Bogalusa enterprise and American. (Bogalusa, La.) 1918-19??, 1919-07-24
Good Crop Babies
Promised for 1919

America DdDy NLOp AO4 $500
promises to be the largest in the his
tory of the country according to the
annual survey of the New York Milk
Committee, just completed.
Due to war conditions the output
has been small, but the guessers
seem to think indications are prom
ising for a big increase in 1919.
This prediction is made in the face
of reduction of nearly 100 per cent
in the excess of birth over deaths
during 1918, as compared with 1917.
This was caused by an unprecedented
number of deaths approximating q
10000 in part due to the influenza
epidemic and war conditions.
Computations by the committee,
based upon figures obtained from
health officials in 1877 Of the largest
American cities reveal these facts.
That deaths in the United States
last year increased $4,000 over
I1917. This total is exclusive of the
75,O 900 soldiers who gave their lives
on foreign soil.
That 100000 births occurred in
1918, an increase of 100000 over the
previous year.
That the natural national increase
in population is estimated at 100000
compared with 100000 in 1917.
That the general infant mortality
rate, founded upon reports received
from cities comprising 26 per cent
Of the population jumped from 97.5
per thousand births to 104.1.
Although estimates show that the
,1ta 60. the
creased seven points, the New York
Milk Committee believes this figure
to be remarkably low when all the
elements conspiring against him
fwar, unrest, high cost OF food and the
influenza epidemic-are carefully
weighed. The figures for 1918 re-
fleet increased activity on behalf of
the newborn and shows that the
campaign of the federal government
to conserve the lives Of 100000 in
fants during Americas second year
of participation in the war was not
without its reward. This movement
combined with prenatal care; work
carried on with increased zeal by the
sundry organizations, particularly in
/ the larger cities, shows tconclusively
that the public's interest in the well
fare Of the baby is steadily growing.
j. H. Larsen of New York city
says:
1.-The public conscience is fast
awakening to a full realization of
the value of infant life, and Amer
ica's baby crop for this year prom
ises to be the largest in its history.
In New York city the reports for the
first six months show a decrease of
500 baby deaths, compared with the
same period in 1918. Similar reduc-
tons are being reported in many
other cities.
There are two main public health
activities that count most in pre-
venting unnecessary loss Of infant
and maternal life. First, safe milk
supply. This means clean milk, grad
led, labeled and pasturized. Second,
expert medical and nursing services
for expectant mothers. If every
community would provide milk sta
tons for its babies and prenatal care
for its mothers we would save in the
U. S. AZ. the lives of ten thousand
mothers and seventy-five thousand
babies annually.
There is no limit to what can be
done and this is the time to do it.
With our figures revealing a loss of
more than half million in America
natural population, to say nothing of
that sustained through the surcease
Of immigration, the need is more i'm
perative than ever that the babe be
given what he is justly entitled to
the chance to make a winning fight
from the start"
The infant mortality rate for 70
cities with populations over $4,000 is
i97.2.
The rate for 38 cities between So
900 and 100000 population is 1873
and that for As cities over 100000
is 1925.
Thus the smallest cities show the
lowest rate of the three groups, but
the largest have a lower rate than
the $4,000 to 100000 population
cities. This probably is due to the
fact that the large cities of the coun-
try are better governed as regards
public health matters. Also that
people in the second classification
4 1.-Two 11pIar M a,.o ip4ov,~sr,o -. l