Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-09-25


A paper of absorbing interest deal
ing with infant mortality. was read by
Edward Bunnel Phelps editor of The
American Underwater. New York city
The subject Of medical inspection for
public school children was taken up in
most able form by DR. Helen McMur-
chy. of Toronto. Canada, and Dr.. vii
lard s. Small, principal Of the Eastern
High school, Washington. d. c.
Editor Phelps made the interesting
statement that 100000 babies are
born into the world every year But.
on the other hand. 100000 of them
die before they reach the age of one
year.
This means that about 10000 babies
die every day in the year, or on every
other tick Of the clock an infant life
goes out. To this terrible harvest Of
infant lives the United States contrib
utes 1000 a day.
There are the best Of reasons for be
lieving said Mr.. Phelps that at least
50 per cent of the worlds infant NOR
tality is readily preventabIe. and the
civilized countries are just beginning to
awake 70 that fact
Crusade Making Rapid Progress
The present broad crusade for the
reduction of infant mortality" added
Mr.. Phelps, dates back scarcely Ave
wears, and can now be regarded as lit
tie more than promise Of the whole
sale movement which is to come. Three
international congresses for the discus
sion of the subject have already been
held in Europe. a permanent interna-
tional association with similar purposes
has been organized, and all hold out
great promise in France, Belgium, Ger
many Holland, Great Britain, the
United States and other countries. The
movement has made exceptional prog
ress IN Germany.
Mothers should suCkle their children
as God intended" declared DR.. William
II. Davis vital statstician of the health
department Of Boston in the course Of
an address.
"Of babies reaching the age of two
weeks" said the doctor "one in five
dies before a year old If bottle fed.
While If breast fed only one in 80 fails
10 reach the one year mark. This means
that the death of these infants would
he 60 per cent less than they are today
II all babies were breast fed"
Dr. Davis said the women of Norway
and Sweden suckle their babies when
ever possible and for that reason those
two countries have the lowest rate of
infant mortality of any countries in the
world
The hookWorm was the chief tonic
discussed late yesterday The ravages
that this pest has made in Porto Rico
and the effective campaign the United
states has made against IT, was de-
scribed by DIR Bailey X. Ashford, man
ager of the medical corps of the United
states army at San Juan. Porto Rico
in an interesting address.
Wipinq Hookworm Out.
Dr. Ashford said the Porto Ricans
had been exposed to the ravages of
the hookworm for centuries but since
the United States government had
taken hold Of the island this strange
pest had been practically eradicated
The physical condition of the Porto
Ricans, said the doctor, is now so per
cent better than when the government
began its campaign against the hook
worm about seven years ago
Since 1904 over 100000 victims OF the
hookworm have been treated in Porto
Rico. and with complete success. There
remains about 100000 more to be treat
ed, but these cases are not aggravated.
DR. Ashford took up the material
benefit that has accrued to the Island
Of Porto Rico because of this highly
successful campaign against the hook
worm. He estimated that the COM
merce OF the island had increased at
least 400 per cent because of the en-.
ergy and activity of the native laborers
after they had been relieved of the
! hookworm disase.
Talking on the subject Of "Signid-
canoe Of Physiological Age in Educa-
! ton" Dr.. {. Ward Champion, director
of physical training in the New York
| public schools. delivered an impressive
address to the congress. Dr. Cramp-
ton held that physiological develop
ment rather than actual age should be
! the standard of classification in the
case of school children.
From birth to maturity" he said,
children develop at different rates
some outstripping others in the race
- that we find at the age OF fourteen
about one-third who are already quite
men and women, one-third in transit
| tion period. and one-third quite i'm
mature. The difference between the
mature and the immature is SO marked
| that 1t is astonishing" declared Or.
! Cromptun, that the idea of separat-
ing them for educa tional purposes has
never occurred TO our school authori-
| ties The mature group are from 50 to
/ 50 per cent heavier 80 to 80 per cent
stronger and 10 to 10 per cent taller
than the immature group Of the same
! age.
The meuta, abilities show even a
/ more striking dinerence-the type of
! Were al utpuitIuPS as navit,Ii5IfS