The Washington herald., 1911-04-24
DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICE
BEGINS MODERN CRUSADE
TO SAVE BABIES LIVES
Valuable Advice for Mothers in Proper Care of Chill
dren Will Be Given During Summer in Order
to Lessen Alarming Death Rate I

Staying the Slaughter Of the Inno-
cents by timely advice that will direct
the well-intentioned efforts of mothers
! to the care of their little ones. is tte
) modern crusade upon which the health
department of Washington is about to
enter
With the approach of summer, that car
, ries in its train oppressive conditions
) that make infant mortality figures a
.. frightful commentary on our boasted
civilization, the need of systematic, me-
thodical and rational care of children
becomes doubly intensified and impera-
) tive.
1t Is with this in mind, to educate the
mother in the proper care and nourish-
) ment of her child during the summer
season, that the health department has
issued a circular of ''Don'ts." forming
a, valuable aid to the rearing of the
little ones, as we'll as to the rules gov
erning THERE health and such matters
that every mother should know.
Go Hand in Hand.
Psychology takes its place beside physi-
ology. In the modern school of mother
hood quite as much attention is brought
to bear on the duties of a mother re-
garding the psychological rearing Of her
Infant as to its physical welfare. The
one goes with the other and neither is
) able to stand alone
In every up-to-date city in the country.
the health department has so widened
its scope as to have expanded under its
several departments, realizing the vital
Importance it is to the future generations,
a department that looks after the baby.
with nurses to instruct and warn the
mothers to whom are intrusted the future
guarantee of the nations perpetuation.
Have you a baby still in its swaddling
clothes and wholly at the mercy of your
own often misguided though well-mean-
ing intentions? If you have, then may
be you will become interested to know
that the health department stands ready
to assist you and every other mother in
the city. With the assistance OF COM
mittee of competent physicians appointed
by the Medical Society Of the District of
Columbia and a committee appointed by
the Washington Homeopathic Medical
Society, it has prepared a carefully tabu-
lated circular on hygiene. devoting parti-
cular space to a number of ''Don'ts,"
that every mother would do well to bear
in mind and enforce in practice.
It is to lessen this alarming death rate
due more or less to ignorant rearing of
infants, that DR.. Woodward has pre-
pared, with systematic care, circular of
"Don'ts," as follows:
List of Dont's.
Don't fail to give baby plenty of
fresh air Baby needs air quite as
much as an adult.
Don't dress baby too warmly. He
can suffer from being overdressed as
we'll as underdressed.
Don't forget to give your baby
water to drink. Babies suffer from
thirst just as adults do.
Don't give baby anything to eat
other than the mothers milk. unless
under the direction of a competent
physician.
Don't forget TO nurse your baby.
Ten babies on the bottle die to one
on the breast.
Don't forget TO nurse your baby by
the clock. The new baby every two
hours; the three-months baby every
three hours. Nurse him only once at
night
Don't forget to nurse your baby
until he is ten months old. Then
ask the doctor how to prepare the
milk Do not wean him sooner unless
the doctor says you must.
Don't forget to empty and wash the
bottle after each feeding and stand
them on end. They should be boiled
once a day.
Don't forget to give the baby at
least a tablespoonful of cool boiled
water three times a day. He can have
as much as he will take. Never give
him ice-water.
| Don't fail to bath baby at least
once a day. Its skin is active and
needs frequent cleaning, as the habits
of an infant are necessarily not so
cleanly as an adult
Don't expose baby's eyes to the
bright sunlight. It's room should not
be kept dark, though.
Don't feed the baby just because it
IS crying. 1t might have collie or
pin might be sticking it.
; Don't let flies annoy the baby dur
ing the warm weather. Flies are
. dirty disease breeders. and don't add
to babys comfort. Keep fly netting
over him. Do not let fly touch him.
; Don't give your baby paregoric,
soothing sirup, or any medicine un-
less the doctor tells you to.
Don't give him tea, coffee, or any,
. thing to eat or drink except breast
milk. If he cries, see that he needs
your care Dry him and change his
position, or give him water; but do
not nurse him unless it is feeding
Il time.
Il Do not use a pacifier.
i Don't forget to take care of baby's
mouth Wash out the mouth at least
twice a day with a soft, clean cloth,
wet with a mixture of baking soda
and water. Borax may be used in
stead of baking powder. Use a table
II spoonful of either to Pint of water.
Don't forget to air babys clothing.
l Clothing worn during the day should,
u II it Is worn again, be hung out dur
ing the night, so as to air thoroughly.
Garments worn at night should be
aired during the day.
Don't forget to give the baby regu-
lar sleep. He should always sleep in
a bed by himself. If he frets or does
not sleep, find out the cause, and by
removing the cause, stop the trouble.
Don't forget that you must handle
| the baby's food in a cleanly manner.
The hands of a mother or nurse
should always be thoroughly cleaned
with soap and water before handling
the baby's food or eating apparatus
. Don't forget to give the baby luke
warm food at all times.
Cows MIX Opposed.
Regarding the proper milk for the baby
TO be fed upon, the health department
/