South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-06-12
Tells HOU to
Care for Baby
State Board of Health
Has Published Bo ok to
Guide Young Mothers
Guide Young Mothers


State and municipal health officers
| are realizing more and more that one
of their most important duties is to
teach the public, and that instruction,
| if properly given, is much more effec-
tive than coercion without instruction.
The majority of persons are not only
willing but also anxious to do what is
right if they know what they ought TO
do. and especially if they are shown
why they ought 10 do it.
The first development of public
health administration was in the di
rectiOn of compulsory laws fOrbidding
certain actions and requiring others.
These, too often, while enacted from
the best of motives, and based on
sound scientific knowledge, either
were in advance of public opinion or
were passed without any effort TO de-
velop public sentiment TO support
them While often effective in the
hands of an energetic and capable
health officer, they have been in many
cases dead letters and in others en-
forceable only at the cost Of an enor-
nous amount of effort, which might
better have been utilized in other di-
rections. The leading state health or
CARNATIONS "a present are endeaVoring
to increase the education and en-
lightenment of the public. and TO
create public sentiment for the en-
forcement of such health regulations
as may be necessary.
One Of the strongest opponents of
this doctrine is the Indiana state
board Of health. Through its bulletin
and through the newspapers of the
state. most of which are hearty sup
porters of the board, and effective
educational campaign has been car
ried on. Realizing that nothing so
appeals TO the average man and
woman as do efforts to save the lives
of babies and prevent needless illness
among infants, the secretary of the
board, DR.. ]. y. Hurry. asked the
state legislature last year for an APP
preparation of $1,000 for the publica-
ton and distribution of THE Indiana
Mothers Baby Book" True to the
instincts of the average legislator the
Indiana lawmakers cut this amount
down one-half, and probably would
have refused ii altogether had not
DR. Hurry called attention TO the fact
that the same legislature had al
ready appropriated a larger amount
Of money to stamp out hog cholera.
Owing TO the limited amount appro-
priated the state board can send
copies Of this book only to the Indi-
ana mother who has just borne her
first child. Beginning last month
when the birth reports of the state for
February were received by the score
tary of the state board of health, the
distribution Of the book in this way
was begun.
The book itself. which is attrac-
lively printed and bound. is intended
to supplement and aid physicians by
giving to mothers simple instructions
concerning pregnancy. childbirth and
the care Of babies, in the hope that
by this method a considerable amount
of infantile disease and mortality may
be prevented. The first part consists
of chapters on parentage. pregnancy,
preparation for labor and manage
ment Of labor and contains instruc-
tions for emergencies as we'll as ad-
vice for prospective mothers concern
ing their physical condition. The sec
, ond part is devoted entirely to the
care of the child. containing chapters
on the care and feeding Of the baby
advice to nursing mothers. bottle
feeding. clothing the baby. the second
summer and teethinE. The book IS
thoroughly practical. written in sim
pie language and we'll illustrated The
effect of this education campaign will
surely he apparent in a few years in
the reduced infant death rate in Indi-
ana.
An additional touch IS furnished by
the two letters that accompany the
book when II is sent to mothers. One
is signed by the governor. cOngratu-
lating the mother on the birth of her
child: the other is from the state
board Of health Offering its services In
helping TO keep the child well. Natur-
ally, says the Journal of the American
Medical association, these letters
greatly increase the natural impress
sion on the parents. and lead TO
greater attention on their part 10 the
instructions and admonitions in the
little book