| Show SLAUGHTER Of THE INNOCENTS Alarming Mortality Among the Babies Throughout the Civi Civilized Civilized Civilized World Apropos of the appalling mortality among the babies not only in our own land but lint throughout the world no single factor can be pointed out as II the tha primary cause cau e of this blot on our mod modera modern modera era ern civilization The problem and the possibility of He its prevention are to be eon con at a special conference arranged by the American Academy of Medicine to be held at New ew Haven Conn Coan Nov U it and 12 1 What are regarded as a contributory contributory tory causes can be gathered from some ot et the subjects mentioned In the an announcement announcement for meeting Four avenues for the introduction of preventive measures measUres meas measures ures are indicated by the titles of the sessions medical philanthropic and educational Practically all aU causes cau es suggested under these headings are summarized in the four mentioned in inthe Inthe inthe the section on medical prevention con congenital genital debility unsuitable nourishment Improper care and communicable or in infectious infectious infectious diseases When hen it is recalled that the men who are in the thick of the fight against the heedless and unnecessary unnecessary unnecessary sary waste wa te of baby bab life me assert that the present Infant death d ath rate could be cut In half by the enactment and rigid enforce enforcement I ment of laws requiring the adequate In Inspection Inspection of the sources of the milk sup supply supply supply ply coupled with the sanitary inspection of tenements the accurate registration of ot births and the instruction of the mothers by visiting nurses or other properly ac ed representatives representative of the tho local I boards of health it is readily seen that two very ery grave sources of ot danger are to tobe tobe tobe be found in the quality of the nourish nourishment ment meat fed to babies and the conditions of ot the homes bome themselves Serious as tho the thoI I problem of a pure milk mUk supply is ill it is much leas Jeas difficult of solution s than the themore themore themore more complicated one of housing condi conditions conditions lions Urban Population One hundred years ago 3 13 per er cent of the population of the United States Slates lived I I in the clUes cities Today 33 3 13 11 per cent of our ourI I people are crowded into the elites cities Overcrowding the congestion of or I population In slum districts district the herding together of the great unassimilated mass massof massot massI I of ot Immigrants in Inadequate and unsanitary lIar quarters the selfishness of property I owners the apathy of municipal govern governments meats ments In ih 11 dealing with situations require drastic measures all contribute tn t make this one of the most moet complex as aswell aswell aswell well as one of ot the most dishearten dl disheartening ing factors In hi the big problem of the prevention prevention j tion of infant mortality The appoint appointment i ment of tenement house commissions are i preliminary steps only and steps stepa are of or no consequence con whatever unless I the recommendations of the commissions commission I are enforced Not ot even eve a Burbank would i attempt to t bring a plant to maturity b by depriving deriving It of light and air and an sun Bun sunshine Buni i i shine but bt according g to a recent report t there are 39 absolutely dark broom bedrooms bed room a aIn In the city of o New Ne York alone alo where were hu hul humankind l mankind old as well as young yon are sup suc au live hive and and have their I posed POd being te Jve move a hv ther f Crowded Tenements I Six years vears ago Bruns Brun investigated 2701 2711 2 I infant deaths deth In Berlin Of that number Im 17 occurred in families occupying one room tenements ri T in those tho living hiving in two rooms room rom IS I in those tho occupying three rooms and only in families living in larger Jarger establishments That congestion of population within a given area ara would not necessarily mean m an the absence of hy by hyglen glen clen conditions was pointed painted out recent recently ly in a paper by b Dr Stowell Stowel of New York visiting physician to the New ew York City Childrens hospital and schools sols An As A In Instances 11 instances stances tance of or congestion under favorable I and under unfavorable conditions he con contrasted contrasted the largest apartment hotel la Iii laNew 11 New tate York the Ansonia h houses I persons persona to the acre are with the notorious no tori ous oils ous Chrystle Chryste street tenement block bok In Ini J i which 1280 L persons are housed hous in a singla acre The hotel covers a total area ar of ot l 18 11 acres of ground goun and houses 2000 20 per persons pr I suns sons in 2500 2 5 rooms ruoms rums As there are sixteen E i Inhabitable floors the total ares area ara amounts amot to about twentysix acres acre and all aU or ot the te I rooms rom are open to the outside outsie admitting tine the sovereign preventives of disease light Might f and air In the seven sven years since the th place was ws opened not one o of the tOG 4 employee has hs become a victim of tuber t f The T tenement block on the other culo j I hand han has been a veritable breeding ground gound for that disease dise disei i One Good Remedy I Ii As a means mn of ot decreasing the th over overwhelming oer overwhelming i whelming mortality In congested Indus Industrial Indu Industrial trial trl centers centes the Garden Garn City like that at Bourneville near nar Birmingham Eng England England land is being bing established in some parts pt i of Great Gret Britain and an in our own coun country cun country removal of the try The Te manufacturing plant which employs very large larg numbers of Individuals to some suburban district and tb th the erection of cottages with gar gardens ga gardens dens attached attach for the workers and their families the establishment of schools hool and a other features feature of city elty life Ufe the ment of the property along lines tot with wih the agreement that all al inter interest est eat et over 6 Ii per pr er cent on o the investment shall be b devoted to public improvements are features of ot this plan Obvious difficulties difficulties culis make the application of the te plan pia r on a general scale impracticable end ond nd th improved tenement offers a more feasible solution of the th problem for the th of cities cite The e registration of F s mi nj prop property erty is I advocated by some som English E I I sh in investigators 11 I as a means men of we t d ding i g out oit the undesirable and an t i em it house hOUM Owners Owner of slum alum propel r ire re re r ft t particularly sensitive as a I rule nil to ti iii lr r responsibility ty as their brothers i But Bt nobody noby can tell tel what the future may me ma mahave have In store It I Is not no as reputable to i amass a a swollen fortune by the th illation of great geat vested interests as it I Was ws Wasa a few years ago If I the object lessons taught taugh by the th congested cong eted population ex tX exhibits hibits held recently are a needed nee It mn mu eventually be b quite quit as disreputable to 11 li Ii liIn In luxury off th rentals from of proper that Is II a breeding J of crime and v rn disease I |
