Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1924-06-28
CHILD HEALTH WORK
OF VITAL IMPORTANCE
Some Idea Of Activities In Health
Work Of Mothers And
Young Children

Some of the nationwide interest
in the health of the mothers and
young children, can be gotten from
reports that have been issued recent
ly by the Children's Bureau at Wash
ington.
In New Jersey $50 communities
have undertaken continuous pro-
gram which is directed by the Bureau
Of Child Hygiene Of the State Depart
ment of Health. It includes health
conferences for the babies and pre-
school children; parental care and
follow-up visits in the homes by the
public health nurses. By this work,
it is hoped that the health of both
mothers and babies will be greatly
improved, and the maternal and in
FAINT death rate will be greatly re-
duced.
Florida is planning to teach the
rural mothers, through "neighbor-
hood Institutes" which will be held in
the homes of the women who are in
terested. Porch conferences of this
sort have been held in a number of
the southern states with great sue
cess.
In New Mexico, a conference for
mothers brought together women of
six different Municipalities, all of whom
had a common interest in their desire
to be taught how to keep their babies
we'll.
Wisconsin reports the organiza-
ton of mother and baby health GEN.
ters in 16 counties. One of the moth
ers walked a distance of IL miles
to attend one of the clinics.
At the Health Conferences that
We're held at the county fairs and in
various parts of the State, last sum-
mer, by the Bureau of Child Hygiene,
of the State Department of Health,
IT'S children, ranging in age from
babies few weeks old, to their older
brothers and sisters of six and seven,
were given careful examination by
the doctors in charge. Only one out
of every three measured up to the
requirements. Two out of every
three, or over 500 of the children
showed defects that required treat
ment of some sort.
Undernourishment led the list of
unfavorable conditions, 1876 of the
children being underweight for height
and age, and by "undernourishment'
was meant not the lack Of food, but
badly chosen food, food that failed to
provide the elements that are needed
for growth. Teeth came next, 184
children having decayed teeth, or
teeth that needed attention in some
respect. Tonsils and adenoids came
next. In the case of 181 Of the chill
dren the tonsils were enlarged or 9TH
erwise in an unhealthy cond tion, and
81 of the children had adenoids and
were "mouth breathers". Out of the
total, ID had unfayprable heart con-
ditions, and accordingly needed spec
ial care.
Most of these children came from
the county districts and were accord
ingly supposed to have the benefit of
plenty of sunshine and fresh air, but
in spite of that fact, 49 of the babies
and younger children were suffering
from ricketts,, a diseased condition of
the bone which causes bow-legs and
ether deformities, and which is sup
posed to be more prevalent among
children who live in the crowded Sec
tions of the big cities, deprived of the
abundance of fresh air and sunlight
that is necessary for normal growth.
The best way to find out whether
your own children are making the
best possible progress physically is to
take them at regular intervals TO your
family doctor and to your family
dentist.