The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1917-03-07
A Y

More woman 10 to Is years ~ age
die In the United States from condi-
,ions incident to maternity than from
any other cause except tuberculosis.
And since 1900. while the death rat
from tuberculosis. typhoid. dlptheria
and Group. and certain other pre-
vcntabln diseases have been greatly
reduced. the available figures for the
MISREPRESENTATION area. show no de-
crease In the proportion of mothers
whose lives are sacrificed yearly 70
Ignorance and improper care in child
birth.
These facts and their causes. with
a detailed study Of material death
rates In the United States and foreign
countries. are set forth In a bulletin
on Maternal Mortality by Or. Grace
I. Meigs. which a just been issued
by the Children's Bureau Of the
United States department ~ labor.
Or. Meigs emphasizes the insepara-
BILE connection between the life and
health Of the mother ana the life and
health Of her baby. She points out
that the $1,000 maternal deaths which
occur annually In the United state
are largely preventable; hat these
$4,000 deaths are merely a roue.. in
deS Of unmeasured ~preventable Illness
among mothers; and that She protec-
ton Of mother. is essential TO the
saving Of babies lives.
How can the protection OF mothers
he accomplished?
Two underlying causes are assigned
for the present conditions:
First. The hazards have been
ignored or accepted as unavoidable.
knowledge OF the need for good care
nj childbirth l. essential; the lack Of
such knowledge and OF a demand for
this care has been. probably. the chief
factor IN producing the present indif-
ference 10 this phase Of preventiv
medicine. Communities are still to a
great extent Indifferent to or ignorant
~ the number Of lives of women lost
yearly from childbirth"
The second fundamental cause
the difficulty OF obtaining adequate
care-is zee to depend TO a large eN-
tent on the first. As women, their
husbands. physicians. n communi-
ties realize the absolute need OF skill
ed care. methods for providing IA win
be developed"
The city problem and the rural
problem are both discussed.
Even in a city well supplied with
clinics and hospitals the number Of
women served by them is small IN
comparison with the number who
bear their children without receiving
adequate care. Certain sections ~
the population depend ON ignorant
midwiyes. But the reader is reminded
that women 81 moderate means who
can not pay large fees ana who viii
not visit q clinic sometimes receive
the least benefit from Improvement.
in standards ~ care.
In rural districts many women
boar their children with no attendant
other than the husband q relative. OF
"a ucirhhor. The nearest physioinf
may he miles away the nearcst hos
pitai much farther"
Or Mcigs refers to the work foi
matorud and child welfare which Ina.
been developed ia New Zealand and
la Canada. and suggests a unit plan
for % rural county In this country {,
include: ="
\ rural nursing service. centering al
the rounty seat, with nurses especiallS
trained 10 recognize dangerous symp'
toms IN prospective mothers.
An accessible county enter to whicl
mothers could come for information
about personal hygiene.
a cottage hospital, or beds IN AZ
accessible general hospital. cspecialis
for the proper ARE OF abnormal cases
Skilled attendance o~btainable d,
each mother in the county.