New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-23
East Side Babies Get Stale
Tea Instead of Milk, In
veStigators Find
200 WORKERS TO AID
IN MAYORS CANVASS
High Mortality Feared as
Result of Eating De-
cayed Vegetables

The survey of living conditions in
the city promised by Mayor Mitchell
began yesterday, when two hundred
Investigators from the Department OF
Charities set out to discover, if pos
sible. how much poverty exists here.
Whenever there is an exceptional
increase we are usually the first 10
feel it," said Deputy Commissioner
William ]. Doherty. But there IS
nothing at present to indicate such
condition One of the first signs is
the number Of parents applying for
institutional care for their children,
but we have had few applications
However, we do know that prices are
very high. Just how much distress
that factor is causing our investga-
tors will try to determine. We Will
have some facts and figures IN two or
three days, | expect
Preliminary reports from the inves-
tigators working on the East Slde
show that mothers are giving their
babies tea, instead % milk. and that
the adults are eating decayed yege-
tables. Mr.. Doherty said. Meat has
been almost eliminated.
Milk Heavily Diluted
"Such milk as the children there
are getting" he said. 'is diluted until
il is little better than water. The
people are using loose milk. the
cheapest that can be bought. usually
one or two cents worth at a time.
"They have found tea TO be cheaper
because water is added to the same
leaves day after day. II mothers con-
time 10 feed this TO their children
New York may be faced with an ap-
palling infant mortality"
The East Side has been divided into
eight districts and squads of twenty
five assigned 20 each. Investigators
were instructed to go thoroughly into
the living conditions of every family
Wherever they find poor persons IN III
health from lack Of nourishment physl-
clans accompanying the Investigators
will, if necessary, send the victims TO
hospitals.
Dr.. Edward T. Devine, of the Charity
Organization Society, said that he mad
called his visitors into a conference on
Wednesday. ,.,
They told me-" he said, that high
prices are causing serious hardshIps
among people who will not apply 70
charitable societies. These people are
meeting the situation by using up saw
ings. careful planning, help from rela-
tives and. in some instances, cutting
their food below the amount they
need.
Vegetable Prices a Problem
In some respects increased prices OF
onions. potatoes and other vegetables
are more serious than an increase IN
meat, because people can usually fall
back upon vegetables when meat ad-
yances.
"The number Of families under our
care is considerably less than year
ago and very much smaller than two
years ago. There is plenty of work
to-day and good wages, but | do not
wish 10 minimize the seriousness OF
these high prices of food
Il was pointed out by another social
worker that the effect Of present dis
tress might not be felt by charitable
agencies for some time, but would be
serious nevertheless.
The results of insufficient nourlsh-
ment to-day may come 10 US, weeks
later in the form Of sickness, infant
mortality and decreased vitality" this
person explained.