The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1928-11-08
DIR. ]. H. MASON KNOX
REPORTS ON TRIP ABROAD
Represents A. r. C. and A. C
H. In International Congress
for Protection of Infancy

Bureau of Child Hygiene, in a recent
report to the State Board of Health,
in connection with a report of the
proceedings of the International Con-
gress for the Protection of Infancy,
held in Paris in July, which Dr. Knox
attended as representative of the
American Red Cross and the Ameri-
can Child Health Association.
Commenting on some of the out
standing developments in public
health in France, since the World
War, DR.. Knox said Zone of the most
noticeable changes was in the increase
in public health nurses. During the
war, this activity was almost I'M
known. Now, there are 1900 full
time public health nurses, the major
ity of whom have had training based
upon that given in our country.
Another noticeable advance was in the
increase in full-time health cervice.
Of the SO Departments in France, So
now have full-time health officers. The
government has also undertaken nu-
merous child health projects and has
made appropriations to many private
agencies, such as maternity homes,
day nurseries, vacation colonies and
preventoria, in latter for the benefit
of children threatened with tubercu-
losis.
There is a growing interest in open
air schools, for both under-weight and
for normal children and schools of this
sort are spreading rapidly throughout
Europe. Reports presented at the
Congress showed that children were in
better health, learned more rapidly
and lost fewer days from illness when
attending schools of this sort.
Going on to Holland, we visited the
child health stations provided by the
city, in Amsterdam. Each station is
conducted by physician, several nur-
ses, a midwife and a social worker.
Cases requiring treatment are refer
red either to the family physician, or,
If unable to pay, to the city health
department. Instruction in personal
hygiene and the prevention of disease
forms an important part of the plan
and this educational work is largely
responsible for the high standard of
health noticeable among the children.
''In Denmark we found that So
called breastfeeding stations have
been maintained in Copenhagen for
twenty years. They receive only the
infants who are wholly or in part
breast fed. These babies are brought
back at frequent intervals, are weigh
ed and examined and the mothers in
structed. Each mother is given an
allowance of milk daily for her own
use, as long as she complies with the
rules. Bottle fed babies are not re-
ceived.
"In 1925 comprehensive law, call
ed the Child Welfare Act, was passed
for the purpose of providing, on ma
tion-wide scale, for the needs of child
rem. Under this law, every parish in
Denmark constitutes a child welfare
district. There is a child welfare
council in each district which is re-
sponsible for the care of dependent
or abused children in that section,
many of whom are cared for in super
vised foster homes. A large proper
ton of Denmark's population belongs
to insurance societies with sick bene-
fits. These include care before, dur
ing and after childbirth.
Sweden is divided into about 1000
sanitary districts. In each of these
is children's committee on which the
local physician, minister, school teach
Fer and some selected citizen serve.
The local physician, usually a part
time health officer, is the acting head.
The child health of the community and
the supervision of dependent and
problem children are under the charge
of this committee.
Sweden has given special atten-
ton to the control of infectious dis
eases. The infectious disease hospital
in Stockholm is a model of it's kind.
I was told that everyone in Sweden
with an infectious disease was ex-
pected to go to hospital. The gov
eminent is partly supporting 1000
beds in the hospitals in the larger
cities and rural districts, practically
one bed for every thousand people.
Norway has a similar system of
sanitary districts with a sanitary
council presided over by a medical
officer, usually practitioner appoint
ed by the state. This officer has charge
of all public health activities, includ-
ing the control of epidemics, medical
assistance to those unable to pay for
it, care of the insane, etc. For care
in childbirth the country is divided
l..4x, I.