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Show I - Woman Doctor Assigned By Surgeon General To Help Georgia Babies U. S. PUBLIC HEALTH SERV ICE COOPERATES TO LOWER LOW-ER BABY DEATH RATE ATLANTA, Ga. "YVben chambers of commerce pjy more attention to the baby death raiep Than to the number num-ber of tmoke stacks, they will have a much better claim to attract people ' to their cities." So says the first woman ever as-j as-j signed by the United States public I health service tu child hygiene. She Is Dr. Lydia Allen DeVilblss, assigned ' bv Surgeon General Gumming to help Health Officer Dr T F. Aber crombio save the hundreds of children w ho needlessly die in this state. Georgia Is a pioneer In the soulh in co operating with the United States public health service tn child hvgiene. Although its figures on births and deaths -.re prill incomplete, the statistics statis-tics which were collected for the firs', three months of this year showed about one baby In every eight bcmi dies before it is one ear old Thorough Co-operation. Numerous babv health centers have, been ef.tcbhshcd throughout the state During the summer months a drive is being made to teach mothers how to teed i heir children und so avoid the Usual summer ailments In tne fall nu-i trition clinics and physical inspection i of school children will be held Fur tber work will be to get In touch with prospective motbers In these and oth 6r ways Dr Abercrombie expects to in vent the loss of hundreds of Georgia Geor-gia babies. The doctors of the state are co-operating The Stale Pediatric socilu has appointed a committee of three, Lr. A J. Warlngv Savannah; Dr W. L. l-"unkhouscr, Atlanta, and Dr. W. A. Mulherin, Augusta, to assist Dr DeVil bis and the state board of health The babv specialists of the state are; g their services free in the baby health centers. The women's organizations of Georgia Geor-gia are making ' Mid hygiene and child .velfare their principal program for i lie year A Georgia oaby book la to be Benl to -.erv new mother within 21 hours after the baby comes This will i ell her how to feed and take care' of her baby. "We are sure of some good results," said Dr DeVilbisr. But we could do! much more effective work if we had. larger appropriations. Good health; Dr. Lydia Allen DeVilbicc and a Normal Georgia baby, Mary Mincll Gibson. and the preservation of life can be a certainty in proportion to tin amounl of money wise).. -pent in carrying out public health work." F.fty Cento a Year. "Only 50 conr a year per person would provide abundant funds for health protection This amount of mon By tpeni wisely would prevent virtual lv all of the oomiriunicable diseases and would keep practically the entire population in good health. Thi:i is only a fruction of the ;. mount now spent for doctor bills. The United States 13 cited as ihe only first class power that does not I have a national department of health; With a cabinet ofirr j Dr. DeVilblss was formerly connect- i I ed with the New York state depart-1 jrnent of health and the director of , ; child hygiene :ot the state of Kansas i : She says she hopes many other women physician! soon will join In the work, J for child hygiene in connection v. it b i the United States public health service serv-ice and the state and city departments of health. The United Slates public health I service field investigations in child j jhjglene are under direction of Assist-ifint Assist-ifint Surgeon General Taliaferro Clark. |