The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1915-09-13
LONDON SLUMS
GEL ATTENTION
Government Begins Systematic
Work Of Cleaning Out Human
Cess Poa's ofthe Worlds
Largest City
sy WILBUR s. FORREST.

London. Se2t. z.-lBy mail The
ear il sapping the manhood Of the
nation save the babies
This cry is invading England today
and almost Tor the first time IN his
tory the government and municipal
authorities are giving the subject
earnest attention. The terrible toll
of The battlefelds. which the casualty
lists printed u the newspapers en-
phasize each DAY. has begun to make
England think about the future Or
the race
Medical authorities are giving
Hints to Mothers through the press.
and systematic Investigations Of in
lant life in the slums are bringing
forth remarkable revelations.
Engiands slums are the worst in the
world and EngIand's new baby cam
paignr has brought this fact home to
the government and people.
The medical authorities have just
discovered that in Finsbury. the great
sum section Or London, the birth rate
il greater than the average for Eng
land and Wales But why infants
here die at the rate Of lis in 1900 has
also been brought to light and corree-
tive measures are being taken.
Among the many obsessions pre-
yailing in this section, as reported by
Dr. T. A. Thomas, municipal inyesti-
gator, are
That just before and after childbirth
a mother should drink gin that ma
ternity nurses are not necessary in
case of childbirth: that a baby car.
not make enough heat to sleep 10 a
cot BIZ itself; that baby must not
be subjected to fresh air because il
will get sore eyes that it is nnlucky
TO weigh baby and dangerous to cut
its finger nails that boiled bread IS
proper food for Infants that milk
bottles should be cleaned with kere-
sene because Kerosene viii clean
anything"
These, according to the investiga-
Tor, are some Of the contributing
causes OF the excessive infant mortal
ity in Englands slums. and all Of
these Interpretations are kindred
to appalling conditions OF filth and ig-
norance London's smms are dirtier
than any others, il Is stated, and If an
infant lives through the first six
months it can. live through anything
The fathers OF these slum families are
aborers hawkers, beggars, cripples.
porters. odd work men. old men.
thieves and the usual rattle The
mothers are charwomen CT engaged
in like occupations.
But the fathers have largely disap.
peared from the slums.
They have gone 10 war The wives
have encouraged them TO enlist in
many cases because the governments
separation allowance comes to more
fhan theh usbands can normally earn.
With the money the majority of the
women drink raise babies 70 die, Or
be neglected Moreover they often
pawn the scant few household things
for drink.
The notification OF births often
comes to the authorities in the hand
writing OF children apparently dictat-
ed by the mother and committee Of
relatives Here is portion Of one OF
these notifications
Present at birth mother and the
lady what makes tie tea We don't
know her adres. Say latter wasn't
present 50 he don't Sno pbqut il so
pleose excuse him bul mciher knows.
II was a stile born anu not IN the ac
cording to the regilatiors please say
il it was not ! don't think.
The war is going to make these con-
ditions IN the Sums conditions Of the
past, the authoritiet sa5 The race
even in the sIums mu1, be preserved.