Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-12-06
EDITOR
RABY SAVING.

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Honolulu'S interest in baby saving given a
decided impetus during the BABY Week last
Espring and il was hoped that time that one Of the
results would be a systematic movement for wei.
fare stations in the city. coupled with instruction
Of girls and Young women in simple hygiene domes-
Tic science and other subjects. *.-.... . .<.~e..
over the summer an awakened community aPPre-
citation was shown by such developments rs that of
the variation school" AT kaiulani and the notable
progress OF chiIdren's paygrounds-not directly in
the line of infant welfare work, but part of the gen
eral atmosphere Of kindly, expert supervision of the
youth of this city. Now focus is To fP given the
rather nebuous plans Of many Honolnlans. \ meet.
ing has been called for Monday afternoon at the
Library Of Hawaii at which the principal speaker
will be Dr Adelaide Brown, distinguished woman
physician of San Francisco. DIR. Pratt, president
of the board Of health, 10 whom this subject of in
FAINT welfare has been close for several years will
also speak briefly. The meeting should have, wide
attendance .#~. ..@
What strides can be made in baby saving by
enlightened methods are shown in recent address
of President Homer Fokes of the American Asso-
citation for the Study and Prevention of Infant Nor
tality He said:
Infant welfare the great opportunity We have
the moment to do something which everybody must
believe in. .. -. #~@
Just how much we can do is uncertain, for many
reasons. One of these is. that We do not know how
much there is to be done What shocking thing it
is that nobody make more than an approximate
statement the number of infant deaths in the United
States, and that nobody make more than the Wild
guess to the number of births.
The benefcent results of infant welfare work are
only and swift: they are surprisingly mex
pensive Elaborat institutions not required We
do not wait for the SLOW process of securing
large appropriations acquiring sites, and planning and
constructing buildings need chiefly plenty OF paper
ers ink rightly and continuously applied, will have
any babies.
In fact there is no other way of reducing the gen.
eral death quickly, surely and so cheaply
Eabies saving is the bargain counter of philanthropy
A year or two ago. had in the United States, so
to speak embryo registration area containing the
New England States, Pennsylvania and Michigan, and
cities, for which the estimated infant mortality
rate 1910 ESTIMATED by the Census Bureau) was
1874 This estimate if it correct and If it repre-
scented conditions throughout the country-which 1t
probably does notalthough nobody knows, would put
Just Switzerland with rate OF l23 and next
below ServiR with rate of LAG.
~ account of the New Zealand work in reducing
mortality that in this respect it stands ahead
of all other countries (given in eaflet published by
the Chldren's Bureau) is fascinating. New Zealand
has population about 100000 people; 1t has
cities of $4,000 in population Including subur-
ban areas) Conditions undoubtedly favorable in
various ways country, but it is striking fact
that New Zealand has reduced its infant mortality
from SO per 1000 in 1902 (then considered very low
figure) SO per 1000 in 1872 The factors by which
astonishing reductions have been brought about
appear to be chiefly public education by printers ink
and trained nurses. When reads the details of
what done in New Zealand there seems to be real
" no reason whatever for thinking that similar re-
suit relatively speaking cannot be had in any part of
the United States. If guess is to be made that OF
the New York State Health Department is as good as
any--it guesses that there about 100000 infant
deaths in the United States per annum, of which it
guesses onehalfor 10000 are preyentable by means
practicable
II is striking fact that while the great has set
the hands of the clock in many lines OF social
work it has at the time focused attention upon
the problem of infant welfare. In England We learn
that more welfare centers have been established
since broke out than ever before In the same
length of timethat they formed at the rate of
four per week. This of course due to the
sudden realization of the vital significance OF infant
welfare. May not hope that without having to I'M
dergo the trial by fire of may profit by the
same lessons; that may secure nationwide recog
milton the fact that infant welfare is vital FACTOR
in national welfare. We all talking and thinking
about preparedness Let not forget that no other
form of preparedness is more vital than the conser
walton of human lives, whom in the last analysis
must depend the safety of the nation from foes within
I as well from foes without