The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1917-01-11
A Happy New Year to the Club Wo-
men of Washington!

A Happy New Year to the Club Wo-
men of Washington!
am happy to announce the exact
date of "Baby Week" campaign for
1917. This year we will celebrate in
May from the LIST to the 9Th, inclusive.
As last year, we shall cooperate with
the General Federation Chairman Of
Health, Civics and Home Economics,
together with the Federal Children's
Bureau. An outline of the campaign
will be given in the January number
of General Federation Magazine.
Early in February a meeting of the
Health, Civics and Home Economics
chairman, together with the president,
Mrs. Scion Shedd, will be held in Sc
attic for the purpose of planning a
comprehensive campaign for "Better
Babies" of this state. Full announce
ment of plans will follow the confer
ence.
AS the legislature is about to con-
vene, your attention is called to the
legislative measures fostered by the
Health Committee the Full
Time Health Officer Bill and the Regu-
lation of the Practice of Midwifery in
this state. The last named bill is the
direct result of the Baby Campaign OF
last spring and we ask all those inter-
ested in constructive legislation to
urge your legislators in your respec-
tive districts to support the bill. The
bill provides for the examination and
licensing of applicants, and provides
penalties for the violation thereof.
The time has come when the problem
of the midwife in this state must be
reckoned with. In the past the re-
sponsibility for the midwife has been
assumed or ignored in half hearted
manner. Except in rare cases, ignor-
ant, unframed and incompetent mid
wives are the rule and some of the re-
suits of their incompetence are un-
necessary deaths and blindness of in
fants, avoidable invalidism, suffering
and death of the mothers.
The bill as drawn is protection to
the new born babe. This bill was pub
lished in full in the W.S.F.W.C. Oct
ober bulletin, was also distributed
widely at the convention in Everett
last June, and received the endorse
| mont of tho Federation
The me-Health-O Officer bill is
meritorious measure and should re-
leive the support it deserves. 1t pro-
vides for dividing the state into fifteen
districts and appointing a health Of
ficer for each district, one who will de-
vote his entire time to public health
work.
Washington shows the lowest death
rate of any state in the Union, but II
we are to maintain this enviable re-
cord, we must necessarily be vigilant
so this bill also provides for the en-
tire time of sufficient men and women
to carry on the work. It is unneces-
sary here to mention the splendid work
of the public health nurse, she has
come to stay; as an illustration OF he,
financial value your attention is called
to the fact that the Metropolitan Life
Insurance company is spending more
money in the employment of nurses
to visit their industrial policy holders
| IN fhic e+ofo 4hof tho State 0f Wash.
ington spends for her entire public
health work. Great good would re-
suit from such a law, and you, the
club women of Washington are tt
give your hearty support to both Of
these constructive measures.
Many inquiries have come to your
chairman regarding outlines for Public
Health programs, Baby Week cam
paigns and legislation endorsed by
the state Federation.