The Connecticut labor news., 1921-09-02
CHILD WELFARE IS MADE SUCCESS BY
 BELGIAN PEOPLE
Devastated Country Tackles. Problem and Overcomes Ravages of
 War.

Through the second International Conference on the Protection Oi Childhood, held al Brussels, the at tention of the world has been called to the program Belgium Is working out for the conservation of child hood Of timely interest is an article by Dr. Rene Sand of the University of Brussels, recently received by the U. $. Department of Labor through the children's bureau. How lntclll- gence, determination, and united ef- fort triumph over conquest, war, and famine is wildly portrayed in this discussion of industrial MediIll Re construction in Belgium" which ap- peared in diving Medicine"
 Even during the years of Occupa- ton, when the government had left the Belgian soil and the only central co-ordinating agency was the Volun- tary "Comite National" public health activities were started on hitherto unknown scale, and for the first two years there was an actual decline in infant mortality. Dr. Sand accounts for this in part by the cessation ot industrial work for women. The Children's Welfare League, which had begun to function to limited extent before the war, developed in the midst of the most difficult circumstances 1ln- til even the smallest village was reached.
 In spite of these efforts, the aver age child was, at the time of the armistice, one full year backward in normal development; the weight of the average Brussels school boy was three pounds below normal, and of the average school girl, seven pounds.
 The first step in the medical re construction of industry was the es- tablishment of an independent labor medical service, which includes in its functions the protection of eXpeCtant and nursing women and the care ot the health of working children. The service immediately formulated a con structive program which enlisted the cooperation of all agencies concern ed in the promotion of public health, including the health of working moth CTS and their children.
 In the United States, IS states pro vide for the physical examination of every child entering industry, but no state has provided for examinations of working children at. regular inter vals Belgium has adopted the ad- Vanced program of a medical exam ination for every juvenile not later than a month after he has entered an industrial occupation, to be repeated once a year until the child reaches I8 and oftener in case of disease
 Belgium has realized that health protection in the community must go hand in hand with health protection in industry, and Dr. Sand emphasizes the following points: General public health work; child welfare; housing the restriction of alcohol consump- ton; and education and recreation both for adults and children
 A national children's board has been established, which is maintained by public and private funds, and which supervises and supports child welfare organizations meeting certain conditions. The child welfare pro- gram includes the periodical free ex- animation of children under three years of age brought by their moth CTS for examination; the establish ment of free medical dispensaries for expectant mothers; the diffusion oi knowledge relating to infant health and maternal nursing; and the super vision of boarded-out children under seven years of age. The cost of child welfare work will be borne one-half by the state, one-fourth by the pro- vince, and onefourth by the munich pality. Provincial and municipal boards are appointed by the national board, and advisory committee are provided for