The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-04-22
MEETING OF THE
WOMAN'S CLUB

(Mrs. F. E. Wetherbee, Reporter)
The regular monthly meeting of
the Woman's Club was held on Satur-
day afternoon at the club rooms with
the president, Mrs. w. T. Gary in the
chair. After the reading of the min
utes all other business was waived
and the chair rendered Mrs. r. L.
Anderson, chairman of the public
health committee, this being public
health day. Mrs. Anderson in al
most happy manner introduced Mrs.
Travers Ewell, a most earnest ex-
ponent of woman's progress and abil-
ity, and a former resident of this city.
Mrs. Anderson said we might loan
Mrs. EweH to New York, Jacksonville
and Brazil, but we would always well
come her back to Ocala which was
home. Mrs. Ewell tritely opened her
address by saying that she hoped IL
would not be in her case as with Mark
Twain, who after having been for
years in foreign lands, wandering un-
der sun-swept skies with the tempera-
ture 116 degrees in the shade, on his
return to his native land was greeted
by friend in this manner: "Why
Mark, have you been away" Mrs.
Ewell gave a graphic and most en-
tertaining description of her life in
Brazil, the adventures, the strange
dark rivers. Her descriptive views
were beautifully realistic, with one
very telling point, namely, that Brazil
has fattered US by having govern
ment like our own. Patriotism is at
fever heat. While there has been a
series of overt acts, Brazil has re-
manned uncorrupted and has gone
over to the Allies, tho there is much
German invasion and Southern Brazil
is decidedly pro-Germaf. There are
but few navigable rivers; the country
is invested with malaria, and the
great need and cry of all is quinine-
malaria and quinine.o But with all
the drawbacks in that country, Brazil
is with the enlightened nations of the
world. Brazil has gone into the war
heart and soul. Mrs. Ewell heard an
old man say, "There is not enough
room in our world for Germany"
Brazil is of greatest service, for it
is an inexhaustible storehouse for the
Allies. She has already supplied over
1000 tons of coffee and has given 300
doctors to France and is shoulder to
shoulder with the Allies in the battle
for democracy. Her views were clear
ly and decisively given and most in
structive.
Mrs. Ewell was followed by Mrs.
Bow of Eustis, chairman of health in
spection in Lake county and the social
service division. Mrs. Bow made many
splendid points. She spoke of chill
dren's defects that can and must be
remedied, and begged that more be
done to conserve our children, and
first of all to work under DR.. Byrd's
direction through the public school.
In the last few years public schools
have become educated along these
lines, and many defects in children
are being remedied before too late.
DR.. Hiram Byrd of Fort Lauder
dale, scientific secretary of the state
board of health, gave a splendid ad-
ldress. His topic was .sThe Conserva-
tion of Childhood"
DR.. Byrd opened his address by
saying he had been in the service of
the public over fifteen years, and he
was always glad to come to Ocala, for
our people always treated him like
one of the boys, and to him the con-
lservation of childpower had a pecul-
4 lar plea in common to Ocala. He
was among the first to advocate clubs
in the state and was first invited tc
1 address the Woman's Club at DeLand
where they were trying to put on g
! better baby contest. He spoke of the
year beginning April 6 as being chill
. dren's year, and what our state anC
other states were trying to do to ad
} vance the most vital of questions yet
before board-that of taking care
} of the children of our land.
DR.. Byrd believes there should bt
/, health stations where mothers coulC
: bring sick babies and they be given ;
fighting chance; that prizes should b
offered, not to the prettiest, bes
dressed or healthiest baby, but to tn
: one making the greatest improvement
} in given time. He showed that Their
is an average of over two defects t.
the child, calling for correction. TIL
: medical profession, occulist and den
: tist, stand ready to make correction
t DR.. Byrd also said that there is need
led an agency TO bring patient an,