The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1943-08-09
WAR HARDEST
ON CHILDREN,
SAYS DOCTOR
CLAIMED THAT CHILDREN
OF WORLD HAVE BEEN
ABANDONED SINCE WAR
STARTED
BY ADELAIDE KERR


to Rican specialist in child nv.
giene, says that the worlds chill.
dren have been abandoned
because of the war" AS a result
she believes they will be our
biggest postwar problem.
Doctora Pinero. who is a moth.
er herself. is the first director OF
Puerto Rican School Hygiene
She is spending several months
in New York. visiting child elm
les and health centers in search
of ideas adaptable to Puerto
Rico.
We have a big problem in
Puerto Rico" said Doctora Pi-
nero as we chatted in her
brother-in-law's uptown apart
ment. 1T lies in the physical
condition of our children and
is caused by diet. People are
poor and they are not nutri-
tious conscious. Lots of chill
dren live on rice and bananas.
As a result they are anemic and
underweight. Our problem is
10 educate the parents.
But it's a small problem
compared 10 the one which the
world faces in the postwar Pc
riod. The biggest problem
then will be the children them
selves. They have been aban-
doned because of the war-and
we are going 10 reap the re-
suits"
Doctora Pinero leaned forward
earnestly.
Everybody knows of the
undernourished little bodies and
the stunted growth of the chill
dren in Nazi-occupied coun-
tries. But too few people
realize how much our own
children are suffering as a
result of the war. Women by
the thousands are working
outside and leaving their
homes and children alone.
Even those who are ade-
quatelY cared for in nurseries
or elsewhere miss the warmth
of a mothers care and COM
ranionship. They are lonesome
and reach out for anything
they can find 10 make up for
the loss. Five-Year-olds get
permanent waves and twelve
and contemporaries seek
movies. dances and other adult
pleasures. Mother is not at
home enough 10 discipline them
and teach them self control.
They become emoionallY un-
stable. Yet they are the next
generation that must run the
world. How can that instabil-
itY maintain peace?
1T is indeed q serious prob
lem The women are needed
outside now. But only a small
percentage of mothers seem
able to handle adequately both
jobs and homes"
DOctora Pinero said that she
saw no solution as long as the
Nar lasts. But her serious medi-
.ative look indicated that she
vas giving the matter consider
lble thought. Ordinarily DOctora
pinerO does not wear a serious
ook. Her dark Latin eyes snap.
ner diamond earrings twinkle.
1er smile flashes frequently as
;he talks in fluent English flaw
pred with a slight accent
Doctora Pinero was born in
Puerto Rico and SchOOled in the
United tSateS. where her father
.ame to educate his children
She received her MD. degree
from the College of Physicians
and Surgeons in Boston in 1913
and returned to Puerto Rico TO
use it. Her first outstanding
work was as contract surgeon
assigned to the u s base hos
DitaI at San Juan in the first
World War. She was married in
1919 To CeleStino Lopez. pharm-
acist. who accompanied her on
this trip. In the last 20 wears
she has conducted private
practice and has served as super
intendent of the Puerto Rican
Hospital. She came
IN ber DreScnt lob in August