The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-04-28

points out that the conditions which destroy so many of the youngest lives of the community must react unfav- orably upon the health of the entire NeWsholme, the great English sta- tist1cian, as saying infant mortality is the most sensitive index we possess of social Welfare.,'
 The investigation, in view Of the meager staff and funds available, was limited to one typical small industrial city, JohntOWn, Pa But the methods were such as would be more extensive 1y applied if the Bureau were given the appropriation it seeks The study concerned the social, industrial and economic surroundings of each fam fly in which child was born, and by following the life of the child through his first year as long as he eAsurvived, the effect of these surroundings was ascertained. The inquiry was abso- lute1y democratic, applying to every family, rich or poor. The tact and care with which it was carried out is shown in the fact that although the government agents possess no author ity to go into any home without the good will and assent of the mother. 1851 school schedules were secured and there were but two refusals The report of this first field inquiry by the Bureau is expected to appear in the near future.
 INFORMATION ABOUT THD MAJ
 TTON's CLOTHING.
 The first information of the Bureau. on birth registration, was prepared at the request of the General Fedora ton of Women's Club and was widely used in this years campaign toward securing for this country such sys- tenn of uniform birth statistics as ey- 1ooc Jr,, sessed.
 Baby saving campaigns, conducted or planned for the summer months. by various cities, have been greatly aided by the. publication of a bulletin containing practical suggestions from 109 cities where such campaigns had been successfully carried out
 The most remarkable public inter est was shown in pamphlet on pre- natal care, which was prepared at the request of the National Congress of Mothers. The latest reports of the Census Bureau show that AZ per cent of babies dying under one year of age do not live even one month, and that seven -tenths of these die as a result of prenatal conditions or of injury and accident at birth. No less than 30 = 900 individual requests came to the Bureau for this pamphlet. Its ines timable value is indicated by such in stances as that reported in letter re- ceiyed from a physician, saying that in the case of family remote from medical or nursing care the simple directions contained in the. pamphlet enabled the husband to do all that was needful for his wife at the time her child was born and doubtless saved the lives of both. The great Parsee firm of Tata and Company, Bombay purchased 500 copies and requests have been received for it's translation into foreign languages.
 One commercial concern with a large welfare department desired B. 900 copies which the Bureau was un- able, on account of limited resources to send. For public health officers, social service nurses attached to hos pitals, settlements and others in a position to make discriminating use of the pamphlet, only a. small propor- ton of the quantities requested could be sent.
 The government appropriation last year for seed distribution, often to people who neither request nor want seeds, was $263, 300. It would seem that $164e40 is a conservative appro- priation for Bureau supplying iIl- formation urgently wanted by people