Evening star., 1937-05-02
YEARS PROGRAM
|. Of CHILD HEALTH
IS |NAUGURATED
Thousands of Children Will
Be Enlisted in Dental Corps
Swing This Week.
EFFORT WILL BE MADE
TO ENROLL MOTHERS
Parent Teacher Congress Will
Sponsor Summer Roundup" of
Pre-school Age Children.

Child health day formalities. OBJ
served yesterday, signalized the begin
ming Of a full year of intensified pro-
grams aimed at the improvement Of
the health Of children, under plans
announced by District officials and
cooperating private groups.
Beginning this week thousands CT
children will be enlisted in the CAM
paign as the dental corps swings into
action to find what is wrong with their
teeth. There will be puppet shows,
motion pictures and the award of but
tons and certificates, all directed TO
making children and their parents
health conscious.
Also, more mothers in the future
will be enrolled in the health CAM
paign, under the programs being
planned by DR.. Ella Oppenheimer,
chairman of the General Committee
on Child Health Day, and director Of
the Maternal and Child Welfare Divi-
sion of the District Health Depart
ment.
DR.. Oppenheimer, who has charge
Of the operation of the II child health
stations of the Health Department,
hopes to bring larger number Of
mothers into these clinics during this
year for prenatal care and for aid in
the child health program.
Press Immunization Program.
Back Of these activities is the con-
Timing of hn Health
partment for expansion of the CAM
paign for immunization of all chill
dren against diphtheria and to pro.
tect children and adults against tuber.
culosis and other diseases.
In these programs the District
agencies are receiving the co-opera-
ton of the medical and dental so.
cletles, the parent-teacher associa-
tions, the public school system, the
Public Library, Child Welfare Society,
the Instructive Visiting Nurse So
ciety. the Council of Social Agencies,
Community Chest, Y w C. A. and
many other groups.
The vital statistics of the District
show the need for more attention to
the problems of child health" said
DR.. Oppenheimer These records
show that during the past year 70 out
of each 1000 newborn infants in
the District died before reaching their
first birthday"
This infant mortality is consider
ably higher than the national aver.
age
DR.. George c. Rutland, health Off
Ger, was quick to support the belief
the infant mortality rate of the Dis
trict could be lowered by public edu-
cation, cooperation of parents and
expansion of medical facilities for
families who cannot engage all the
private care desirab
Seek to Cut Mortality.
TO large extent, infant mortality
is preventable," he said. Il believe
that We can surely cut this rate Of
70 per 1000 live births by half. But
there must be enlightenment for par
ents and services for those who cannot
provide for themselves.
The prospective mother should be
under medical attention throughout
pregnancy and then the child, of
course, should have care under med
ical advice. If We are to improve
health conditions we must direct
attention to the prenatal, infant and
pre-school child health programs as
we'll as continuing the attack on COM
of Parent-Teacher Associations. Each
Among the features in the revived
child health program will be the
Summer roundup" sponsored by
the District Congress of Parent-
Teacher Associations This roundup
is expected to result in the examina- =
ton of some 1900 children of pre-
school age. The purpose is to make
possible correction of physical de-
fects before the children are entered
in school.
A Good Teeth Club" demonstra.
ton will be started tomorrow morn.
ing at the Ludlow School, in the
presence of Mrs. Henry Grafton Doyle,
president of the Board of Education:
DR.. Rutland, Assistant Health Officer
Daniel L. Seckinger and DR.. A. H.
OstroW, the dental supervisor for tie
Health Department. 1t will be the
start of dental demonstration to be
effective among all pupils of the sixth
division of the school system. Under
this program dental hygienists are
expected to examine 6,40l children,
enrolled in 81 different schools.
PIT. A. to Provide Funds.
This demonstration is to be financed
with funds supplied by the Congress
Truesdell and John Eaton Schools,
child will be given button adorned
with a molar tooth dressed as a
soldier" and carrying a toothbrush
instead of a rifle Defects will be
noted by the hygienists. Parents will
lSee CHILD HEALTH. Page BID