Evening star., 1915-11-10
DR.. Woodward Presents Re-
suits of Exhaustive Study at
Convention in Philadelphia.
HEAVIEST MORTALITY IN
THIRD WEEK OF LIFE
Declares Campaign Against Evils Is
Really a Crusade Against Bron-
chitis and Pneumonia.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. November 10
Diseases of the respiratory system are
causing annually the deaths of a large
number of infants in the United States,
according to Dr. William c. Woodward,
health officer of Washington, d. c., who
TODAY presented the results of an ex-
haustiye investigation of this subject be-
fore the convention of the American AS
sociation for Study and Prevention of In
FAINT Mortality, in session here. One of
the disclosures of this study was that the
heaviest mortality among infants occurs
during the third week of life. Bronchitis
and pneumonia were found to cause ap-
proximately 96 per cent of all deaths dur
ing the first year of life, due to respira-
tory diseases. DR.. Woodward sad. IN
part:
"In the registration area of the
United States, in the calendar year
1913, diseases of the respiratory system
caused 1885 per cent of the total NOR
taIity in the first year of life. AS a FAC
tor in infant mortality, diseases OF this
group were exceeded in Importance
only by the pathological conditions
peculiar to early infancy and, by dis
eases of the digestive system Against
both of the latter disease groups propa-
gandas are already in operation. The
organization and maintenance of
propaganda against diseases OF the
respiratory system as factor in in
fant mortality is fully justified by the
important position they occupy.
Mortality Is rs Per Cent.
THE mortality from diseases of the
respiratory system in the first year of
life constituted in the registration
area, in the calendar year 1919. ap-
proximately one-quarter Of the total
mortality from these diseases at all age
periods taken together. One-quarter Of
the total mortality from diseases OF
the respiratory system lies, therefore.
within the purview of the agencies for
the conservation and promotion Of In
fant welfare. and a campaign against
diseases Of the respiratory system in
infancy will form an important fac
tor in any campaign that may be in
augurated against such diseases gen.
orally.
bronchitis and pneumonia together
caused SO per cent of all deaths in
the first year of life, due to diseases of
the respiratory system. A campaign
against diseases of the respiratory sys-
tenn in infancy is, therefore. practical
pneumonia.
Necessity for Campaign.
The percentage Of infant mortality
chargeable against diseases of the
respiratory system in individual states
and cities within the registration area,
In the calendar year 1913, varied from
1887 per cent to 22.S3 per cent. The
percentage for the entire registration
area was 1885 per cent. While these
percentages are strongly Influenced by
variations in the prevalence Of diseases
other than diseases Of the respiratory
system, yet they show that wherever
there is Justification for the mainte-
nance Of a campaign against infant
mortality. action against diseases of
the respiratory system should form an
important part of the work.
Deaths from diseases of the respira-
tory system apparently occur to a
greater extent during the third week
Of life than during any other weekly
period. The heaviest months toll taken
by these diseases, in the calendar year
1913, in the registration area, was lev
led in the first month Of life, when 1852
per cent of all such deaths occurred.
Deaths are frequent, however, through
out the entire first year of life. Pre-
vention of deaths in infancy from dis
eases of the respiratory system Is,
therefore, a task for the prenatal
nurse, the obstetrician. the midwife,
the pediatrician and the infant well
fare station