The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-04-18
WHAT BIRMINGHAM is DOING
TOWARD SAVING THE BABIES
Infant Welfare Association Has More Than Justified
ence by One Fact That It Has Saved So Many
Babies From Blindness
by

. Association

quently the wards of this Institution are
always more or legs crowded. Again there
Is in the community absolutely no pro-
vision whatever for the institutional care
of children with contagious diseases. I'm
der these circumstances, the association
receded somewhat from its position and
regarding a too strict adherence to policy
as heartless, the visiting nurse was per-
mitted under the guidance of qualified
physicians to take charge of those cases
of sickness among the children of the poor
for whom no other provision could be
made. During the six months there were
lO4 such cases treated and cared for by
the nurse.
The entire cost of this campaign would
have been justified If no other good had
resulted than what was accomplished in
preventing blindness. Opthalmia neanato-
rum Is the one disease excepted by the
association as coming properly within it's
province to combat. This infection of the
eyes of the newly born baby acts so
quickly and SO dsastrously to sight that
1t must be treated with utmost dispatch
and energy. On account OF its infectious
nature on account of the entaied sepa-
ration of child from mother. and the con-
sequent weaving, such cases are not suit
able for the hospitals. Twelve cases of
opthalmia were discovered by the nurse.
who, under the guidance of expert ply
sicians, treated them all without the loss
of single eye. During the entire six
months of the campaign the nurse was in
daily attendance at the city health de-
partment for the purpose of overlooking
birth reports, of receiving suggestions
from the department, and to render the
latter any assistance within the confines
of her office. The entire cost of the work
for the six months and as outlined above
was only $45S.S0.
The association feels that this showing
would have been impossible except for
the untiring and conscientious perform
ance of duties by the visiting nurse, Miss
House. Invaluable services were also
rendered free of charge by the associa-
tion's very efficient secretary, Mrs Cora
M. Sanford, who has labored increasingly
in the behalf of the little wards of the or
ganization
The association believes it has proven
to the community that 1t is doing a work
rot duplicated by any other organiza-
ton, that it is specializing in a work so
peculiarly its own that 1t has been able
to obtain the maximum Of results at the
minimum of expense, and that it is en-
titled to the confidence and the support
of the community to the extent of being
enabled to enlarge the scope of its work.
The association has heretofore been un-
able to establish milk depots for supply
ing to the poor clean. modified milk for
their babies. Increasing interest among
hope that this deficiency can somehow
be overcome.
Dr. r. M. Cunningham. city health of
ficer, who is intimately acquainted with
the work of the association, has declared
that for its brilliant accomplishment In
fighting blindness alone, the association
is entitled to demand sufficient financial
support to guarantee permanency and
growth of its work.
Already IL womens clubs have Joined
the movement and a large number Of
young women known as the guild of the
Birmingham Infant Welfare association,
composed of chapters scattered through
out different parts of the city have united
in the common cause that of saving the
ba bieS.
What can be done to reduce infant NOR
talty is a question of vital interest to
every one. How the present generation
answers 1t will be of far-reaching i'm
portance not only in the present but in
the future