Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-28
DEADLY EFFECT ON. RACE
DR.. Alice Hamilton Describes Danger
to Unborn Generations.
INVESTIGATION AS A REMEDY
Secretary Nagel Among Speakers
Before the National Civic
federation.

Chicago spoke before the woman's well
fare department Of the National Civic
Federation at the residence OF Mrs.
Herbert Wadsworth. 1901 Massachusetts
avenue northwest, this morning. and I'M
folded an appalling picture Of conditions
in the homes of thousands of American
fathers and mothers who are suffering
from one or another of the multifarious
forms of industrial disease.
That mill operatives. factory hands. me-
chanics, all of whom are responsible for
the upbringing of a great part Of the
coming generation, are exposed to such
deadly dangers as the many kinds of
lead poisoning 'phossy jaw" arsenic poi
soning. etc, was plainly shown by DR..
Hamilton, who made the direct charge
that the American demand for great
quantities Of manufactured products of
household necessities and luxuries was
being paid for in human lives.
Healthy babies. she declared. are the
most important things in the life of the
nation. and American people are today
ers and fathers for articles of household
furnishings that are notfworth one hum
dredth part of the sacrifice that Is de-
manded for their manufacture.
Burden Upon the Future.
1t has been the task Of woman to bear,
rear and conserve human life" DIR. Ham,
ilton said, while today children are born
whose mother is poisoned by some form
of deadly Industrial disease, thereby
weakening the future generation. In
cases where the father is poisoned there
can be some hope for the health of the
child, but where the mother is
AFFLICTED with the disease. the life Of the
and the health of the future generations
of industrial workers is too great a sac
riflce to offer for merchandise"
DIR. Hamilton declared that only will
this calamity be remedied when the
American people can be made to under
stand the deep problems made possible
by the existence Of industrial disea ses."
There is In this country, according to
statistics, more industrial diseases among
the American working people than there
are In European countries in the Cor
responding trades, DR.. Hamilton pointed
out. Because the diseases exist for the
greater part among the foreign element
OF the country it Is more difficult for the
nation to solve the problem than il the
diseases existed mostly among our own
kind OF people. native-born Americans. I.
Close Investigation Urged.
DR.. hamilton deplored the spirit of
people who profess sympathy with the
laboring classes in these trades which
are afflicted with industrial disease and
yet who merely stand idly by and ask
But what can We do?" Investigation
Of conditions in every home city," she re-
piled in answer to a question as to the
first method to undertake the solution
fho 1ov1 SIC fho ri
at first. Back OF the whole problem
is the sacrifice that must be made first
of human life and Motherhood
Secretary Nasel. in introducing Dr.
Hamilton, laid stress on the Importance
of solving the problems that effect the
lives Of the laboring class. and declared
that rational public opinion insists on
accomplishment rather than protestations.
In my judgment the federal govern
ment should make Investigations OF the
industrial problems in all its phases" he
said. This can only be done. and ought
only to be done. from one central source.
Because OF the dual system OF govern
ment existing in this country Secretary
Nagel declared it has been harder to meet
the problems on q better footing. as
to deal-the state and the federal gov
eminent. He referred to the report of
his department and declared that II GER
tain reports within 1t concerning in
dustrial conditions are true. as proof
show that they most certainly are, then
it is time for the government to in
yestigate the industrial diseases with
all the rigidness with which 1t is in
vestigating the steel trust and other
The industrial disease affords many
cases where the individual cannot be
trusted to help himself he said. 1T in
wolves danger not only to himself. but af-
fords corresponding danger to those
brought in contact with him. We are
given to agitating and not to getting re-
suits. We ought to impress upon all the
fact that public opinion wants results.
Mrs. Archibald Hopkins presided at the
meeting.
For Improved Milk Supply.
Plans for the purpose of arranging for
a symposium on the subject of an inn
proved milk supply for the District were
yesterday afternoon at a con-
ference between committees representing
the Association for the Prevention of Tu-
berculosis and the woman's welfare de-
partment Of the National Civic Fedora
ton. The conference was held at the
rooms Of the tuberculosis association, 923
II street northwest.
It was decided to seek the cooperation
Of the womans welfare department OF
the National Civic Federation through
Mrs. John Hays Hammond its president,
and also of the American Red Cross So
ciety through the chairman Of the ma
tional relief board, Miss Mabel T. Board
man.
With the aid of these organizations in
huence will be brought to bear upon the
bureau of public health and marine hos
pital service in an endeavor to get that
to make an official invesuga-
ton of the effects of various degrees or
value Of raw and pasteurtzed milk as q
food for the better protection OF in
fants.
It is also the purpose of the committee
to get the Agricultural Department,
the bureau Of chemistry and the
bureau OF animal industry. and the Dis
trict health department to make Official
reports on the effects of temperature on
milk.
All persons interested in the subject are
invited to a public meeting to be held at
an early date in the Public Library.
Mrs. Medill Mccormick. Mrs A. p.
Gardner, Mrs. Archibald Hopkins, Mrs.
w. Murray Crane and Miss Maude Wet
more represented the woman's welfare
at the conference, and DR..
Harvey w. Wiley, Surgeon General Ru-
pert Blue DR.. G. Lloyd Magruder, Emile
Berliner. DIR. E. C. Schroeder, Mrs. John
and Walter 8. Ufford rep
the Association for the Proven
ton of tuberculosis.
FORMALLY RELEASED.