Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-05
MANY BABY DEATHS|
LAID TO IGNORANCE
Better-Informed Mothers Are
Needed, Say Experts.
Analysis of Causes.


appear tom OrrolE.
Wholesale ignorance of baby care
and attention. both before and after
birth has contributed in large de-
gree to the high and deplorable infant
mortality rate credited to the National
Capital.
A large number of the sol infants
who died in Washington during 1870
Ghe latest statistical period before
they reached their first birthday an
niversary, would be living today nut
for the lack of knowledge displayed by
mothers and other persons having
supervision over the newborn child In
the home.
Meticulous attention, to which
every infant is entitled, would have
warded off, for example, a great many
of the 1872 deaths attributed to VARIOUS
forms of bronchitis, pneumonia and
other diseases OF the respiratory
system. child health authorities main
tain.
Causes Are Well Known.
There is nothing mysterious or BAT
fling about what caused the 8Ol
deaths out of the 9,173 babies born
during that period. The actual patho-
logical cause Of each case is a matter
of public record in the office of DR..
William G. Fowler, District health
officer. The babies died from a GER
tain group of causes, here as in other
cities, and because these are so well
known now persons interested In re-
ducing the infant mortality rate for
the District are confident of success
once the machinery is available, ma
chinery which Is found in other cities
of larger population and lower infant
~; mt
Records of the Children's Bureau.
Department Of Labor, show that the
group denominated "early infancy"
accounts for more deaths than any
other classification in the interna-
tional list of causes of infants deaths,
as published by the Department of
Commerce. In the District, in 1928,
the number of deaths under this
classification was 347. The next high
est toll was taken by diseases or the
digestive system" and amounted to
149. Third place was occupied by the
1872 diseases of the respiratory sys-
tenn: fourth by epidemic. endemic and
infectious diseases, to the number or
so. and fifth, by malformations, num-
bering 40.
Progress Is Reported.
It is admitted by experts that the
"early infancy" cause will be the hard
est to conquer. Nevertheless, 1t is
not an impossible task, and the med
zeal world reports progress from
many quarters.
According 10 records for 1925 in DR..
Fowler's office, the leading patholog-
ical causes of death under the early
infancy" classification were: Prema-
turity, white, 1873; colored, 81; total,
;oI O white
IS: colored, |; total, 10; atelectasls or
pulmonary collapse, white, Is; colored,
6: total, 81; hemorrhage of newborn,
white, 5; colored, Z; total, II; rnaras-
mus. or progressive emaclatlon,
white, Z; colored, s; total, IL.
Diseases of the digestive system'
Diarrhea and enteritis or infiamma-
ton of the intestines-White, 6S;
colored, "a; total. 142.
Diseases Of the respiratory sys-
tenn; Broncho pneumonia - White,
80; colored, 60: total, 80. Lobar
pneumonia--White. 5; colored. 8; to-
tai. 10. Catarrhal pneumonia
White. o; colored, 10.
Epidemic, endemic and infectious
diseases: Whooping cough--Wnlte'
3: colored. II; totals, IA. Diphtheria-
White, 2; colored, |; total, .. Innu-
| White. Q: colored, /: total 3. Infiu-
| enza and grip-White. 3: colored,
| o. influential meningitis-Whtte, 2;
| colored. 0. tuberculosis of the
respiratory system, pulmonary tuber-
! c,1losis-White, /; colored, a; TOTAL o.
| Tuberculosis of the meninges ana
| central nervous system; tuberculosis
meningities--White, 2; colored, o.;
total. I. Syphilis-White, 8; colored,
| 10; total. 13.
lformations-White, 80; colored.
! II: total, 40. Diseases OF the nerV.
Gus system and of organs OF speclai
sense-White, %; colored, Z; to-
tai, 29.
Same in Eight Cities.
The first five causes of infant
death I'm the District in 1925, in the
order of the lives they claimed, COM
pare identically with the same
causes in eight cities where detailed
SURVEYS were made by the Children 8
Rureau of the Department of LABOR.
In those eight cities. early infancy
accounted for 36.1 per cent OF the
deaths; gastric and intestinal
diseases. 32.4 per cent; respiratory
! diseases. 1916 per cent; epidemic and
other communicable diseases, IL per
cent. and malformations, 4.3 per cent
This survey, incidentally, covered the
. period from 1911 to 1916.
To q large extent the causes or
death from early infancy nave thelr
origin in the condition and care or
the mother before the child is born,
saws the Children's Bureau OF the
Labor Department. This is true
especially of deaths from injuries at
birth. many of which can be pre-
vented by skilled care" the bureau
explains. Mortality from premature
birth depends in very large part upon
the mothers condition, though, In
part, they depend upon whether the
births are single or plural. Inc
bureau states. however, that causes
peculiar to early infancy are almost
entirely natal and prenatal In origin.
Improper Feeding Found.
Deaths from gastric and intestinal
diseases. second in Importance, are
| due largely, in fact, to improper reed
| ing" says the bureau. NOT only
| the prevalence Of artificial feeding
! itself but also the prevalence OF care.
| lessness in using artificial 1000 ana
| of ignorance as to precautions neces-
sary in connection with 1t vary with
nationality traditions, with economic
status and with the employment OF
the mother" Climatic and weather
| conditions also are an important un-
deriving cause of mortality from gas
| trio and intestinal diseases, the bureau
notes, referring to the combined eight
city survey, which showed that three
| fourths OF all deaths from these
causes occurred in the period from
| July to October.
AS to respiratory diseases. the third
in standing, the bureau is satisfied IN
assigning the Influence of climatic
and weather conditions" during the
Winter and early Spring as leading
| cause.