Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-10-30

ington Diet Kitchen Association. In
its first year it had cared for 1874 ba bies
and gradually took over general in
FAINT welfare work; Besides six sta
tions now in operation by instructions
to mothers on how to care for their
children, and lessons in home hygiene,
it has become a powerful agency for
the conservation of child life. He said
it has been found that 20 per cent of
the babies saved are through pure
milk, and so per cent through educa-
ton of mothers.
Too Many Baby Boarding Houses.
DR.. Wall took a rap at baby boarding
houses. saying that there are alto
gether too many of them here. He
said the Diet Kitchen Association is
encouraging mother-feeding of babies
and persuading the mother to stay at
home and properly nourish the infant
instead of putting it in these baby
boarding houses. There are now more
than 500 auxiliary diet kitchens in the
District. he said, the home kitchens
where the mothers have been shown
by trained nurses how properly to pre-
pare the baby's food, fitting the
formula to the child rather than max
ing the child fit one of four formulas
as heretofore.
The infant mortality in the District
tistics computed. but not vet ready
for public record. is less than ever
heretofore. About one baby to every
hundred has been saved. The rate
one year ago was 1888 and it has now
been reduced to 11.99.
Frederick A. Fenning was introduced
as an authority on legislation affecting
the feeble minded children. He said
this subject must be viewed from three
standpoints-the medical, as 1t affects
the individual; the social, as it affects
others. and the legal, defining Thus
far shalt thou go, and no farther"
Institution Needed Here.
There is no institution here in THE
District set apart for the care and
treatment of those wards Of the Dis
trlct," he said. land they are sent to
institutions elsewhere in the admins
tration of which the District authori-
ties have no voice" He pointed out
that this is further undesirable be-
cause but Il limited number may be
sent; because these places are far dis
tant, where parents and guardians
cannot visit the children, and because
excess of what it would be if there
were a we'll regulated institution in
charge of District authorities.
so eight or ten of these feeble
minded children have been sent by our
courts to the Government Hospital for
the Insane. This is all wrong. That
institution was planned and is con-
Quoted for the care of adult lunatlcS.
A boy who is sent there must be in {.
ward with twenty or thirty men, and
this is not good for the boy or the men.
Many of the inmates have acquired
vicious tendencies, and close assocla-
ton with them is very improper tor
the BOY" He told several stories Illus
trating this point.
I'VE are going to have new 1eglsla-
ton and a new institution" he prom
ised. and then reviewed the work done
by a committee, with George S wilson
as chairman. which has drafted Dill
now ready for Congress. dealing with
the care of idiotic children in the DIS
trict. He explained that instead of
condition where model law is first
given the National Capital and copied
afterward by the individual states. IL
is Il fact that the District must hrst
show Congress that some backwoods
has such a model law. and
that then the District may get 1t. TO
profit by this condition he urged that
mis- auditors spread their influence to
further such legislation in other states
that they might be cited to Congress
as examples for what the District
needs.
Quarantine for Child Restraint.
Mr. Fenning said it is coming to be
recognized that the idea of sterlllZa-
ton is not the proper solution of the
problem how to restrain the children
of feeble minds as they grow into
adults and prevent them from propa-
eating their kind. He quoted several
suggesting that quarantine
is the method that will be found most
effective.
Walter S. Ufford. general secretary OF
1.-THE Associated Charities, explained the
object of these "get-together" meet
ings, and the aim of the Associated
Charities for the conservation not of
these units. but of the group we refer
to as the family" Family rehabilita-
ton he said is the aim of the Asso-
ciated Charities, and they work to CO.
ordinate these cooperative agencies
He reviewed the progress made in the
District during the last year. quoting
the enactment of the loan shark" law
and the Kenyon red light" bill as ex-
amples. He announced that after long
delay the District is to have five school
nurses. He closed by urging a big at
tendance at the annual meeting of the
association to be held November 80, at
Rauscher's.