Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-19
CHILD HEALTH UNIT
IN FINAL MEETING
Medical Service Section Ex-
perts Are Greeted by Wilbur
and Hear Reports.

The medical service section of the
White House Conference on Child
Health and Protection began its f1nal
meetings at the willard Hotel this
morning.
This section, which includes several
hundred prominent physicians from all
parts of the country, was unable TO
complete its report for presentation at
the general sessions in October. 1t con-
sists of three conmittees-on growth
and development, prenatal and mater
nal care and medical care for children.
The physicians were welcomed by
DR.. Ray Lyman Wilbur, Secretary OF
the Interior.
A committee of IS, headed by DR..
Hugo EhrenfeSt of the Washington
University Medical School, st. Louis,
reported on the causes Of early tnfantal,
prenatal and maternal mortality. The
problem Of criminal abortion. DIR. En-
renfest reported, '1s one Of far-reaching
Importance in all the civilized world"
Lack Of Care Cited.
Important gaps in maternal and
early infant care, said DR.. John Osborn
Polak of New York, are the fact that
no nationwide obstetric program has
been carried out in the United States
similar to those in effect In several
European countries and that, except
in large cities, there Is little effort TO
furnish consecutive medical service be-
fore. during and after birth.
The committee, he said, has found q
verv definite relationship between the
maternal mortality rates and the gen
eral type of obstetric practice in the
locality and recommended expansion OF
the obstetric departments of medical
schools and more actual clinical ex-
perience before the physician Is allowed
to practice. ., =
Dental care the committee found, Is
the most generally neglected feature IN
Safeguarding the expectant mother and
the unborn child More cooperation
between the medical and dental profess
SionS too was urged.
The Subcommittee on Orthopaedics
and Body Mechanics, headed by Dr.
Robert B. Osgood of Harvard University
declared that "caliSthenicS has only the
most indirect effect on body mechanics
and therefore falls far short OF an
effective corrective of postural defects.
There is a common association between
bad posture in children and had heaItn,
the committee maintained.
Psychological Care Noted.
The family doctor should familiarize
himself with the technique and in
formation developed by psychiatriSts
and psychologists in dealing with the
personality dificulties of children, Dr..
bronson Crothers Of Harvard Uni
versity reported for the subcommittee
on psychology and psychiatry.
There is an undersupply OF good
nurses for child cases, Stella Goostray
of Boston reported for the subcom-
mittee on nursing. The committee
urged that schools Of nursing should be
treated as any other professional
schools and be supported by private or
public funds and not out Of hospital
revenues.
Statistical data reveal a distinct low
ering of infant death rates, reported
DR.. Robert D. Mussey Of the University
of Minnesota for the subcommittee on
interested organizations. I'm 1915" he
said, "out Of every 1000 babies born in
this country 100 died before their first
birthday; in 1925 only 10 died under
/ year"