Evening star., 1931-05-01

The average Washington child has
the advantage of health benefits ap-
proXimating those set forth in the
''children's charter" of President
Hoover's Conference on Child Health
and Protection.
the object of special care of doting, in
telligent parents and of protective
measures designed for him by public
and private health agencies.
Prenatal influences are at work for
him before he sees the light of day.
Post-natal care is assured him during
those critical months BEFORE the first
candle appears on his birthday cake.
Clinical examinations and advice are
available to him in the interesting
years preceding his entrance into school.
Medical and dental services guide him
toward pathways of health throughout
his class room career.
Johnny Suffers Few Handicaps.
In short, Johnny j. Average of Wash
ington, D. c., suffers few handicaps
confronting children in many other
places, and on the other hand, he en-
Joys most of the health advantages
called for in Americas bill of rights"
for childhood.
This is the. consensus of health au
thorities particularly concerned with
welfare of children in the National
Capital. While there is room for i'm
provement along certain lines of health
activity in the District of Columbia, as
pointed out in the recent survey under
auspices of the Council of Social Agen-
cies, Health Officer William G. Fowler
believes that the child-health situation
here is well in hand"
Little Johnny Average has a better
,t,or. 4l1n 6ref fnyTy Nn
than he did a decade ago Infant NOR
falitv in Washington has decreased
from 91.3 deaths per 1000 live births In
1923 to 64.4 in 1928 and 68.6 in 1929,
according to the survey of the Council
of Social Agencies.
Death Rate Greatly Reduced.
In 1901 to 1905 an average of 1000
children out of a total annual average
of 5400 births died before reaching the
age of five wears: In 1928, of the 1894
children born in the District of Column
bia, approximately 800 failed to survive
the fourth year. These figures are an
eloquent expression of the value OF
health education and health admlnlS-
tration in busy city.
Johnny was born under the best OF
maternity conditions, which got him oH
to good start in the struggle. Tor
health. More than likely he was born
in an up-to-date hospital. with compe-
tent physicians and nurses IN attgno item
dance. Seventy-tWo percent CT i've
births in Washington during 1929 oc-
CURED in hospitals, and only IA per
cent were attended by midwives, sta
tiSticS show.
Johnny's mother may not have at
tended one of the three prenatal clln-
les conducted by the Health Depart
ment, but undoubtedly she felt this was
not necessary in view of her ability 10
secure advice from her family physl-
clan. There is need for at least one
more prenatal clinic, however, IN the
opinion of the American Public Health
Association, which surveyed conditions
here for the Council of Social Agencies
Hygiene Service Is Free.
If Johnny did not attend any Of the
IL child hygiene stations maintained by
the Health Department. it was not the
fault of DR.. Fowler. The stations are
we'll located about the city and offer
free facilities to all mothers of both
races who care to receive it.
years of age are examined, weighed,
and recorded, and their
mothers are given instruction as to
proper feeding, clothing and the like
DR.. Fowler explained today. There
are Is nurses who follow up each case
at the home"
These clinics administered to 3,174
infants in 1929. These babies made a
total of 29,453 visits to the hygiene
More than 400 other babies
paid 5,46O visits to another clinic
at Children's Hospital by
the Child Welfare Society.
Health jealousy Guarded.
When Johnny is ready for school,
ne is given a special pre-school exam
nation, and after he enrolls his health
IS guarded jealousy by a corps of mu-
nicipal physicians, dentists and nurses.
The school inspection work is in
charge of DR.. Joseph A. Murphy. He
has under him IA medical inspectors,
who visit the schools and keep close
tab on the health of Washington's
n 900 pupils. There are four dental
inspectors who carry portable chairs
from school to school and make periodic |
inspections of children's teeth. Dental
may be corrected at six
dental clinics manned by dozen dental
operators.
A staff of II school nurses is as
signed to follow-up work. The nurses |
visit the homes, if necessary. and en-
deavor to insure correction OF medical |
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