The evening world., 1912-09-26

WASHINGTON. Sept ss.-"Mothers
SHOULD nurse their children az God
iussaded." declared DR.. William II.
Davis, vital statisticlan Of the Health
Department Of Boston. before the In
transitional Congress Of Hygiene and
Demography At Its session here to-day.
''Of babies reaching the age Of two
weeks. one in I'VE dies before . year
old u bottie-fed," said DR.. Davis,
while II breast-fsd, only one in thirty
fails to resch the ooe-year mark This
means that the deaths Of these infants
would be sixty per cont less than they
are to-day II all babies were breast
FED.
Some countries have already walked
- to this astonishing fact, and FOR
example in Norway and Sweden. where
mothers do suckle their children. the
infant mortality rates are among he
lowest In the world
INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENT
ON CHILDREN.
Dr.. Charles Gilmore Kerley Of New
Yerk declared he has seen many hum
Arsds Of children adopted or otherwise
cent out into the world, and irrespec-
tive of their origin they had held their
SWn in whatever environment they
were 70 b placed
we may mold q child largely as We
wf1l." he said. and the fashioning and
the moiding, whether It be done well.
snd4ffsrsntly or badly depends moro
upon the molder and the chiidren's as
esciations than upon the material
worked upon"
He offered entire agreement with the
person "who." he said. had declared
that II two infants. one born In a
palace and one In . hovsl. both in fair
physical condition. were exchanged on
the day Of birth. each would work out
his destiny along the lines of his en-
vironment The child Of the howell
would grow up to the palace and the
Offspring Of tho palace would remain
on the level Of the howell
Character indicates the Individual
DR.. Kerley asserted. 'Hsredity has but
uttlo influence In determining character.
Character above all things elsa 'E the
product Of environment"
Arguing that the State spends millions
AZ dollars for the segregation OF its
crsfninais, drunkards. pAupers and de-
ssneratss, Dr. Kerlsy made appeal TO.
the ,reacon OF . commission or COM
r,ittee by which the State might have
authority over every child
sYs A only by such means that We will
.v.r solys many of the urgent problems
bsfore U.S." he said. "ProphylaMs
s~inst crime, deseneracy and genera
worthlessness are In the hands OF the
public for the signal bettsrment OK the
race"
PROPOSES PLAN FOR wIPiNG
OUT TUBERCULOSIS.
rnbenc,losis and means for It's control
,vsrs discussed by DR.. Mary b. Laphan
OF Highlands. N. c.. who outlined gen
sral plan for . campaign which. she
said. she believod would overcome the
white plague IN this country. She de-
clarsd a campaign for the detection OF
,uberouosis, compafable In strength and
orrana1as,on to that carried on for the
detsction Of hookworm would have 9
most desirable effect
III the United States should sponc
q million dollars this next year for tins
dstsotiou Of concealed cases OF tuber'
cuiosis," Dr.. LAphan said. we should
mt only make an Investment yissdini
,srrs returns in money saved. but oul
ability n dsteot concealed tubereulosiI
would DO more generally dffuset
throughout the profession. VITA immu
mtg thus established In case after case
Il gradually VIII be extended 70 tn
masses, and tuberculosis will take III
p,aes among other extinct pests. Tuber
ouloAs 10 rooted In the children-w
must therefore begin OUT attack VIII
shsn. and by producing immunity Il
tAom cAuse tuberculosis to vanish"