The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1917-03-23
Is, 900 Mothers Die IN
United States

More women ID e. - years die ma the
United STATES from conditions incident
10 maternity than iron any otter canse
exopt tuberculosis. And since istD.
while the dosth rates from Tuberculosis,
typhoid, diphtheris and Group, and GER
tain other preventable diseases have bsen
greatly ieiuced, the available figures for
the death-registration area show no de-
crease In the proportion OF mothers whose
lives are sacrificed yearly to ignorance
and improper care in Childbirth.
These facts and their cau-e-. NTH a de-
tailed study Of maternal death rates in
the nitet states and foreign count.i--.
ARE ST forth in = bulletin on Maternal
Mortality 10y DIR. Grace:L Meigs. which
hes Just been i-sued 10y the children's
nrean Of the United States Department
4 Labor.
DIR. Meigs emphasizes the inseparai,le
connection between the life and health
II the mother and the life and health of
the baby She points out that the II.
go maternal deaths which occur annual
y in the United states arr largely PEE
Ventsble; that these l5,0o deaths are
merely rough index Of unmea-ured
preventsbie illness among mothers: and
hat tie protect ton of mothers j. essential
20 the saving of babies lives.
Aow can the protection of mothers -
Accomplished?
Two underlying csuses are assigned for
he present conditions:
First. The hazards have been eithe,
ignored or accepted As unavoidable
knowledge OF the Meet for good care a,
'hildhirth Is essential; the lack of such
knowledge and of a demand for this care
'as been probably, thu chief factor in
producing the present indifference t. TIN.
'hsse OF preventive medicine. Cpmmun-
ties are still To a great extent indifferent
> or ignorant Of the number Of lives O,
"omen lost yearly from childbirth"
The second fundamentable csuse--
he difficulty Of obtaining adequate car.
lis seeii To- depend 20 a large extent on
he hrst- A. women, their husband
physicians. and communities realize the
'-oiute need OF skilled care, IN ethod,
r providing it wilt he develope."
The city problem and the rural prob
EN- are both discussed
Even in a city well supplied with elm
'cs and hospitals and d pspitals the mum.
'er OF women SERVED by them is small il
'omparsi"n with the number who bea
hiidren without receiving adequate care
certain sections Of the population de
pend on ignorant mIdwives. But IN
reader is reminded that women of mod
! crate meals Who can not pay large fee
and who will not visit a clinic sometim.
receive the least benefit firm improve
nents IN standards OF care.
"ln rural districts many women bes
their children with no other attendar
than their husband, a relative. or
nel9hbor- The nearest physician ma
be mites away, the nearest hospital mu..
farther -
DIR. Meigs refers - the work foa ma
rnal and child welfare which has bee
developed ia New Zsaard ami in Can,
Ia, and suggests a unit pl an" for arm
Al county nm this country % include:
A rurel nursing service, centering
the county seat. with nurses e~p.ciall
trained To recognize dangerous symptom
IN Prospective mothers.
An acceptable county center to whic
mothers could come for infronati.
about personal hygiene.
cottage hospital. or beds in an a,
es-'b'e general hospital. especially +
the proper care OF abnormal cases.
skilled attendance obtainable BIZ eae
mother IN the county.