The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-11-22
BABIES
NOW THE SLOGAN
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH GIVES
SOME EXCELLENT ADVICE TO
PARENTS ON CARE OF Chill
DREN.

The following has been issued by the
| State Board Of Health:
Every baby has the inherent right
to fair start in life.
But the average child has a fearful
time getting a start, for OF all the
children born in the United States.
one in five dies before 1t is one year
oId-before it reaches the age of self
consciousness. One in four is dead
before It is five years oId-a savage
comment on Twentieth Century Civili-
cation.
The highest courts OF the land have
decided that the parent has not I'M
limited control over the child. It is
not chattel, it has the right to be
surrounded by such conditions as will
assure a normal development, both
physically and mentally. and the
meaning of normal" is Becoming
more liberal each year.
Inasmuch as the first five years of
life are burdened with much heavier
mortality than any other similar period
the attention Of sanitarians is being
directed more and more toward less
ening this mortality toward giving
children fairer chance than they
have had in times past, or even in
conditions OF society it is manifestly
impossible that the state shall inter
vene to influence the prenatal exis-
tence of the child. but it is not so en-
tirely limited as to its subsequent in
dependent life.
In the practical development of the
idea Of more intelligent infant hy-
giene, the present, particularly the
mother, has been a great obstacle Il
better conditions, especially among the
poorer classes where the need of edu-
cation and OF help is most necessary.
Ignorance of the Importance of the
physical well being of the child in it's
earliest years, stubbornness or pride
too often leads to the rejection of ad-
vice or assistance. The only effective
means is through the services of dis
trict nursing, or district instruction, |
where by infinite patience and tact, the
needed help may be applied.
In F1orida's largest city more than
one-half Of the children born in 1918
were ushered into the world by mid |
wives. Among the $50 children so at
tended the deaths from lockjaw were
three times as many as among the |
children whose mothers were attended |
by physicians and skilled nurses, and |
IL is apparent that at least a major
ity Of the lives so needlessly sacri-
feed might have been saved by intel /
Iigence.
It is known that at least a majority /
Of those in the United States who are Il
totally blind, lost their sight through Il
the absolute ignorance or criminal II
of the professional atten-
dants who brought them into the
world.
To the practical workers IN the
science of baby hygiene there is a Il
never ending surprise at the ignorance 4
Of mothers about how to handle and
care for their babies. A knowledge
which it would appear would be in
stinctive, is lacking. They don't know
how to feed the youngsters, how to
clothe them, not even how to battle
them, and concerning their moral and
mental bringing UP the ignorance is
even more dense.
In the public schools of Jacksonville
If the children of every class OF society
who attended them In 1913, more than
hTee of every four were physical de-
per cent lacked some
hing of the perfect bodily health
which was the right OF all. These /
ieficiences-the larger portion of them
were not the result of heredity but
night have been prevented by proper
oresight and watchfuIness, which the /
,arent should have been Intelligent