The Washington times., 1922-10-14
MORTALITY IN
|CH|LD-bEAR|NG
ISINCREAS|NC
Startling Revelation Made by
Hygiene Experts at
Convention.

convention.
That maternal mortality is increas.
ing, despite the attention given the
subject in recent years, was the most
startling revelation made at the con.
vention Of the American Child Hy-
giene Association, which ends its
thirteenth annual convention today.
Under the present system Of death
registration. DIR. w. J. Bell, Of To
ronto, Canada, told the convention to.
day, figures on the actual rate of ma.
ternal mortality are difficult to OBJ
tain even when available. due to the
fact that some physicians prefer to
report a death as due to almost any
cause rather than puerperal sepsis
or any other cause Of maternal NOR.
tality."
An entire week has been devoted
to a study of the child from in.
fancy to seven years old. The
hygiene association and its many
affiliated agencies has had its ex.
perts in Washington exchanging
ideas and perfecting plans for
more intensive study of the prob.
lem OF mothers and small children.
Forces Are Combined.
The combined forces Of the Ameri.
can Child Hygiene Association and
the Child Health Organization will
In the future function as one body.
Consolidation OF the two great or.
ganizations was effected at a meet.
ing last night.
"A real milestone in the history
OF the effort for protection of child
health" was the way DR.. Philip
Van Engen. Of New York, expressed
II. Headquarters will be main.
tained In Washington so Ihat the
work may be active.y co-ordinated
with and strengthened by contact
with n dozen agencies here that
take an interest I'm child welfare
| work.
While the problem Of the proper
| care OF the child during the pre-
school age has been the outstand-
| ing consideration OF the convention,
discussion has brought out that the
associations efforts in the ifnmedi-
ate future will be directed mostly
| to the mother.
Methods pursued for the past
| several years toward reducing ma.
ternal mortality, Dr. Bell told the
| association today. are,not sufficient.
In spite Of the extensive research
and intensive study Of the prob
lem there has been no progress. A
large percentage OF mortality among
mothers is preventable. he declared.
In the solution of the problem
Of maternal mortality, DR.. Bell said,
| snIn -
involved the medical profession
and the public. Il
Public Ignorant. ..
Tho public. he said. is grossly
ignorant Of the dangers incident to
parturition.
Many a person will converse
fairly intelligently on such subjects
as smallpox, anthrax, contaminated
water and typhoid fever" said DR..
Bell, land yet know nothing Of the
serious conditions Of maternal nor
tality. The attitude of the public
appears to be that this is a ply.
sical function which has been ex-
ercised for years, and that II is
usually attended without mishap."
While not attempting To critiCise
the obstetrical work Of the ply
sician. DIR. Bell said that bad oh
stetrical work is often the result
of an attempt on the part Of the
physician to direct, rather than
tc assist nature.
Health education through the ef'
forts OF the public health nurse
DR.. Bell said. would do more to
lower mat nal mortality than ANY
ether method.
Must Educate Laity.
Greater efforts must be made to.
ward the education of the laity, DR..
Arthur Morse, of Yale University
School Of Medicine, told the con-
vention.
A medical session Of the assOc!a.
ton Is being held this afternoon at
the headquarters Of the District OF
Columbia Medical Society, with DR..
Frank Leetch, OF Washington, pre-.
siding.
Technical papers will be read by
DR.. Borden 8. yeeden, of st. Louis
DR.. Edgar J. Hunekens, Of Min.
neapolis, DR.. William II. Park. OF
New York city, DR.. John Hart
Davis, OF Cleveland. and DIR. Clar-
ence ]. Grieves. OF Baltimore.
| The associations new board Of
directors. which will meet today at
/ luC ANcw d" dhu hot az
sume charge of the organizations
affairs, Is composed OF DR.. Allan
Brown. Toronto; DIR. Mary Dryden,
Richmond; DIR. Bailey b. Burritt,
New York: DR., Merrill r. Champion,
Boston: DIR. IT. J. Gerstenberger,
Cleveland: Clifford Gruies. Chicago;
Miss Mary Fardner, Providence; DR..
Arnold Gessell, New Haven: DIR. s. {.
Hamill, Philadelphia; DIR. J. ii. Mason
Knox, jr.. Baltimore: Horace Morri.
son, Boston; DIR. Lawrence T. Roy
ster. Norfolk; DIR. Anna e, Rude,
Washington; DIR. II. X. L. Shaw,
Albany; Miss Margaret Stack, Hart
ford: Corcoran Thorn. Washington:
DR.. Philip Van Engen, New York;
DIR. Joseph A. Wall, Washington,
and DR.. Charles e. Zeigler, Pitts
burgh.
The convention will close today
with a visit by delegates to several
local children's institutions.
IToHolD MEMORIAL SERVICE
For "A. q :. MACEARl AND