The Washington times., 1916-01-06
SCIENTISTS WATCH
DOCTORS FIGHT FOR
LIVES OF s. BABIES
Delegates to Pan-Amerlcan
Conference See Work At
Welfare Station.

While delegates to the Pan-American
Scientific Congress looked on two doc
oors worked hard and fast for two
hours and a half yesterday afternoon
60 save the lives of thirty-fve babies.
Had these babies been Injured in a
fire or tepordized by an epidemic, his
would have attracted wide attention.
But It was Just the twice-a-week clinic
ct Infant Welfare Station, No. 2. and
II goes on there, and at four other slmi-
lar stations. week after week.
The statement that these doctors were
working to save the babies lives" IL
no exaggeration. For, when the sta
tons opened In 1900. twenty Aeight babies
under one year died in every thous-
and, and last year the rate was but
ten in every thousand. A little figur-
ing will show that these doctors. the
twenty-four Of them who work. at these
stations. perhaps deserve Carnegie
medals as much as those who make
spectacular rescues of Erown-ups from
fires or from drowning.
Six Rooms Open.
Particular interest centered about
Center No. this week for there six
rooms were thrown open for an eX
hibit of the Washington iiet Kitchen
Associations work especially designed
for the visitors to the Pln-AmerIcan
Scientific Congress. Explanations OF
the work printed In Spanish, accom-
panied all the exhibits, and pamphlets.
in Spanish, describing the work. were
distributed
In one room was a miniature combi-
nation living, sleeping, dining and
kitchen room, just as one tue well
fare station nurses found it, with n
dog and cat running about, cluttered,
about with all sorts of furniture. and
an infant with pneumonia resting in an
old cradle next to a dilapidated cook
stove. Next to 1t was this room, with
all but essentials removed. after the
nurse had completed her work. The
baby lay, with only necessary covering.
In a clean crib. and there were no rugs.
carpets. clothing and other devices for
collecting dust and disseminating
germs.
An entire room was fitted up to show
the work of the station in modifying
milk for the use of infants. The visit
ed with this work. and the charts,
showing how the weight OF babies in
dicated the food they needed.
Equipment Open.
Wide open too was the equipment of
the reception room. where babies are
weighed, and where their weight and
other facts told by mothers are kept in
. card index file. Next to this is the
examination room, where the baby In
given n thorough physical examination
Its food, hours of sleep, fresh air, and
general treatment is decided upon, and
these facts added to the babys record
card.
For this exhibit a collection Of charts,
showing the infant welfare work in
other cities, was assembled through the
cid OF the American Association for the
Study and Prevention of Infant Nor
tallty. One room was entirely given up
70 the propaganda pictures, such as that
showing a tubercular boy giving two
other boys a bite of his apple, and thus
exposing them to contagion. There
dangers from crowded rooms. from con-
tamination OF food by insects. and the
dangers OF bad air, improper feeding,
and OF thoughtless kissing of babies.
Room Especially Furnished.
An entire room is furnished in the
fashion the nurses try to get mothers to
furnish a room for their babies. Non
promiscuity" Is the motto in this room,
and 1t shows individual bed, bath tub.
wash cloths, towels, and the necessary
clothing for a baby.
washington persons also are being in |
vited to visit this exhibit so that they
may learn of the work being done by
the welfare ccnters under the direction
Of the Washington Diet Kitchen Asso- |
citation. 1t is hoped the publicity given
the work will aid in the efforts of the
supporters of the association to raise |
funds to continue the work for the
coming year without curtailing II in any |
Of the stations. which already are too |
few and too small to meet the demands
upon them.