Evening journal., 1915-02-10
BOARD OF HEALTH BULLETIN
INFANT WELFARE WORK OF TODAY.

For many years in the United
States. infant welfare wors has To
ceived the sporadic attention of nu-
merous organizations. II is but few
years since this work has been sys-
.ematized SO that scientific prophyiac- /
tic principles cen be effectively car /
ried out. Definite results are being ac- |
cOmplished by the combined efforts OF |
these infant welfare societies and /
the continuous application of educa-
tlonal and preventive measures is
showing greater possibilities. The 1
enormous percentage Of infant deaths,
es pecially of infants under one month,
is being reduced by the educational
and physical care, both prenatal and
postnatal. of the mother.
Modern methods of infant welfare
work are proving that ignorance more
than poverty, neglect or superstition,
is the important factor in the high
infant mortality The keynote to sue
cess lies in the education of the
mother The prevention, of prema-
ture delivery. congcnital debility or
diarrheal diseases and all other in
furious influences which are respon-
sible for poor health and death
among babies, is best accomplished
through instruction to the eXpectant
mother. very large percentage OF
infant deaths has its conception In in
heritance, and heredity has not been
given the consideration il demands.
These babies do not all die in infancy;
many Of them, afflicted by inherited
diseases, will live a miserable exis-
tence for a few years, and still moth
ers will live on to become public
charges and burdens upon society
The illegitimate baby suffers the dis
advantages of poverty, indifference OF
parents to its fate and the physical
weaknesses these infants are known
to be affected by. Laws compelling
the moral and financial responsibility
of fatherhood would add much 10 the
safety of these unfortunates.
An important step in advance is the
cooperation of the various agencies
engaged in the many fields of activity
toward the welfare of babies. Public
authorities are impressed with their
civic responsibility to act as conserya-
tors of the health of infants and 60
keep the well baby we'll" The pub
lie at large is aroused at the high
death rate among infants and is not
only backing up the government, but
is making far greater efforts in indi-
vidual activities and organizations de-
voted to this work. The Federal Chill
dren's Bureau. founded in 1912, was
instructed by Congress to investigate
"all matters pertaining to the welfare
of children and infant life" This bu-
reau is a source of information in all
phases of infant welfare work and il
publishes and distributes pamphlets
of instruction TO mothers as regards
pregnancy and the care of the child
during the inst two years of life. The
Public Health Service, also a National
Government Society, has published re-
ports on milk. milk stations and milh
standards. The National Association
for the Study and Prevention of Infant
, Mortality has issued a booklet on thu
care Of children The State and cit
authorities have done most of the ac
tual work in this country and grea
progress has been made by them il
the last few years.
In the brief account which thii
paper contains, no effort can be mad'
, to 20 into details as to how the STATE
and city health departments and the
|, many welfare organizations conduc
their work.
The cities OF New York. Boston anC
Cleveland have done much pioneer
work and the team work among theil
infant welfare workers has enabled
them to accomplish great results
: Travelling infant welfare exhibits are
making educational campaigns il
some states Nurses, especially train
ed for this work, accompany the ex
hibits and they stay long enough il
, each community to see that definite
|, work is started along proper lines.
I Municipal welfare stations and 1
child hygiene department city healtl
board are being established in man!
e cities. Prenatal and general prophyl
actic care is taught by the staff nurses
and ali newly reported births arr
2 visited by the nurses. Cleveland i!
! SAID to have the most ideal system
4 of infant welfare stations in thu
= United States.
!. AlllOSl All LulODtdn 6ONNA
r are more or less actively engaged il
e infant welfare work, giving particular
e attention to orphaned, dependent AM
!. illegitimate children. They also max
/ every possible effort to keep mothe
o and child together and this care AM
protection are continued through
= school age. Institutions for babies ar
not a success and are used only 70
temporary care of these cases. Tn
babies are boarded out in privat
homes which are carefully investi
gated and kept under supervision an
the authorities find a childless hom
for a motherless child. Infant mil
stations have accomplished much Il
forcing an Improvement in the mil
supply in our large cities. These
milk stations are not modifying tn
milk in laboratories as in the Garlic
days, but instead they personally in
struct the mother in the proper car
of the milk and in modifying il 70
each individual baby.
The best milk. improperly used o
improperly kept, can do an immens
amount of harm. Cleveland is recoe
nized as the leader in this country d
the splendid system of milk sta
tions which IL maintains. At the out
set these stations were open only !
the summer. but permanent result