Evening star., 1951-09-04
DR.. Eliot Plans
Broad Program
In Child Aid
'Boby Black Market
Cited by New Head
Of ChiIdren's Bureau

A broad program attacking the
"black market in babies" the
problems that lead youngsters to
dope addiction and juvenile de-
linquency, and harsh treatment
of children in correctional insti-
tutions. was outlined today by
DR.. Martha M. Eliot, new head
of the Federal Security Agency's
Children's Bureau.
DR.. Eliot assumed Office today,
succeeding Katharine Lenroot.
who has retired after IT years
service in the job,
In her statement of aims DR..
Eliot also called for better ma
ternal and infant care to tackle
the problems of congenital de-
fects. epilepsy and problems of
children with defective sight and
hearing.
II hope we can wipe out the
black market in babies" she
said. I'VE know what good adop-
tion laws and practices are, and
we have demonstrated how eff
fectively they can protect the
rights Of the child, his natural
parents and his adaptive parens.
Let's get them operating and used
everywhere.
Emotional Condition and Drugs.
She said emotional problems of
children are responsible primarily
for drug addiction and delin-
Quency.
I'VE must get a great deal more
skilled help to children before
they get into trouble with So
ciety," she added. This means
building up our social and health
services for children in their own
homes and communities"
She said that many children
with emotional problems try to
find an outlet through the use
of drugs.
Concerning treatment of young
sters in correctional institutions,
DR.. Eliot declared:
Let us wipe out every trace
Of brutal. degrading and harsh
treatment of youngsters in our
training schools and substitute
Informed and intelligent ham
She urged taking vigorous
steps" to decrease the number of
prematurely born infants and to
save many who are prematurely
born. She termed this the biggest
problem remaining in infant care.
Mothers Health Needs.
I'VE must make sure" she said,
"that each mother not only comes
through the maternity period
alive, but with abounding health
for herself and her child"
She hinted that revival OF the
controversial emergency maternal
and infants care program for
wives and children of servicemen
might be necessary, but added
that more study would be needed
before it can be determined If
another EMIC is needed. EMIC
was a World War II program.
opposed principally by the medical
profession.
Getting more trained workers
for child care is essential, DR..
Eliot said. She also called for
studies to make sure Federal
funds are being used to the great
est efficiency, more experimental
work with child care and special
attention for special groups OF
children.
DR.. Eliot served in the Chill
dren's Bureau for Is years. TWO
years ago she was given a leave
of absence to go to Geneva, Swift
zerland, as assistant director gen.
eral of the World Health Organ
ization.
DR.. Eliot's whole adult life has
been devoted to improving con-
ditionS for children.
Born in Dorchester. Mass. edu-
Gated in a Back Bay school and
Radcliffe College, she learned
about unhappy, hungry and ill
children when she helped in the
social-Welfare activities OF her
father a Unitarian clergyman,
She decided to study medicine.
After a year as a medical social
worker at the Massachusetts, Gen
eral Hospital, she entered Johns
Hopkins School of Medicine, from
which she was graduated in 1918.
She established in New Haven,
Conn, serving on the New Haven
Hospital staff, teaching pediatrics
at Yale University School of Medi-
cine and conducting research into
ricketS.
She was appointed to the Chill
dren's Bureau in 1924 and for 10
years she commuted between New
Haven and Washington. In 1884
she came here as assistant chief
of the bureau and seven years
later was raised to associate di-
rector.
She was the first woman to be
president of the American Public
Health Association.