The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1918-04-23
BULLETS AND BABIES
By Ruth Danenhower Wilson
of The Vigilantes

casualty lists in the papers-so many
killed in action, so many dead of
wounds-we must stop and think
who is going to take the place Of
these Americans. Is the population
of this great country going to be de.
creased day by day, month by month,
by these constantly mounting lists?
Is there anything that can be done
about it? Yes, and it is we women
in the homes, we women who are
! tied down with domestic duties who
have the power to do it. We can't
go to France or into munition facto-
rles, but we can do patriotic work
in our own homes How? Why, by
reducing the death rate of babiees, bv
saving thousands of lives of the COM
ing generation to take the place Of
those lost in battle
/ The second wear of the war. Eng
land reduced the percentage of in
fant deaths to less than it was before
the war. Surely we can do as well.
The Children's Bureau at Washing
ton estimates that every wear there
are 100000 nreventable deaths of
children under five wears of age.
Think Of it. One hundred thou
sand little children dead because of
l@norant care or imnrorer food. or
because the doctor wasn't called in
ti'no. - teoau~a the mother dieohev-
ed him aH3 tried some quack remedy
a weli-meaninr reichbor said was
good.
Our Government recognizes that
we mothers need halp in preventing
these unnecossarv deaths. Just as
throUpl' the Department of Arric,1l-
ture, Uncle Sam IS helninp raise
better crops and stock. so through
the Children's DEPARTMENT he is
helping US bring no our babies.
Since It was established six years
ago the Children's Bureau has had
plenty of time to study baby vel
fare and bring together the results
Of the best knowledge in the coun-
try.
All this scientific information is
gathered at public expense and is
freely at the disposal of anyone in
the United States who cares to ask
for it.
We mothers must recognize that
the mere fact of being a mother does
not bring with it heaven-sent knowl-
edge of how to bring up baby. We
need to be taught the proper care
OF our children. And our opportu
mites for such instruction are ex-
tremely haphazard.
FROM the first prospect of moth
erhood all the neighboring mothers
and old maids instruct us with con.
fllcting advice about the care of
baby. This or that superstition is
repeated, this or that quack remedy
recommended as "having done INV
baby world Of good"
Isn't it relief. to have from our
government sound advice based on
the observations Of hundreds of ba-
bies by the best physicians? The bull
! letlns of The Children's Bureau do
not aim to give advice that will re-
place physicians care. But they do
outline for US the best way to care
for and feed well baby, the home
treatment of ordinary ailments and
emergency measures to be used be-
fore the doctor arrives. They give
proper diets for different ages and
tables showing natural baby's de-
velopment.
Do you know at what age the soft
spot at the top Of your baby's head
should begin to close?
! Do you know what your baby
should weigh and measure every
month?
Do you knoow what to do if your
baby should have convulsion?
Do you know how to care for
your baby's eyes?
! Do you know the right way to
prepare vegetables for young chill
dren?
The lives of many future citizens
can be saved by the knowledge and
practice of these and many other
points on which The Children's Bu-
reau gives advice.
Send post card to-day to the
Chief of The Children's Bureau,
Washington, D. c., and ask for In
fant Care, Care Of Children Series
No. 2, or, if you want the care Of
very young babies ask for Parental
Care, Care of Children Series No. 1.
The Government will send these to
Won free without even a charge for
postage.