Evening journal., 1919-12-11
THURSDAY, DECEMBER II, 1919.
DELAWARE MDDIEs AND THEIR CHANCE.


1T is asserted by the Womans Committee for Child Wei
i fare which is endeayorng to procure fund OF
e. 600 10 enable It 10 prosecute its work efficiently that
"Delaware children never have had fair chance We
assume Of course that what really that many
Of them never had fair chance which absolutely
true.
Investigations made by the committee and others show
many interesting facts with respect to Delaware children
Nearly 1900 Of them die every year. In addition 200
babies are stborn Many Of them born without the
attention Of physician
The mother receives prenatal Instruction.
The children do not have proper food and care
Their surroundings unsanilary.
Minor ailments and physical defects not attended to-
During the the Federal Government called our at
tenton TO the Importance Of child protection Delaware
did not know what her conditions were nor how many
Of her children were dying every year.
The womans Committee with the help Of trained in
vesgaors and health workers made study Of the child
death rate and the causes Of death and sickness.
The truth was appalling. The state had not single
agency for the protection the normal mother and child
some Of the comparative death rates for 1918 are as
follows:
Delaware .. Infant Death Rate 1926 per 1000 Births
Chicago Infant Death Rate 1913 per 1000 Births
ST. Louis ..... Infant Death Rate 9i5 per 1900 Births
Rochester n Y Infant Death Rate 93A per 1000 Births
New York City Infant Death Rate 9l7 per 1000 Births
L. s Average Infant Death Rate 93s per 1000 Births
Estimated from actual but incomplete figures.
The death rate OF children in the rural districts is APP
parenily as high as in Wilmington.
Having studied all the available records, the committee
studied the children themselves all the State, even
in The remote rural districts With the assistance of
nurses and physicians thousands OF children were tx
amined and advice and instructions given to mothers
After this test OF child life, i've Health Ceners were
opened in Wilmington and five Health centers through the
state.
Child Health Center is operated on the policy that
an ounce OF prevention worth pound Of cure II IS the
greatest e-savlng agency in existence Il is the funda-
mental safety-Grst provision OF a state community
From the Health Center both in rural and city dis
trcts radlate activities which include prenatal nruc-
ton to the mothers the proper Of mother and child
at the chids birth; the proper and feeding OF the
child up to and through rs nfth year.
At the Child Health Ceniers in Wilmington during the
past year. more than 1900 children have been in attend
ance and the nurses made 275s visits to the homes
Of these children 1000 quarts Of the best milk that
could be obtained for babies are sold per month
The Child Welfare work started in 1918 financed
partly by private funds but chiefly by the state Defense
Council. Z,
Since May, 1912 It has been financed by the Recon
struction Commission under State auspices
II costs about 5000 per year TO conduct one Health
Center The ten centers operation throughout the
state if properly conducted would cost $4,000 per year.
The State appropriation is $4,000. In order to con-
tnue the work between and the next session Of the
legislature 5000 additional is needed This includes
5000 for a dental clinic in Wilmington.
The money will be spent through the Reconstruction
Commission on a voucher system properly audited. A
financial statement detailed budget will be sent re-
quest Those who desire 20 assist in the work should
send checks to the woman's Committee for Child Well
fare Church Building Tenth and Market streets VII
mington, Delaware.
i. is a fundamental cause wen worthy Of public
countenance and support