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Show Healthy Babies For Uncle Sam Absolute Cleanliness, Says Children's Bureau Head, Is Best Guarantee Against Disease BY JlTJjiA LATHROP. Chlof, I . S. Ohlldren'B Bureau. WASHINGTON This chart shows a group of tall black monuments to ' the babies who die before they are a year old. The tallest of these monuments mon-uments is for the babies who die because be-cause their mothers have not hud tho proper care before and at the time .if confinement The second and I third arc for the babies who die from I dlsjascs of the stomach and bowels and from respiratory diseases bron-i bron-i chltis and pneumonia. These last two croups mn be called thr delseases of dirt and neglect l'n-, l'n-, clean and Insanitary surroundings, and impure or unsuitable fod, arc the I chief causes of the diseases of the ! stomach and bow els, uncnti!ated I house, and Improper clothing are llargolj responsible for bronchitis and pneumonia guarantee: against disease Absolute cleanliness Is the best guarantee that a mother' can give her baby against disease. From the very beginning he must have a dally I bath. His clothis must be changed , frequently and he must never be allowed al-lowed to lie In soiled or wet garment 'that chafe and chill. While he should ! b dressed warmly, he should not be l dressed so w armly as t keep him In constant perspiration and consequently consequent-ly iti danger of taking cold. Baby must have his own bed a ! simple cue made ol a olo theft buske' will do, with a soft washable pad for a mattress, clean sheets, and light warm covering. The bedding shoubi b well-aired dally and frequont.y washed. The room in which baby I Sleeps Should h'' as simply ,'urnished las possible, without carpets and hangings hang-ings to cat h the dirt, and It should be a pt scrupulously lean IMPORT : OF I i LCR Clean air Is ns important to tho child as clean clothing and clean; surroundings I'resh air should be kepi circulating through his room i In very cold weather If It is impossl ble lo heat the room sufficient! with the windows constantly open, the baby should ! taken to another part of1 I DEATHS UNDER ONE YEAR DF AGE, GRDUPED BY CAUSES Deaths Related Gastro- fte To Natal And Intestinal Diseases Diseases causes Prenatal Causes Oiseasea In 1916 more children diad from conditions related to the health and care of the mother than from bad care, bad feeding, or infectious diseases. This chart sllOVfS ninth'- Importance of cause for deaths under onr year if age. t the house several time:; a day and his room well aired. For the first thres months of life, the temperature of his sleeping quarters quar-ters should not exceed Co decrees Too hot Is Just as dangerous to baby as too cold Later, the temperature ni'v be reduced to 'to degrees and gradually made lower until he Is At c ustomed to sleeping in a room that is quite cold Care must be taken to s?e that he is dressed warmly enough to prevent chill and to prevent him from throw- Ing off his i ov erlngs. After the first ' month, a daily sleep In the open nlr, i i.ber by day or night, will be most l.en flclal if baby is vvell protected I from damp or cold. |