Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1913-01-03
NATIONS PLAN TO
SAVE BABIES NOW
IS READY TO START
Chicago Woman to Begin New
Bureaus Work, With Country
Wide Investigation.
EVERY EIGHTH CHILD DIES.
Government to Determine Causes
of Large Death Rate Among
Children.

elSnt DaDleS porn In the united states
dies before it is year old?
Do you know that In some localities
the infantile death rate is as bad as
one out Of three?
Did you ever stop to think that
your baby might be one of those three
or eight?
You probably never did, no more
than the average American, but the
federal government which has been
for years providing for the welfare OF
cattle. hogs, potato plants and sugar
beets, is at last actually coming to
the rescue Of the babies.
Beginning Immediately after Christ.
mas. the newly created children's
bureau of the Department of Com.
merce and Labor, of which Miss Julia
Lathrop Of Chicago is the chief, start.
ed a campaign to save the lives OF
babies under one year of age.
This Is the first inquiry undertaken
by the bureau. Investigators will 60
into typical communities in every
section of the country and makes a
house-to-house canvass.
"The purpose of the inquiry Is to
find out why the babies live and why
they die," said Miss Lathrop. "Of the
5000 babies under one year Of age
dying annually In the United States
at least 10000 could be saved by the
application of methods with which we
are already as a people we'll acquaint.
ed.
1.-THE death rate for the total popu'
latlon is slowly but surely declining
Adults are living, on the average
longer lives, but the death rate for
babies less than one year old is not
declining.
"The estimate of DR.. Grossly L. VIII
bur. of the United States Census Blu.
reau, that at least 100000 babies die
annually in. the United States. means
that one baby out of every eight dies
before it is year old.
"In certain unfavorable localities
this rate Is much greater. Babies in
poor neighborhoods in an American
city for which figures are available
die at the rate of 375 per 1000 babies
under one year old, while the CORES.
ponding rate for babies in the good
residence quarters Of the same city is
1856
1.-THE New Zealand death rate for
babies is but 68 per 1000 births.
1.-THE great point about this inquiry
is that 1t begins with the birth record
of the child and follows it through Its
first year, instead of taking the mortal.
ity record and working backward. Its
method will be to secure list of all
the children born within given year
in the communities under considera.
tion.
"The schedule has been carefully
prepared to cover the questions OF
housing. feeding and care of the child,
the milk supply, industrial and eco.
nomic condition of the parents and
sanitary conditions of the neighbor-
hood-in fact the hygienic surround.
ing of the child.
1.-The method of this inquiry will
necessarily be that of visits to par.
ents by the women experts Of the
bureau. 1t will be seen that this Is an
absolutely democratic inquiry, involv'
ing as it does visits to every mother
of baby born within a given period
of time.
at seeks to discover the favorable
conditions concerning children who
survive and 1t Is believed that its
whole purpose is such as to enlist the
good will of the mothers of the coun
try who will welcome an opportunity
to cooperate with the government In
trying to save infants lives. The bu
reau has already received most cor
dial assurance of sympathy and CO
operation from mothers and health au
thorities in various parts Of the coun
try.
| "At first smaller towns outside the
large urban areas will be chosen, sc
that each city may be a complete