Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-04-13
REDUCES
infant MORTALITY
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR. CHILD
ItEN'S BUREAU. ISSUES PAMPH-
LET ON BABYSANING METHODS
IN VOGUE IN NEW ZEALAND.
MORTALITY RATE LOW
FAR AWAY ISLAND RECOGNIZED
A. HAVING WORLDS MINIMUM
RECORD IN INFANT DEATHS.
SOCIETY WORKS BENEFIT.
lSU.ciaT ~ The HrTdM.

Especial ~ The Hcrdldi.
Washington. April l3.-Thc Children's
Bureau. Department Of Labor. has just
issued a pamphlet on baby saving meth
ois in New Zealand a. illustrated in the
work of the society for the health of won
en- aud childrcm Miss Lula &. I.athrop
chief of the bureau. in her letters trans
hitting the publication To secretary vii
son explains her reasons for issuing the
pamphlet. She says:
The infant mortality rate Of New Zeal
aud has been for some time recognized n
the lowest If any country in the world.
and il i stated that recent further reduc
tionS are duc ia large measure Ia the nc
tivity Of the society. As an example Of
It's value. the consul general states that
the work Of the society has reduced IN
FAINT mortality III Dunedin. a residential
city Of about G0.n0o inhabitants. ~ per
cent during five wears. from 100. to 1917.
Because Of the absence Of adequate birth
and death registration in the United
States. the infant death rate of this
country as u whole il unknown. but es
Inmates tend Ia show that il j. M least
twice the rate in New Zealand which the
registrar general of that countrv report
cd in 1912 To bc II per | 000. New Zeal
and. like certain If our States. j. q Young
md vigorous country with a scattered
population and with no large cities. and
here j. every reason To believe that sim
liar volunteer effort in this country would
liar volunteer effort in this country
would produce similar results. In view
~ the marked and growing interest IN
he nrc>rrvation ~ infant health in the
smaller cities and rural communities Of
the United States. | believe that the &C
count If the methods Of the New Zealand
society is cspeciallv timely. II will be-
seen that public interest j. strongly en-
listed i'm its efforts. Seventy volunteer
committee in as MANY districts maintain
the educational and nursing work in con
junction with the central office. and the
Government itself assist in %various WAYS.
The detailed statement which follows il
not offered for the purno>e Of urging
exact reproduction ~ the New Zealand
organization. hrt rather t. stimulate in
tcrc>t in working ont whatever methods
are practicable locally for securing the
>amc results.
Conclusions drawn from study Of meth
ndS in New Zealand are:
l. The recognition that not only i'm
cities Int in country districts provision
should Ice made for instructing mothers
i'm the care - hahieS: tcacling Young
urls ali uras:'tal methods Of home maxi
~. incl 'ding baby hygiene ?nl feeding.
ri me utopcr io~unal care e. >ieL IN
hes: aud maintaining conferences whore
mothers can have their chi .lTnn r'"m-
ard and can thus learn Of anv bud con
dition bcfoi" Il has progressed BEYOND re
rnvrrv.
.. The need II definite knowledge j.
inst wall The nrohlem j. IN The different
c~omlnurI'lcS. This KNOWLEDGE IN iS-rnt
nns>ihle ~ obtain in MANY districts ~
the United States. because on Account ~
the inrnmple'r registration 81 births
and deaths this country does not know
how ranv babies are born and how MANY
die. Therefore 10 urge the passage 81
good registration laws in other States
j. a definite requirement.
2. The need of cooperation between vol
%untcer and public health authorities in
reducing the infant mortality.
& Recognition Of II Merit 81 the meth
nils of the New Zealand s~ocietv for con.
~>iierafion hv club women and others in
making plans for infant welfare cam