issued.

FOREIGN BABIES NEED

HEALTH SAFEGUARDS

The necessity of giving every mother a chance to learn how to protect the health of her children. and of arousing the whole community to its responsibility for preventing infant deaths especially under the pressure of war conditions is evidenced by the figures contained in the latest report of the Children's Bureau of the United States Department of Labor. The report deals with conditions surrounding 2,197 babies born in born in Waterbury, Connecticut, a town of of nearly 75,000 in 1910, whose population has increased rapidly since the war because of the brass and copper industries.

Waterbury has a large foreign population and little has been done to place at the disposal of the many Lithuanian and Italian mothers knowledge of modern methods of hygiene. Many mothers speak no English. The isolation of the foreign born group is instanced by the fact that three of the mothers interviewed although born in this country, could speak no English. For these mothers few educational facilities are available. Few of them seek the services of the visiting nurses' association. Among the Lithuanian babies is the largest number of babies whose births are

unrecorded. And in Waterbury the health office had no record of 329 live births, or practically a seventh of the total number occurring during the year studied.

The Lithuanian mothers show the largest percent of babies who are not given the protection of breast feeding even during the first three months. In their group also occurs the highest per cent of infant deaths from digestive diseases,

diseases largely preventable, and traceable not only to such things as housing conditions which are often beyond the control of the individual mother, but to indiscreet feeding which could be prevented if wise advice were made available to every mother, and an effort were made to make plain to mothers the importance of breast feeding.

The Children's Bureau in presenting the report emphasied particularly its bearing on the Children's Year work to save 100,000 babies. The intensive statistical study in Waterbury serves to point again the value of classes for training mothers in the feeding and general care of children. Such classes have been inaugurated in the District of Columbia and in Seattle for example, as Children's Year follow-up work to meet the needs reevaled by the weighing and measuring test of over 6,300,000 children.

Prepare for Smallpox

Akron is preparing to defend herself against the threatened renewal of the smallpox epidemic this fall. Health officials in that city have issued a warning to the public to be vaccinated this summer.

"There is just enough smallpox in the city at this time to hold over until the first cold weather, when it will become more virulent," the health department has announced. "Hence we can look for a smallpox epidemic in the fall. The only possible way to avoid it is by vaccination, and therefore every man, woman and especially every school child should be vaccinated during the summer."

"The acceptance by Dr. R. H. Bishop, jr., Cleveland commissioner of health, of membership upon the American commission selected to help Italy fight tuberculosis adds one more to a lengthening list of Sixth City men called to serve their country in conspicuous war activities. The city grants Dr. Bishop a six-months' leave of absence. His work abroad will be done in co-operation with the Italian government under Red Cross auspices.

"Supt. Spaulding, under a year's leave of absence by the board of education, is to help organize a scheme of educa

tional work among American troops in Europe. His policies as head of the local schools will be carried on as far as possible by officials thoroughly familiar with them. Similarly, the acting commissioner of health will endeavor to carry out the same progressive ideas that have marked Dr. Bishop's administration of the health office.

"Dr. Bishop has made the office of health commissioner an intimate part of the city's life. To an extent not realized by most of his predecessors, he has seen the importance of bringing the public into close co-operation with the department's activities. This has involved intelligent publicity. It means public education along health lines;

hence the bureau of health education, within the division of health,, at the head of which is J. D. Halliday, who knows publicity and has been an efficient partner of the commissioper.

"It is evident that much the same methods that have made the Cleveland division of health a success are to be taken to Italy and Mr. Halliday accompanies Dr. Bishop to take charge of the health educational work there. Doubtless, the problem in Italy is essentially identical with the problem in Cleveland or in any other American city. The public is to be interested in its own health welfare. No population can be saved in a health sense until it appreciates what health salvation means.

"Regretting the absence of Dr. Bishop, Cleveland appreciates this compliment and is glad to lend his services to America's great ally: just as it is glad to lend Supt. Spaulding for the task that has been assigned him. It is another opportunity for this community to aid in the cause of freedom."

Why Not Vaccinate?

From an Ohio city comes a thrilling newspaper story of a smallpox patient who threw the town into a turmoil. The patient in question, with his face highly decorated with

pustules, walked into the city hall. Officials, suspecting the disease, fled out the back door. The health officer was called and started the smallpox victim down the middle of the street to the pesthouse, following him in an autoombile "at a safe distance," as the newspaper account expressed it, in the rear.

Why the city officials hadn't been vaccinated and why the health officer, at least, didn't recognize the fact that recent vaccination would. have enabled him to take the patient into the autoombile and still be "at a safe distance," the reporter didn't say.

Births during the first six months of the present year exceed the number of births during the corresponding period last year, and we have saved more babies.

The total death rate, also, is less than it was last year. These conditions, in large measure, are due to increasing efficiency of the health department, which, of course, recognizes the fact that the general public is becoming better informed, more careful, more obedient to the obviously wise directions and advice given out from time to time by this department. It may not be amiss here to call attention to the fact that the warm season is not friendly to babies; and it is our chief concern to conserve baby life. We want to see the birth rate maintained at a high average, and we want to see the death rate reduced to the lowest possible minimum.

It is the business of the health department to lead in this work; our business to assist by following orders, direction and advice.

The department urges every person in the city to be on the alert to observe and discover disease sources generally, and to assist in stamping them out. Mothers are especially urged to be careful of their little ones during July and August, to avoid crowded places, to pay attention to diet, clothing and the like, and to refrain from taking the little ones out in the heat.

There are, of course, in every city, persons who cannot be as careful in this matter as they would like to be, but a report of the fact to the health department or other authority would bring assistance.

In connection with this matter of baby conservation the local members of the Volunteers of America have prepared to deliver free ice.