Omaha daily bee., 1919-06-01

Statistics have often become the
subject of ridicule, and rightly So
when they have been applied to the
problems Of human betterment. In
deed, it may be stated with presum-
able fairness that ! few medically
trained persons are really competent
TO use statistics in scientific man.
ner. When, however, the profess
sional statistician '.juggles the fig
| ures," they gain sort of recogni-
ton which is otherwise rarely &C.
corded to them. These comments
are the prelude to a consideration of
the high rate of infant morbidity and
mortality which still exists in va
rious parts of this country. 1t has
long been evident that any effective
program for remedying the existing
conditions must be based on a care
full analysis of available statistical
data. A recently published study by
Eastman of the division of vital stat
istics of the New York States De-
partment of Health has furnished
food for thought as to the direction
to be taken by future measures for
the conservation or betterment OF
child life. 1t shows, as might be
expected, that where an unfavorable
sanitary environment is likely to be
found, deaths from communicable,
respiratory and gastro-intestinal dis
ease are abundant. This is the case
among the foreign born population,
the majority of whom, Eastman
points out, are poor. illiterate, with
out knowledge of English, and al
most wholly ignorant of the ele-
ments of modern sanitation, and in
habit, as a rule, the most congested
districts of the large manufacturing
centers. On the other hand, East
man AYERS, the superior environment
and intelligence of the average ma
tive woman is reflected in the COM
paratively low mortality of her ba-
bies from these diseases.
The great majority Of deaths of
children above / month of age are
caused by the diseases already men
toned. Despite this contrast be-
tween the untutored foreigner and
the native stock, it is a statistical
fact that in New York state the
mortality of babies under l month
of age is higher among those born
to native mothers than among chill
dren born of women of foreign ma
tivity. Although the mortality of
children in 1915 under l year of
age born of native women was only
81 per thousand births, compared
with 1884 for children of foreign
born mothers, the rate under
month for the former was Ala, as
against 45,2 for the latter. About
three-quarters of the deaths of in
fants under l month of age are due
to prenatal causes. Of the total
number of deaths occurring in 1916,
within the first day after birth, more
than SO per cent were due to pre-
mature birth, IS per cent to con-
and nearly 15 per cent to injuries at
per cent
All workers for social betterment
realize the beneficent possibilities of
efforts to reduce infant mortality
where unhygienic factors like over
crowding, improper feeding, imper-
feet sanitation and other compar-
able and remedial conditions pre-
vail. The new study just reported
indicates that amid our concern for
the dangers arising from ignorance
and Indifference we must not be
oblivious to the fact that insanitary
environment is not the only matter
deserving of serious consideration in
any campaign for child welfare
Deaths from premature birth and
cOngenital causes have different ex-
plantations, among which venereal
disease and alcoholism are to be
fund. Hence Eastman wisely ad-
vises that if the population of any
section is discovered to be pre-
ponderantly native, the proper
course to be adopted should be main
ly one of education in regard to pre-
natal conditions. If it is found to
be largely of foreign born stock, it
will be necessary to plan principally
for course of instruction in the
proper feeding and care of the in
FAINT and for the improvement of
sanitation. This procedure, East
man adds, would seem to be both
rational and practicable, and should
be the basis for all future campaigns
for infant welfare that aim at eff
cheney and success.-Tonrno Amer
lean Medical Associs