The Washington times., 1915-07-05
HUNDREDS OF BABIES
DYING IN ENGLAND
In London and 95 Other Cities
Present Infant Mortality Is
Greatest in History.

LONDON. June 21 (By mail to New
York).-The war is killing hundreds
upon hundreds Of babies in England.
/. In London alone. according to re-
turns furnished the registrar general,
infants are dying by hundreds. In
ninety-fve other large cities in Eng
land and Wales. statistics just re-
ceived show that the present infant
mortality Is the greatest in history
and indirectly due to the war.
Children In Greater London have
been dying at the rate of 200 a week
for the past thirteen weeks.
The situation is directly traceable
to the scarcity OF physicians, thou
sands of whom are serving the coun-
try, according to health officials in
London today. Those doctors who re-
main in London and other British
cities are worked to the limit Of en-
durance. They have time only to give
slight attention to patients. Nurses
available for civilian duty are at
premium. Practically all OF them are
caring for the wounded soldiers.
Outbreak of Measles.
virulent outbreak of measles
among London children is still in
force. hundreds having died from this
cause alone. other child maladies, not
dangerous in normal times have ex-
acted great toll among children
under ten years of age whose resist
ance is less than older children.
Another cause OF child mortality. for
which the war is Indirectly responsible
is the great Increase in the industrial
eehpioyment OF married women and
the lack of agencies to care for chill
oren during the absence of mothers
from nome. Day nurseries, that existed
petore the war practically have all been
converted into institutions for the care
OF the wounded. These institutions
previously safeguarded and fed the in
rants Of working mothers for two cents
day.
Within the past four months in
Greater London alone, 6,631 children
unaer the age OF ten years have died.
Many prominent English social work.
ers have taken cognizance of the infant
mortality situation and in addition to
private EFFORTS to relieve the situation
are appealing to the London county
council and the governemnt
Studies Child Life.
Mrs. II. b. Irving. wife of the famous
actor, Is one of those who Is making
a study OF conditions. She is promi-
nently connected with the schools for
mothers movement, and has become
recognized as one of the first authori-
ties In England upon all that concerns
child life and motherhood.
Not only Is the war killing children.
but 1t Is also responsible for an alarm
ing death rate among persons past
middle age. according to health statis-
tics @ today. War worries that sap the
vitality and break down physical re-
sistance to disease have caused thou
sands OF elders to give up to maladies
that invariably mean death.
Mortality figures for aged persons
who have sons on the firing line or
who worry about Zeppelins. show that
wars toll is not only taken by bullets
and shells.
speaking of the general situation.
well-known student of London's health
said today:
1T Is not exactly a cheerful subject.
but 1t Is one which must be faced with
cheerfulness. 1t Is quite natural that,
In the midst OF war of such magni-
sight of the health OF the civilian popu-
lation: so much is pushed aside by
military necessity. But, after all, IL is
the civilian population who carry on
peace pursuits, upon which the ma
chinery OF warfare depends. 1t is a
woman to keep At. to watch over and |
guard temperamental weaknesses, to |
keep healthy and strong.
The business of all OF US now Is to |
strive to keep fit. to drive worry to the |
dogs. and preserve a cheerful counte-
London are talked about, or actually |
,ome about. There never was a time in !
history when cheerfulness had a greater |
value than 1t has today"