The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-08-09
URGES SCIENCE AND SENSE
Visiting Nurse Declares That From Ten
to Fifty Per Cent of Deaths Among
Babies Can and Should Be Prevent
ed by Proper Care.

"Babies are not born to die. Short
collins leave saddened homes and
blighted lives where health and happi-
ness should reign. The infant motolity
rate in the United States is so high as
to reflect serious discredit upon modern
motherhood and unless it is materially
decreased within the next fifty years
America will become a weakling among
nations and traitor to herself. The
solution of the problem is systematic
instruction for mothers and scientific
care for babies. This can best be Civ
en- through infant welfare associations
and infant welfare stations such as
people with knowledge and vision are
attempting to establish in Kenosha.
The work is humanitarian, patriotic,
and religious and is consequently de-
serving of the undivided support of
city and community
With these significant statements
Mrs Edna Coughlin of Chicago began
her address at the Park Avenue Meth
odist Church on Sunday evening.
Pleasing in personality and eloquent in
speech, the visiting nurse made a deep
impression on her audience. With a
comprehensive knowledge of her sub
ject matter, gained from a wide ex-
perience in Chicago hospitals, she per-
suaded everyone who heard her that
there was no real reason why babies
should die if fathers and mothers cared
for them with common sense and scien-
tifc accuracy. Her remarks were sup
plemented by stereopticon views and
moving pictures which carried the
same message and which convinced
those who saw them that they, as eth
er parents or citizens, were personally
responsible for premature deaths or
crippled lives among the babies Of Ke-
nosha.
The service was arranged by the
Infant Welfare Association Of Keno
sha in the hope that it would arouse
city wide interest in the little Grey
Home on the Island Rev. O. w.
Taylor presided. Vocal solos by the
Misses Harriet Lewis and Edith Keup
preceded the address of the evening
and created an admirable atmosphere
for the features which followed. Mrs.
Coughlin was introduced by Mrs. Simon
Gottlieb of this city. Quoting from
the prophecies of Isaiah, she presented
forcefully and well the religious as
i n q g. Il =
prepared the soil for the seed soon to
be scattered broadcast by the visiting
nurse.
Mrs. Coughlin made an impressive
appeal for the babies of Wisconsin and
the world. Quoting statistics to show
the alarming death rate among infants
she asserted that proper instruction
would eliminate from ten to fifty per
cent Of these mortalities. "Babies die
largely from preventable causes" she
declared, "and where this is the case
parents, who know, or citizens, who
are Indifferent, are criminally response
BILE for their deaths. When people pro-
vide opportunities whereby mothers
can learn proper forms of feeding,
sleeping, airing, bathing, and exercise,
for infants there will be fewer white
funerals and more happy and healthy
youngsters in the homes and on the
streets of Kenosha. Gastral-intestinal
disorders, which are fatal to so many
many babies can and should be pre-
vented by proper food and exercise,
and incipient tuberculosis can be nip
ped in the bud by open air sleeping.
These are only few of many sug
gestions to be given to mothers by in
FAINT welfare associations and yet they
in themselves, if followed to the letter
by local parents, would decrease the
deaths among Kenosha babies twenty
to thirty per cent. This is proved by
statistics and therefore should make a
real appeal to all people interested in
their own or their brother IS chill
dren.
When interviewed after the meeting
Mrs. Coughlin complimented the local
association upon its station and its
equipment. Having visited "The
Oaks on Sunday afternoon, she re-
ported it ideal in situation and adj
nlirable in management. When asked
what she thought of the future of the
institution she declared that there was
no reason why it should not become
one of the finest homes of the kind in
Wisconsin provided, of course, it re-.
ceived from the city and community
the cooperation required to make it
successful 81 leave for France in
September, she said, esand when I
come back to the States in the dim
distant future I expect to find THE
Little Grey Home on the Island
brick and stone sLife-Saving Station