The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-05-08
WHY BABY WEEK
| WAS ESTABLISHED
It is a Campaign Of Education for
Both Fathers and Mothers
to Help His Royal
i4lghness.
EMPHASIZE CLEANLINESS
Surroundings In Which Child 10
Reared Has Much to do With
His Future
Life.
EMPHASIZE CLEANLINESS

| The third week in May will be
baby week in Keokuk. Observance
Of the week will be made by the
! public health and social organizations
here led by the Visiting Nurse as
| ISOLATION and Baby Welfare league
Miss Nettie Younker is chairman Of
| the ababy week committee Of the v
| N. A.
| The following articles are taken
from two bulletins on baby week, and
may be Of interest locally in the
| weeks observance:
Baby week is campaign with a
| two-fold purpose: a. TO give the
| mothers and fathers of a community
the opportunity of learning the
| most important facts with regard to
the care of the baby. (2) To bring
home to the community a knowledge
of the facts regarding the needless
deaths of it's babies and a realiza.
ton of the ways in which it must
protect them.
"A baby week should be a com.
munity campaign; each person in the
community should feel that he or
she has a part in 1t.
A baby week should not be a tenn
porary furry and excitement, but
should lead to permanent work for
the babies.
Chicago held the first baby week,
April 10 to 25, 1914; New York City
the second, June 20 to 26, 1914. This
year they have been followed by
Pittsburgh, Grand Rapids, Detroit,
Staten Island, Yonkers, Indianapolis,
Topeka and many other cities.
Letter to Fathers.
Tradition has, in the past, left ali
the care Of the baby to the mother.
The condition of our present day SO.
ciety require that in addition to pro
viding food, shelter and other mater
ial things, the father must share witt,
the mother the responsibility for the
health of his baby.
The following are some of the
things that he should understand or
do:
He should understand the import
ance OF prospective mothers having
good care. and advice at as early a
period as possible SO as to insure
the health OF the mother and protect
the coming baby.
He should see that the mother has
adequate care during and after the
birth of the baby. SO that the moth
er's health may be continued or re.
stored as quickly as possible. both
for her own sake and that she may
be able to give proper care to the
baby
He should know the Importance of
the mother nursing her baby.
Breasted babies have a much great
4 @I> - ;1,sv,
strong, hearty children than have
bottle-fed babies. This is so i'm
portant that anything that would
supply, such as overwork, excitement,
Cleanliness Essential.
If, after every effort is made, the
mothers milk supply Is not adequats,
the father should know that clean,
fresh cows milk is the best substi-
tute, and should see that the baby
gets such milk and that the mother
has the advice of the doctor on its
preparation.
He should know that nearly one
third Of all infant deaths occur as
the result of digestive disturbance
brought on chiefly by faulty feeding.
He should know that soothing
syrups are dangerous. that pacifiers
are both needless and injurious, that
the baby needs rest and regular
hours of sleeping, and should not be
kept up late nor handled too much.
He should know the Importance Of
good surroundings to the baby. The
baby needs fresh air and sunlight as
much as any plant. Like a plant,
the baby will droop and die If kept
in dark, close room, deprived Of
natures best health tonics-fresh
air and sunlight.
Cleanliness in and about the home
is even more important to the baby
than TO the adult. Baby can not pro-
tect itself against dust, dirt and flies.
Flies bred in the open garbage can
or in the rubbish heap in the yard
may carry germs to the baby's mouth
or milk and cause diarrhoea or other
diseases.
The father should not fail to have
his baby's birth registered at the
health department. A certificate Of
birth will be necessary for school al.
tendance, going to work, inheritance
and citizenship.
Lastly, every father should know
of and take an active part in promot.
ing conditions in our city which will
give every baby a better chance.
Some of these things are better indus
trial conditions, better housing, i'm
proved municipal sanitation, i'm
proved milk supply. milk stations.
and visiting nurses, settlements,
and other agencies for the
protection and conservation of infant
life. He should know what his own
health department is doing.
Awarded Iron Cross.
United Press Leased Wire Service. 4