Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1916-05-09
BABY WEEK
A Campaign for Better Babies
in Marathon County Will Be
Conducted During the Week
May % to q.

The enormous number of deaths
of children under three or four years
OF age in this state, is a deplorable
situation of affairs and a reproachable
reflection on the individual parents
OF these unfortunate infants. This re-
proach is to a great measure due. not
to the neglect of public health boards,
nor to the indifference of the medical
profession; but the members of the
household in which these babies are
born, selfshly cared for, neglectfully
nourished, and sorrowfully given up.
This statement is not too radical-too
positive, as might seem; in fact, it might
be stated in more severe language and
still come far short of the limits of
propriety in dealing with the situa-
ton. Every death ION preventable
disease must be charged against some
one who has not done his duty. This
is particularly true regarding the
deaths of infants. Too often one does
not need to go outside of the household
to find the one directly responsible for
the child's death.
During the past few years millions
of dollars have been spent trying to
find out how to raise better hogs,
cattle, horses, etc. The average far
mer will put himself to almost any
reasonable inconvenience to find ways
and means to raise better stock. How
much time and money is he willing to
give to find out how to better care for
his children.
The strength of our nation depends
upon the strength of the individuals
who go to make it up. The strength
of the individual depends largely upon
a good, clean, healthy, strong body.
The character of that body depends
largely upon the start given to it from
infancy. While Marathon County does
not stand at the bottom of the list
with reference to infant mortality,
statistics show that there is a wonder
full chance for Improvement.
Under the able leadership of Miss
Julia c. Lathrop, Chief of the Chill
dren's Bureau, U. S. Department of
Labor, Washington, D. c., a general
countrywide campaign CT education
has been started to teach young moth
ers, and prospective mothers, how
to better care for their babies.
During this spring a large num-
Der of cities and counties in Wisconsin
have observed Baby Week.
A miscellaneous committee of citi-
zens of Wausau and the surrounding
towns in Marathon County, are making
plans for Better Baby Campaign to
eliminate in an intensive program to
be held in Wausau during the week of
May p to q. During this time there
will be a Better Baby contest. This
contest is not to determine which is
the prettiest baby, but which baby is
the most nearly perfect physically.
These babies are to be thoroughly ex-
amined and judged by competent ply
sicians. Mothers of babies under one
year of age are urged to enter their
babies in this contest.
On Wednesday, Thursday and Fri
day of the Baby Week, there will be
programs consisting of demonstra-
tions on the care of babies, talks on
proper clothing, proper food, etc. Such
speakers and workers as DR.. Dorothy
Reed Mendenhall of the University of
Wisconsin, Miss Elizabeth Kelley of
the Agricultural Extension Division,
Miss Agnes Boeing of the Home Eco
nomics Department of the University,
DR.. j. l.. Gillin, secretary of the Gener-
al Welfare Department of the Univer-
sity Extension Division, Theodore ].
Werle, Field Organizer for the Wis
cOnsin Anti-Tuberculosis association
of Milwaukee, will be secured for those
three days. The committee plans to
have some physician of national repu-
tation who has made the care of babies
a speciality, to lecture on one of these
days, probably Thursday. DR.. Holt,
the renowned baby specialist, DR..
Evans of the Chicago Tribune, and
others, are under consideration.
The headquarters during the pre-
liminary arrangements are at the Of