Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1922-09-15
FEDERAL cHiLDREN's BUREAU
Is WORKING HARr TO END
pEPLoRA5LE CONDITION.
FINDS CARE SOLVES PROBLEM
Physicians and Nurses Are Employed
TO Travel Over the Country and
Give to Parents the instructions
and Service They Need.
BY JAMES P. HoRNADAY


the United States from 100000 to 250,-
600 babies die In the first year of their
lives and about $4,000 mothers die
In bringing children into the world !!
There are nine countries where new
born babe has a better chance of
growing to healthy childhood than In
America, and there are seventeen 9th
er lands where 1t is safer for woman
20 become mother
With keen appreciation of this
situation the Department of Labor,
through its children's bureau, has
taken up the difficult task of saving
the lives of thousands of babies and
mothers who die unnecessarily In this
country.
The nation this year has invested
S1,240,000 in the enterprise, $4,000 OF
which will be used by the Department
of Labor for It's administrative work,
and the balance will be allotted
among the states. All of this money
goes directly for service and instruc-
tions to mothers and babies. The
various states designate the state
agency which will handle the funds
and do the work. These agencies sub
NIT their plans for maternity and in
fancy aid to the federal board of
maternity and infancy hygiene, COM
posed Of the chief of the chlldren's
bureau, the surgeon general of the
United States public health service
and the United States commissioner
of education.
Care Is Solution Of Problem.
The children's bureau has made ex-
tensive studies of mortality among in
fants and mothers. In various
cities, women associated with the bu-
reau have taken up the problem of
infant mortality in human way,
avoiding the cold statistical method
and tracing infant, social, civic and
economic conditions. These women
have req ehed the conclusion that If
all children ire well born and well
cared for the deaths among Infants
would be negligible.
+ The solution of this problem of
saving mothers and babies, the in
vestigators of the children's bureau
have found, is care. Proper living
conditions and proper medical and
nursing attention for the mother, both
before and after the child Is born and
proper nursing for the child In Its
infancy are the primary objects Of
the compaign to save mothers and
babies.
The mothers and fathers of the
country, the experience of the ex-
perts of the children's bureau shows.
are eager for help. In Western
state where the bureau held an In
FAINT welfare conference, mothers and
fathers drove great distances and
camped out over night In order that
they might be sure their babies would
receive attention. In two counties of
this state, where an intensive study
was made, two thirds of the mothers
were without medical care when they
brought their children into the world.
Three were entirely alone, and forty
six had only their husbands with them
when their babies were born.
Child Welfare Special.
The children's bureau has found
one effective means of carrying the
gospel Of child health to the mothers
and fathers in the remote districts
where medical care is often uncer-
tain or delayed. The bureau has
equipped an automobile truck as a
"child welfare special" 1t is COM
! plete In every detail for the work of
demonstrating how child welfare
center should be conducted, and 1t
makes clear to local authorities and
organizations the good that can be
accomplished in the saving of mothers
and babies. In cooperation with
state officials the baby van workers
20 into the back country and hold
conferences for mothers and babies.
Its staff consists of woman physi-
clan, public health nurse, clerk
and a chauffeur.
The application of modern business
principles to welfare agencies, and
fhe increased returns on the funds
contributed effected thereby, are de-
gcribed In a report just made public
by the children's bureau.
The immediate results of the reor-
ganization of the first agency studies,
which affected both the nursing staff
md the Office force were: G) A
marked increase In the nurses time
available for field work. due to elm
nation of duplicate clerical work, on
their part. and to increased Office
clerical assistance, (2) an increase of
office output, due to redistribution of
duties and orderly rerouting of clerica.
work, (3) increased accuracy in han
ding records and Office detail. az
elimination OF lost motion, with its
waste of time, energy, and space, ac-
complIshed by standardizing routing
duties and rearranging the office
equipment. In addition to these i'm
mediate results the new sy uem laid
the foundation for orderly develop
ment and future economical admins