The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1923-10-23
MANY DEFECTIVE
CHILDREN FOUND
Government Bureau Reports on
Study of 6,O15 of Pre- School
Age at Gary, Ind.

Washington.-Larg percentages OF
undernourishment and physical de-
fects were found In a group of 6,01c
young children Of Gary, Ind, studied
by the United States Department Of
Labor through the children's bureau.
The Gary study Is the first investiga-
ton by the bureau Of the neglected
age Of ildhood"-between babyhood
and school.
Two reports have been written on
the results OF this study. The first,
called Physical Status Of Pre-School
Children" was issued last year. The
second, called Children Of Pre-School
Age in Gary, Ind and dealing with
general child welfare conditions, espe-
cially nutrition, is now in press.
Results of the second study show
the poverty of diet among nearly all
the children.
Diets Of Children Classified.
The diets of 6O15 children, all from
two to seven years, were classified into
five groups, A, B, @, D and e, accord
ing to their adequacy and suitability
for children Of these years. OF the
"A" diet the report says:
1.-The "A diet is not one difficult of
attainment. 1t is merely any diet
capable of meeting the body's needs
and administered with some consider
alton for the child's age and develop
ment. Moreover, such q diet need not
be an expensive one-milk, whole
lot n
ing sufficient to allow diet to qualify
in this group-and it is the easiest
possible kind of diet to prepare. This
being the case it might be expected
that the large majority Of the children
would fall into the "A diet group.
These facts Notwithstanding, only
% of the 6.015 children-less than half
Of per cent of the total number
were thus fortunate Furthermore,
the number classed as having b diets
(probably adequate in food require
ments though unsuitable in character
and including but q pint Of MILK was
likewise small, amounting to 8.5 per
cent Of the whole group. Less than 10
per cent of the children studied. In
other words, were receiving diets
which appeared adequate to their
needs. Almost three times this num-
Der (29.2 per cent? had diets Co
whose adequacy was highly question
able; and nearly two-thirds OF the en-
ire group (60.5 per cent? were found
to have diets plainly incapable Of COW
aring all their bodily requirements,
1874 per cent being in the D group and
IL per cent 6 times the percentage Of
A's) in the extremely inadequate X
group" 4ar,e.
Foods Analysed In Detail.
The report analyses in detail the use
# certain staple foods among the chill
lren. for, instance: r
Only. 1879 per cent of; all the Chill,
irens were getting a pint of milk a
lay and SIP per cent had no milk at
i'll to drink. Two-thirds .af the entire |
,roup were found to drink coffee |
'abii naliy and 40 per cent to have 1t
more than once a day.
MIX Is not the only desirable food
Which was little used" the report
tates, "slnce vegetables. fruise, cereals
nd eggs were likewise conspicuously !
acking. ASKS
"The extreme poverty of the diets
) further shown by the fact that near
Y half (45.5 per cent? of them lacked
S many as four of the foods usually
lcluded in child's diet"
Slightly over half of the children
-udied were given physical examina-
ons; 64.7 per cent were found to
ave decayed teeth, and 149 per cent
nd bone defects which are the result
t deficiency diet. Only 4.8 per cent
ad no defects at all. Over q third had
ore than five distinct physical de-
,cts. Children with adequate diets
,lassed as A and b. made a better
rowing than the rest of the group.
yer four times as high q percentage
these children We're free from de-
cts as of the children receiving de-
,ient diets (classed as d and E).
The report also analyses other con- :
tons affecting children of this age, I
Guiding community conditions, child
re and hygiene, and dental care.