The Washington times., 1913-04-24
BABY CONSERVATION
IS AIM OF CAMPAIGN.
ChiIdren's Bureau at Work to
Learn Best Ways to Save
Infants of Nation.

Cncle Sam is spending millions yearly
20 educate the people in the breeding
and raising of live stock, farm prod
ucts, and the like, but what is he doing
about the greatest of all national prod
uts-the baby crop?
Creation of the Childrens Bureau was
tardy recognition of the necessity for
Federal aid in the conservation Of
babies. In her first authorized inter-
view. Miss Julia Bathrop. chief of that
governmental department, today dis
oussed her aims and purposes TO that
end. She explained how Investigators.
now at work, are making surveys of
Industrial cities. discovering all about
the one-year babies, why they die, why
they flourish, and why they merely
cling feebly to the thread of life
When this survey is completed--and
II will not be a dry-as-duSt. scientific,
medical collection of data-the bureau
will take the next step in child life, and
VII successfully study and report on
the1-teething period. early childhood.
school days, the period of adolescence.
The results of these studies will be
given to the mothers of the country. SO
that all OF them-from the mansion to
the hovel-can read and understand the
lesson they impart.
TOImcQ IL SSlSc xNccuS.
This bureau has been formed D
serve the needs of the %, 900 children
In America Miss Lathrep declared, in
her outline of the scope of the new de-
partment. 1T. is trying to find out why
children 1fourishx why they are weak
and puny:- why they die. 1t used to be
Q cheerful medical theory that It was
Q good thing weakly children died in
,%,fo hat o,aSz x-tv
and well grew up. That theory has
been exploded. Today medical authori-
ties say that the death of these babies
handicap their brothers and sisters, and
that there is no surer indication of the
health rate of nation than the death
rate AZ babies less than one year old.
The nfst great step in this work has
beenlp Inquiry Begin to- determine in
FAINT InorRlity. The bureau is securing
data IN q series of Industrial towns as
to the fate of children withinethe period,
Of a year from birth. II is finding ont
just how these children have Jared
whether they are healthy, dead, or
weak and eiling
cial and economic condition of the
parents; their lives, industrially and
hygienicany, before and since marriage:
the protection the city is giving the
inspection, disposition of sewage and
food shop regulations, are the things we
want to know.
Reports To Be Made.
THE composite reports, to be pub
hshed In. a series of monographs. much
as the bulletins on milk. plant and ami
NAL industry, will be a series of pic
lures OF infant life as we have found it.
4 will tell how children have passed the
first year Of their lives, why some have
died and others lived e:F -
Brteny these infant mortality bull
letins and all that follow VIII. be an ef-
fort to disseminate and populariz scien-
tile knowledge Of child bearing and
raising In a manner that will be under
stood and appreciated by every mother,
In all stations of life. -
sour investigations. Just begun. have
been most successful Mothers, when
they have lea- ned the purpose of our
questions have been pathetically eager
to help Gus tell: ether mothers causes of
baby troubles .4-
I'VE viii publish in our series Of
monographs, Instructions on the best
methods of bringing children up. You
know, Of course. that we are as much
interested in the Prosecution of proper
his infant surroundings we want to
keep him from going to work too early
-essee that his environment fs good and
~ s-sef.st It first we must begin
~ ~ 3lB.sz itals. and that is seeing
ts.4e he hss - life right. We want TO
zczs fsJvs szrr children are born year
- lio<- nigfs Of them live and how
-a5y de ~"
MsTely Estimated Now.
ssyni.i se ave aaproper. method of
II tioaal. ciszt, registration, rthe num-
nar Of rhiio born annuaily in this
osssltEy 44yH be-mereiy matter of
sezsnaaf&s x
-ghe r5cst encouraging part of our
-efk ss TIE sact that nature expects
1ztse babies 10 live The minute you
tsssS hafplas by sending milk. by
7-epes Bnrrsng. by medical attention
zki6 ~ scIs--.iiness, you begin TO de-
crease the death rate. Wonders are oe-
ing worked in the great cities, where
babies lives are being guarded as a
great asset -
I'm addition to our active campaign
work, the bureau is preparing statis-
teal handbook to show figures pertain
ing to the proper weight. and size Of
babies, and what effect literacy and