Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-08-21
PRENATAL CARE IS
SUBJECT OF
MONOGRAPH


Prenatal Care" is the title Of a
monograph just issued by the Chill
dren's Bureau of the Department of
Labor. II is the first CT series Of
bulletins to be issued by the bureau
On me care of children. The reasons
for its publication are set forth by
Miss Julia c. Lathrop, chief of the
bureau, in her letter transmitting the
monograph to Secretary Wilson. The
letter says:
A preliminary survey of the field
prescribed by law for the bureaus
investigations showed at once the ur-
gency of the question of infant NOR
tally. The United States Census Blu
reau estimates that 100000 babies
less than / year old died last year
in this country, and 1t is authorita-
lively stated that at least half these
deaths were needless. Accordingly
the bureaus first field inquiry is upon
the subject of infant mortality. The
studies preliminary thereto have In
duced US to begin our series on the
care of children with this monograph
on prenatal care, for considerations
of which the following statement is
significant
The latest reports of the bureau
of the Census on mortality statistics
show that slightly more than ~ per
cent of the infants dying under /
year of age in the registration area in
1911 did not live to complete the first
month of life, and that of this AZ per
cent almost seyen-tenths died as a re-
suit of conditions existing before they
were born or of injury and accident
at birth. OF those that lived less
than one week, about SO per cent died
of such causes, and of the number
that lived less than one day, "a per
cent died of these causes.
Thus the Children's Bureau was
drawn inevitably to begin it's contem-
plated. series of monographs on the
care of children by a statement re-
gafding prenatal care for mother
and child.
The preparation Of such a state
ment has been requested by the Ma
tional Congress of Mothers and by
members of other representative bod
les of women. 1t has been written
by Mrs. Max West of the staff of the
bureau, from the standpoint of a
woman who has university training,
experience in government research,
and who is herse.1 the mother of a.
family of young children. 1t has been
prepared after careful study of the
literature of the s.bject. 1t has been
read and criticized by large number
of wellknown physicians and nurses
and by many mothers. To. mention
by name all those to whom the bu-
reau is indebted for valuable aid in
its preparation would be impossible,
but esDecial appreciation may be ex-
pressed OF the generous assistance of
DR.. ]. Morris Slemons, professor Of
obstetrics and gynecology in the Uni
versify of California.
This monograph is addressed to the
average mother of this country.
There is no purpose to invade the
field OF the medical or nursing profess
sions, but rather to furnish such
statements regarding hygiene and
normal living as every mother has
a right to possess in the interest of
herself and her children A standard
Of life for the family high enough to
permit woman to conserve her
strength for her family, IL she knows
the facts essential for her guidance,
is necessarily taken for granted. The
attempt is made here to present some
of the most important of these facts.