Evening star., 1934-08-21
GAINS REPORTED
IN CHILD HEALTH
Relief Funds Used to Over
come Lack of Proper
Nutrition.
nv the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
The break In the dikes guarding the
health of American children has been
partially closed, the Children's Bu-
reau reports.
A year ago the future of more than
5000. 900 young Americans was threat
ened by poor diet and lack of medical
care.
Now some of that vast army of
youth is edging back to more normal
health through plans almost as varied
as the 48 States.
The good news comes as the re-
suit of sample" surveys made by
various agencies and reviewed by DR..
Martha NJ Eliot of New Haven, Conn.
in families on relief and those on
extremely low wages. She worked in
cooperation with the Children's Bu-
reau and the Yale University School
OF Medicine.
Pennsylvania First.
Among the first of the States to
take energetic measures was Pennsyl-
vania, which set UP child health COM
rnittees in SO counties during the
past year They examine children,
provide necessary medical aid and in
sure well-balanced meals for the
undernourished. Analysis of their
first $4,000 case records showed an
average 81 per cent of the children
suffering from malnutrition.
Soon after Gov. Pinchot started
the Pennsylvania campaign, a ma
tional conference was called here to
start similar mobilization over the
country. At the meeting authorize
ton was given to use Federal relief
funds for school lunches.
Several States have thrown up ad-
ditional barriers against disease by
immunization drives.
One State concentrated on diph-
liberia by treating 100000 children;
another State reports 100000 of its
children were fed school lunches after
q thorough program of physical ex-
aminations. A third State reports
$4,000 children were fed at school
during several months of the year.
Directors Of Hygiene.
4, Two States have appointed direc-
tors for child hygiene; in another
: State, relief administrator is paying
O pediatrician to advise and direct
local committees; In II States the
Civil Works Administration employed
! trained public nurses to direct health
programs carried out by volunteers
from parent-teacher groups, women S
clubs, farm bureaus and others.
The motive behind these drives was
not so much the fear of a present
lowered vitality among children as
fear of the toll which inadequate diets
would take in the years to come.
In the last two years relief budgets
have started upward in an attempt
to battle the ogre of undermined
health.
For instance, 1874 urban areas in
January, 1892, reported an average
X relief payment of $17.66 a month.
The average jumped to 1887 in jan
ilary, 1888, and to $2232 in 1884.
One large city was paying an allow
ance Of $47.78 for March, 1884.
DR.. Eliot's report cited the wide
spread belief that health was improv-
ing under the depression since the
infant mortality and tuberculosis death
rates we're dropping. But she says
such rates are no adequate key to
child health.
Sample survey made in New York
In April, 1882, showed that in the
families of the unemployed there were
25e.9 sick children for every 1000
under 6 years of age. In 1880 there
were 91.2 sick children in every 1000
Studies of diets showed that when
the income dropped the families re-
duced their consumption Of such
health and strength giving foods as
milk. meat, eggs, vegetables and fruit