Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-02-08
WEIGH YOUR BABY-By Frederic j. Haskin

They will be patriotic women who are
willing to devote their leisure to saving the lives
of American babies
In many American cities child welfare work Is
already going forward with encouraging success.
There state and municipal departments OF
hygiene, infant welfare centers maternity clinics,
day nurseries and milk stations. The state Of
Kansas has confidential register of prospective
mothers which is used basis for the protection
of mothers and infants 1t is the boast of Kansas
women that baby dies in their state for lack of
medical attention.
The majority Of states provide medical
service for the schools; others district nurses, and
mothers to stay at home and care for their young
children instead of leaving them to the care OF
others while they go out to work. Everywhere,
public opinion is gradually becoming aroused to
conditions that kill many babies every year, and
greater number to grow up in reform
schools, institutions for the feeble minded and
schools for the backward.
In a large eastern city recently committee OF
child welfare workers decided to try experiment.
They selected group of the thtnnest. most
anaemic-looking children from certain school
and, with the permission Of their parents put them
on a diet of simple nourishing food. Within
month these children presented changed appear
ance. They had gained in weight, energy mental
capacity and initiative They were healthy
One of the most important features of this new
child welfare drive will be to educate parents for
in spite of all the literature that has appeared on
food during the past year. it seems that there are
still many parents who don't know what to feed
their children. Johnny, aged two and hair, must
not be allowed to subsist on bananas; Antonio with
digestive tract of only eight months development,
should not be fed spaghetti and onions, and Mary,
aged eleven weeks, with alarming case OF Group
should not be dosed with patent medic1neS-tn1ngs
like these which many mothers know, and SO
many other mothers don't know.
Ignorance and carelessness in this regard
often to be found in the most unexpected places.
Thus it often happens that the poor immigrant
woman is found scrimping and sacrificing to give
her children the best food and while wealthy
and presumably well-educated women are found
grumbling about the high prices, and cutting down
their childrens supply of food. The other day
child welfare expert, after listening to rich
mourn the high price of bees and the fact that her
children had to have them, finally became impa-
tient "Why don't you take Of the pearls off
your necklace and buy some beets?" she asked.
Curiously enough, most child welfare workers
will tell you that their hardest work does not al
WAYS lie in the foreign colonies of the large cities
Here the women will accept any new suggestions
as a part of the Americanization process. They
want to be Americans and so they care for their
babies the way the Americans tell them to. The
woman who presents the great difficulties is usually
the American woman of the type that works hard,
reads little and believes that the ways OF her grand
mother are good enough for her. She is always
slow to adopt suggestions.
Even this woman will not be able to escape the
information disseminated the care of children
during the next year if the plans Of the womans
committee of the Council Of National Defense are
carried out It is now a matter of national pride.
Great Britain, last year. by consistent efforts nearly
cut it's infant mortality rate in two, while New
Zealand already has an infant mortality rate only
half as large in proportion as that of the United
states We no longer have any excuse for tagging
behind If we can conserve food, we can conserve
babies