The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-06-16
RAYMOND W. PULLMAN.
Times Washington Bureau, Metropolis
tan Bank Building.

I
WASHINGTON. June l6.-Dr. Ores
BY l.. Wilbur. chief or the once o
vital statistics o
Mortality the bureau OF thu
NJ ,nfanta. census, has JUS
called public atten
ton 10 the reduction In infant NOR
tality in recent years. The new NOR
thl.ty statistics for 1911, which have
tust been completed by the census
bureau. show that the death rate o
infants under one year OF age de
creased nearly one-tifth, or TO be ex
act, 10 per cent. In the group OF regis
tation states during the eleven an'
one-half years since the taking OF th'
census Of 1900. Even after giving ful
importance to the great decrease II
the infant mortality rate, however
IL is found that still there are very
larse numbers OF babies who die be
fore reaching one year or age.
Dr. Wilbur's latest figures show tina
among the babies In the country
population under one year OF age the
annual death rate Is more than IL.
in every 1000, which Is ten times al
many children as die between the ages
OF one TO four years. The new imam
mortality tables show. however. tina
in practically all places where EFFORTS
have been made to decrease the higi
death rate OF babies considerable prog
ress has been made. In explaining the
figures which have just been compiled
by the bureau OF the census Dr. VII
bur says:
In all the large cities, exceptins
Minneapolis, St Paul, Syracuse anc
Portland, the infant death rate was
lower in 1911 than in the census yeal
of 1900 The largest relative decrease
in death rate was In Atlanta, with 81
per cent followed by Los Angeles
y tin 43 per cent decrease: Indianap
oils, with 80 per cent decrease, anC
Washington. Paterson, y. j.. and Mem
phis, Tenn, each with 3S per cent de
crease II must be remembered, how
ever. that this comparison relates only
70 two individual years. 1910 ant
1911. and that the data might be vitiat
ed, In certain cases, by failure to re
turn all the deaths OF infants unde
one year OF age
DR. Wilbur says that il Is 'unfortun
ate that the registration Of births II
/ the United States Is generally incom
p!ete and that il Is impossible to pre-
sent satisfactory rates OF infantil'
mortality for great majority o
states and cities. Both DR.. Wilbur
as head of the ONCE OF vital statistic!
Of the bureau of the census, and Miss
, Julia c. Lathrop. director OF the chill
dren's bureau, are urging that every
thing possible be done In the states
to improve methods Of birth registra
| ton so that more be known abou
rates Of infant mortality. in order tina
1 more can be done to protect the live!
Of infants.
! The efforts made In many cities ant
states to lessen infant mortality rates
BY better care for the infant at brit
and during the first years OF it's III
are sure to become more and NOR,
effective, according to experts. Nue.
has been done, 1t Is said, through th'
educational campaigns to teach moth
ers on the proper care and feedin,
OF young infants, and II Is believed
that these campaigns OF education
have been In large part the cause o
the 10 per cent decrease in the rate o
infant mortality during the last elev
| on ana One-naIf years.
| Secretary Houston's plan to furthe
the work OF popularizing publication
| OF the department
| Agricultural Of agriculture am
| Publications. to do everythin.
| possible TO plac,
the mass Of information gathered b.
/ hn
In the best form promises TO prov,
one OF the most interesting expert
merts In publicity inaugurated by an,
branch OF the government.
Various bureaus OF a number Of tn,
departments have from time to tin,
employed practical newspaper mer
to popularize the work connected will
the scientific researches and stats
tical investigations. but up TO tn,
present time little has been done II
working out comprehensive schem,
for any department as a whole. Georg,
Wilson Wharton. newspaper mar
| Of New York, who has been appoint
| ed to organize the work In the de
partment Of agriculture, will for {
time be located In the bureau o
chemistry. After he has had oppor
tunity to become thoroughly acquaint
| ed with the work Of all the bureau,
OF the department he will assist the
secretary and assistant secretary O.
agriculture In the movement to i'm
prove all publications OF the depart
ment by making them more interest
Ing for the general reader, and alsC
to perfect methods Of getting at the
vast store OF information which II
gathered by the hundreds OF noted
scientists and investigators employed
In the department.
Publicity work has been established
In different bureaus with varying sue
cess. At times the work has beer
opposed by some members Of con