Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1917-04-26
Baby Week Is Urged
On The Reservation
Baby Week to be Celebrated First Week
OF May-Indians Urged to Partici.
pate BY Doctor Ross

PATE oY OoctoF NosS
In the first week of May there
will be held throughout this country
celebration of 'Baby Week" and
this is primarily for the purpose Of
calling the attention of the public,
especially fathers and mothers, to
the high and needless death rate of
babies and to the means that may
be taken to prevent at least one
half of these deaths.
In the United States last year
there were over 100000 deaths of
babies under one year of age. One
half Of these deaths were due to
disease that could easily have been
prevented had the parents known
and followed out proper and sani-
tary means in the care and feeding
Of their baby. In other words 160,-
600 babies die every year in the
United States because of lack of
knowledge of those measures of
sanitation and hygiene which
should be enforced before and after
the birth of eyery baby.
There are three great causes Of
this tremendous death rate among
babies, poverty, ignorance and
neglect. Poverty can be omitted
from the causes on this reservation,
as it is doubtful whether there are
any inhabitants in this country so
poor that they are unable to obtain
necessities for the baby. Ignorance
and neglect can be easily overcome
If parents are anxious and willing.
Every mother has a right to know
and should know, the facts which
science has made certain as to the
ways, ins whichSit is possible to pro-
tect ,|,abies-s isoln sickness and
death.
There are three groups Of diseases
which cause over three-fourths of
all the deaths among babies!
/. Disease Of digestion causes
most of the deaths, and this is es-
pecially true in the summer time.
Bottle.fed babies are most liable to
these diseases. The causes which
lead to these diseases are: I'm
proper feeding, impure milk (if
bottle-fed,) and dirty, unsanitary
nipples and bottles; carelessness of
mothers; hot weather and improp-
er clothing; overcrowding, bad
housing, and bad sanitary condi-
tions. d.
2. Diseases Of the lungs cause
most of the deaths in cold weather.
Due to bad air, caused by improper
housing, lack Of ventilation, etc.
infectious diseases, as measles,
whoopins cough, pneumonia, etc.
8. Diseases due to conditions af-
fecting the child before and at birth.
As overwork Of the mother; sick
ness of the parents, aid improper
cafe at birth:
Therefor in the education Of the
mother in the care Of herself and
her baby. we have the strongest
weapon for fighting infant mortality,
states Special Medical Examiner
Ross, NJ. D who has been making
q tour of inspection OF the health
conditions on the Standing Rock
Reservation during the past month.
DR.. Ross further states: The In
dians of this reservation have one
Of the finest hospitals in the service,
both in equipment and manage
meht, and it should be taken ad-
vantage Of by the Indians, espec.
tally the expectant mothers Com.
missioner Sells has taken vital in.
i terest in campaigns for the better.
tnent OF Indian babies and no bet.
ter assistance can be rendered the
younger generation than by being
born In the Agency hospital anc
thereby assuring healthy and by
genie condition for both mother anc
Child. Theis hospital is splendid,
equipped for all manner Of case