Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1923-05-11
l.. :. Department of Labor
CuILDREN'S BUREAU
Washington.

made Dy the Oiiiiui Sri . ~
rpau of the u. S. Depart
metn of Labor, infant NOR
tality in Gary, Ind, was
found to have a close rela-
ton with economic and civic
factors such as low income,
Door housing and sanitation,
and lack of public welfare
activity. This survey forms
the ninth and latest in a
series of field inquiries COW
ering various types of COM
munities. According to the
report just issued, Gary was
chosen for study as repre-
senting a city in which the
basic industry was steel
manufacturing and which
had a large and diverse for
eign-born population. The
study of infant mortality
under these conditions was
considered to possess addi-
tional interest on account
of Garv's newness and rapid
growth.
Building was little regulated by
city ordinance or State law during
the early period of growth, the re-
port says. While the development OF
housing by a subsidiary land COM
pany of the steel corporation has
resulted for the most part in we'll
built and attractive residence areas,
the demand for accommodations has
consistently exceeded the supply of
desirable quarters, many temporary
makeShft structures have continued
in use and the condemnation and
Abandonment of unfit dwellings has
been retarded" The company early
adopted the policy of renting its
houses only to Americanized work.
men, leaving the foreign-borp labor
5er to house himself and his family
as best he could" The result has
been to concentrate the foreign-born
population in certain sections of the
city having poorer housing, less de-
yelopment and extension of sewers
and water mains and other measures
Of municipal sanitation, and conse-
Quenty mucn higher infant death
rate than the sections developed by
the land company. The rate in the
former district was 141.2 per 1000
births; in the latter, 90.6.
An increase of infant mortality
with a fall in the earnings of the
iaihefs nr chief bleadwimhers was
again demonstrated, as in the preced-
ing studlea. For the year of the
Gary study, when the chief bread
winners earnings amounted to at
least 81 $3.50 the infant death rate was
sA; when the earnings were between
sLooO and Sl,850 the rate increased
70 IzI.l, and when the earnings fell
oeiow Sl,O5O the rate rose to 1878.
More than a fourth Of the babies of
naive whste mothers but less than
one IN twelve of those having for
agn-bdrn mothers were in families
whose chief breadwinncr earned
sLeo0 or more.
Al the time of the study certain
uStfietS Of the city embodied many
the conditions of pioneer life, the
report states. Squatter's rights on
.ahd might be purchased for a yearly
ice of one or two dollars and a shack
p9t up, pieced together with scraps
boards and tin cans. Not only
Mese buildings but many regularly
eoHsIucted houses were without city
Sa'ef OF sewer connection. More
wan one houes on lot, crowded
.y0'ils' a. 4 other housing evils exist
~ because neither state nor city
equations applied to one-family
dwellings,. The city health officer
"Ss lhadequately salaried and served
tSay on part time. One food and milk
Inspector and one nurse giving edu-
Sauonai service to mothers were em-
SO!eu % oy the city, but additional in
.pIe'oIs an dnurses would have filled
aLge need, the report indicates.
SSooIpaIauvely little infant-welfare
eies. 'One os piiNase akeii-
,nsn,e einee the findings of the study are
SSUusAed with a view to showing the
fs.nseq9ences which may be expected
r nv gIslnllar conditions in any COM
,DaLaly maLly where they exist, the report
j. iI'4kss T no statement as to conditions
Il vary during the present year.
N. ueSlales, however, that ''by carry
s 80 Lor~ard and extending work al
iSfay iefsuy commenced in Gary, through
ics ,Seiate stations, prenatal elm
So s' na ana pubiie-health nurses, it should
any, possible within few years to re-
ysSs v 'Ae infant mortality rate to a
s,rs. ,ss 'oS ngure." In the year of the
5isS! 5isI! me city's infant death rate was
sn.I Sg' or all except one of the prin-
49,. 49,, causes Of death the rate ex-
tSs tSIq T me corresponding figure for
arsa 0ui'eu states birth registration
prsr...q al.q much Of this mortality was
sTS5,oeRI'ao.e, the report concludes
gss'.il Se newest toll was taken by the
has ana intestinal diseases. and it
Hst Seen .t repeatedly demonstrated
can IL ,ne mortality from these causes
eor,a Iargely reduced by the en-
proyssihent of breast feeding, inn
ent Of the milk supply, i'm