Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-03-08
INFANT MORTALITY SHOWS
ENCOURAGING REDUCTION
IS Richmond in 1910 Than
i'm 1918.
RuRAL REGIONS FARE BETTER
City Death Rate Last Year Was 50
In Each 1,O00-lIenrico County
u Tops State of Virginia in the
Rate.

Reduction OF infant mortality In
Richmond BY 80 per cent over the
years 1917 and 1915, were reported
yesterday by DR.. w. \. Picker. State
Registrar, who has just completed a
compilation of figures covering the
entire State of Virginia. The city
death rate among infants in 1919 was
SO in each 1000, while in rural dis
tricts the death rate WAS only 80 IL
IN each Loco
Comparing this rate 10 the rate
which prevailed during tho normal
year of 1917 OF Isl Loco, and the
ratio during 1918. m abnormal year,
of ia. including deaths due to the in
tiuenza, the great reduction can better
he appreciated. These figures are taken
from the list of deaths of infants dur
ing the first year of life. For, some
unknown reason. the infant death rate
in 1913 for Heniico County reached Il
totai Of "a per l,eOo:
The. State rate for the past year was
in all probability much lower than
the rate for tho country at large.
Safer Thnn Warfare.
Richmond soldiers who went to bat
tic were far safer than our soldiers of
the future. the babies born during the
war. declared DIR. pIccker. The in
fants. he figured, were in thirteen
If the estimate l have OF seventy
deaths Of Richmond ,nen. in battle, gu,
rect" said DR.. Ptecker. the rate was
1927 soldiers dying in battle. while
the total deaths here from all causes
was "a 10 the 1000 during the war pc
Rod. while the infant morality reach
ed the high total of 1877 in 1917 and LA
II 1918 in 1000"
pr. Picker. speaking Of local con-
-t'Uf the Sic infant deaths in Rich
mond during; 1917 At least 4S6 were due
isz from consenIsaI detects, " ''V-"00
1T may be harsh in the present
stage of health education to charge
suit OF their neglect Much of the re-
sponeibi!ity will have TO be borne by
the ,city and state.
The time must come, however, when
health Will be consid cred an essential
study IL the school course, and when
eyeiy head OF a family has been train
ed into his, and particularly her. duty.
Even now community and State
is rated as to civilization. by the in
fant death. rate.
New Zealand with an infant death
rate under 80, leads the world, and
sets standard for Virginia to aim
I'm the countries OF South America.
where public schools. do not exist and
who're education is far below that OF
our own, the infant death rate runs
UP to ESQ per 1000, as In Chilli. Russia
same. In some localities in hcathcn or
Mohammedan countries. the rate is as
h.sh as 800
Hottie Babies Have Poor Chance.
Infants raised on the bottle have
less chance than those nursed by their
Along this limo he said
The infant raised on tho bottle.
even by the most approved method.
VIII! clean fresh COWS milk properly
diluted might be compared as TO dan
ger, to the soldier who comes out OF
his bomb-proof and is fighting from
the trenches; while the mother who is
f mis,sd into the USE ;,,S Of natent baby
danger OF the same soldier, when
charging the enemy entertainments.
..other misguided mothers think
whooping cough and measles ana be
ever with it,
These diseases in tho order given.
are next TO diarrhca, the most dan
-7~"Half OF al deaths from whooping-
cough occur during the first Year OF
lie. and half Of tho measles deaths
within the trst two years.
ihe lesson which vita statistics
their infants from infectious diseases
during the first live years OF life. as
they would from sin.
hat Is not ali for even IL the child
ap la recay.fs, BE may. be weak.
heart. Kidneys and ears being usually
due TO one or the other OF them.
I'VE cannot praise two highly tho
which reduced me 1917 infant death,
gate OF l37 TO So In 1919
The new health officer ha g the spir-
y or the Work, ana realizes that the
saving OF infant life IS perhaps his
n