many Deaths Can he
Prevented.

NEW YORK, June 4-(Special Tele-
gram.)-Dr. S. Josephine Baker, chief Of
the division of child hygiene OF the De-
partment OF Health of New York and one
of the best known women physicians in
the country, made the statement today
that the waste OF life among children
which we are deliberately permitting in a
manner which is wel-nigh criminal, is the
real race suicide" She says:
In conserving the resources OF a nation
1t seems to me that we ought to start at
first in the conservation of human life
rather than the conservation of the more
material resources.
The problem of infantIe mortality Is
one of the most difficult we have to meet
in the division of child hygiene of the De-
partrnent Of Health in the city of New
York. believe that the excessive NOR
tally Is due primarily to ignorance and
improper feeding and care. This fact ap-
plies to all the cities in the United States.
The death rate OF infants throughout the
country generally has decreased 90 per
cent in the last three years. This is due
to-the- campaign OF prevention, so-called,
that has been carried on by medical sci
ence, and is due really to the knowledge
we have acquired that the large part of
these deaths are absolutely preventable.
Two Things Needed.
THE two things needed to prevent the
large infant mortality is the education OF
mothers in the providing of prepared food
for the babies. where the1mothers cannot
nurse them. .f-
In this country the federal government
has not taken up the question of infantile
n1sfa hYVN A.. H..
has, because they realize the enormous
detriment to the community itself that
this tremendous waste Of life should 60
on We who are really engaged in this
work know that fully 90 per cent of this
mortality can be prevented
AS the greatest proportion of infantiIe
mortality Is due 70 Ignorance, therefore
the most important means taken to pre-
vent II must be education 1t is necessary
IN this kind OF educational work to make
the personal appeal to the mother.
In connection with the reduction OF in
rant mortality movement has originated
In the division of child hygiene in the de-
partment Of health Of New York City
which has attracted a good deal of atten-
ton and which in my opinion is one of the
greatest factors in the campaign. This is
/ 80 NS'eSAShih0ut oL OuT l-lttle Mothers
leagues. We find in this, as in every city
In the country. that in large families the
care OF the babies is delegated in most In
stances to an older child.
Taught 10 Care for Babies.
Last year ld doctors in this division
gave lectures in New York City to girls
over II years OF age on How to Care for
Babies Then they formed in every part
Of the city. where it was evident that the
girls did look out for the babies, these
Little Mothers leagues.
The children were taught at their school
meetings exactly how a baby should be
dressed, bathed and the easiest way Of pre-
pairing baby's bed. We have seventy-one OF
these leagues with a membership Of 1900
girls. They are not only a help TO the
babies who are taken care OF by these girls
but when they have their own children
/ they will know how to take care OF them.
/ think this is one Of the most valuable
parts OF this work.
| We need not get excited in this country
| over the possibility of a decrease in the
birth rate so long as we view with com
placence an indefensible death rate among
the babies, and It is just a question of the
Importance the country attaches to this
child problem as TO whether or not It shall
be solved. 1t rests with the people them
selves. The minute they are willing 10
make provision for saving OF life, as they
are for the prevention OF crime. Just SO
soon will they find the death rate AMONG
these preventable diseases being reduced
| to a minimum"