Evening star., 1915-07-11
!: WHAT THE GOVERNMENT Is DOING

first study was In Johnstown, Pa, a
city in which steel mills and mines
fowssss furnish smplOiymsnt nOions to thousands Of
The respective death rates for babies
were found to be pretty much what tho
!ayman would expect. In Johnstown
l34 babies Of each 1000 died during
their first year. while in Montclair the
infant death toll was s4.6 per thousand.
The effect of environment on infant
mortality Is found to be still more
marked when both reports are ana
lyzed. Thus in the most congested and
infant death rate reached 271, 1t was
found, while in the section of the best
and cleanest homes the rate was only
SO. The same sensitfveness to local
though on higher plane. due to bet
ter general conditions. There the in
FAINT mortality rate was 100 in the only
congested section. and only 1915 in the
best residential district.
OF great interest to the officials OF
the children's bureau is the fact that
following the establishment of a baby
clinic in the congested fourth ward OF
Montclair the year after the study the
infant mortality rate there was lower
next year was lower than the average
for the entire town. This shows, it is
felt. the truth of what workers of the
child welfare agencies have constant
ly asserted-that the expenditure of a
few dollars on educational and sani-
returns out of all proportion in the
saving of human lives.
The close study of the effect of va
rious factors on infant mortality even
in few communities has given the Of
ficials of the children's bureau a knowl-
edge of some of the important things
city may do to help save the lives OF
its babies. Among such activities are
listed the extension of city water to all
houses, the improvement Of methods
and general scavenging, the paving of
streets and inhabited alleys, the relief
of house and lot congestion. the aboli-
tion of wells and yard privies, the wild
ening and improved grading of alleys
and streets, the provision Of sewer
competitions for all houses, and, in in
dustrial centers, the abatement Of the
smoke nuisance.
The responsibility of the public does
not end with the accomplishment OF
pointed out by Miss Julia Lathrop, CHIEF
of the children's bureau. :.
There is a growing tendency on the
part of municipalities" she says. "to
accept responsibility for furnishing in
formation and instruction to their cit,-
zens. Some cities have reduced their in
fant mortality rate by having expectant
mothers instructed in prenatal care:
others by sending instructive visiting
nurses. Immediately after the birth OF
child. into homes that need them.
Other means that have been found ef-
fective in reducing excessive infant
mortality rates are baby welfare sta
tions. consultation stations for expec-
tant and nursing mothers. and the dis
tribution of sound literature on pre-
natal care. the care and feeding of in
fants. the care of milk and other hy-
gienic matters"
The growing recognition of the inn
portance of work of this sort is reflect
ed, it is felt. not only in gains such as
those found in the fourth ward in
Montclair. but in the showing for such
countries as New Zealand. where social
legislation and child welfare activities
have been most marked. and where the
infant death rate per thousand has
been reduced to the lowest record for a
country in the world-51. In 1910 the
rate for the registration area Of the
United States was practically two-and-
a-half times this figure. 124. and for the
whole country probably was consider
ably higher.