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mal child of that age is fifteen pounds eight ounces. Thus the average weight of these thirty-two babies was two pounds two ounces below the normal. At the end of fifteen weeks and three days, their average weight was eighteen pounds one and ninetenths ounces, whereas the normal weight for infants at this age is seventeen pounds eight ounces. Thus the thirty-two babies fed at this one consultation at the Bloomingdale Guild Depot, were nine and ninetenths ounces over weight.

At St. Cyprian's Chapel, Mrs. J. W. Johnson, wife of the rector of the church, told me that before the committee's work began in that neighborhood, her husband had buried, on an average, one colored baby every other day throughout the year. Since June 15, 1908, she said, he had buried only six children.

GAINED TEN OUNCES IN ONE WEEK

Given a whole year in which the 750 infants now being fed at the committee's depots would have been exposed without them to the dangers of ignorance, impure milk and the other concomitants of poverty, I think it is safe to say that the saving of lives among them amounted to fifty per cent. Extending this estimate to the 12,500 babies needing similar care and assist

ance in New York city, and considering that last year the deaths under one year in Manhattan was 9,000, it can readily be seen that a saving of life equal to fifty per cent of the 12,500 would be an enormous reduction of infant mortality for the island as a whole.

What is true for New York city, is of course true for the entire country. The saving of lives, important as that is, is only one of of the many results accomplished. Equally important are the prevention of suffering and misery, the raising of the standard of intelligence of whole families and communities and the starting of young lives on a sound physical basis.

Reviewing the situation as it is naturally one is led to inquire, "How shall we face this problem?" To such an inquiry there is a definite answer. In the first place clean milk must be provided. This preventive of infant mortality is the most easily supplied, and therefore must be considered first. Where money is not obtainable for certified milk, the milk must be pasteurized. Similarly where money is lacking to prepare individual prescriptions, suited to the exact needs of each baby, wholesale modifications, prepared on a commercial basis, must be secured. Under all circumstances the most urgent problems must be undertaken first. This, of course, means continually compromising with ideals. But ideals need not be lost sight of, even when temporary expedients seem extreme.

Together with the distribution of milk, instruction is imperative. No mother should be allowed to get the milk until it is definitely determined that she is unable to suckle the child herself. Many and many a mother could nurse her baby if she received an extra quart of milk daily, or even if an extra cun of cocoa were given her with each meal.

The case of Barry O'Shea suggests itself in this connection. At the age of three months Barry came to the committee's depot in Bloomingdale Guild weighing six pounds and fourteen ounces as opposed to eleven and three-quarters pounds, the normal weight of an infant at that age. Three physicians had given the litt.e fellow up to die and the mother, who had tried everything on the calendar except her own milk, brought him to the depot as a last resort. The doctor in charge, realizing that breast milk alone could save him, insisted that

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Mrs. O'Shea should nourish herself more properly, and that she should make an effort to nurse her infant. At first she refused to do so and stayed away from the depot. One of her reasons for doing this was that she was ashamed to show her child-dry, leathery and quite like a little old mummy-to the other mothers. Necessity, however, got the better of her at last and she not only came, but in sheer desperation followed the doctor's instructions carefully. The result was that in fifteen weeks Barry's condition, as shown by the record chart, leaped up from bad to perfect, where it rests today. In this way the milk depot lost a modified milk customer, but saved the life of Barry O'Shea.

What was done for Barry has been done in the case of many other mothers. When breast feeding has been found to be impossible, as it often is, they have been taught the value of many other things; of keeping the milk cold; of feeding the babies regularlv; of throwing the deadly "pacifier" away; of peeling off the long red bands of flannel which swathe and infest the little bodies with prickly heat; of realizing that when a baby cries something is usually the matter with it; and of trying intelligently to discover what the matter is.

Twenty-nine doctors, in addition to the nurses, tell the mothers about these things

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ADVICE TO THE MOTHER AS THE CHILD IS WEIGHED AND PRESCRIBED FOR

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THE REAL SOCIAL CENTER OF THE MILK DEPOT AND COMMITTEE A back yard consultation at the union settlement

mortality can be reduced, the need and desire for this education increases in direct ratio as we descend from the extreme rich to the extreme poor. For the wealthy mother there is always the expert specialist. For the middle class mother paid instruction must be provided, either by institutions or by itinerant teachers, of whom there is a great dearth at the present time. For the mother, handicapped by ignorance and all the evils of poverty, instruction, at least until times change, must be provided free.

In this campaign, the milk depot is of fundamental importance, as it attracts and holds women whom no individual or other agency can reach. Poorly organized depots will not meet the problem. Co-operative depots must be the rule-co-ordinating the work of doctors, nurses, milk dealers, relief societies, and all individuals and agencies interested in saving the lives of

infants.

The economics of the situation thus become apparent. Many depots, supported at present by philanthropy, dabble with medicine, relief, statistics, and milk distribution, wasting much time, effort and money because of ignorance and inexperience. Take for instance the matter of selling milk

below cost. If Mrs. A. contributes $100 to a milk depot and discovers that her neighbor Mrs. B., a well-to-do woman, is obtaining for five cents a quart, a milk which is costing the milk depot fifteen cents a quart and, to obtain the loss of ten cents a quart on which, the milk depot is compelled to ask assistance from her and other contributors, naturally naturally she is displeased. Obviously, the only right thing to do is to sell milk to Mrs. B. at a fair price. If, however, Mrs. B. can obtain milk from the depot at a fair price, every other woman in the neighborhood able similarly to pay for it, should be allowed to do so. This forces the depot to commercialize its business. Now a milk depot which keeps open. only from 9 a. m. until one o'clock, as is the case with most philanthropic depots, and which is run below its maximum capacity, cannot long stay in business. In order to be self-maintaining, the depots must keep open at all times; in order to attain perfection they must have capital behind them. To maintain infants' milk depots therefore, is not a problem for philanthropists having no knowledge of milk matters, but for milk dealers co-operating with philanthropists. In every community there are progressive milk men anxious to take up new lines of

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business, to accommodate the public, and to remedy conditions so far as they are able. These milk dealers must have cooperation and encouragement. Relief societies must say to them, "Here, produce this milk, modify it, sell it either in your own stores or in space which we will let you have in our settlements, hospitals, etc., and if any mother comes to you who cannot pav all or part of the price, send her to us; we will investigate the case, and if she is worthy, we will honor your bills for her supply." Contributors who support the milk hilanthropy, will then know that each cent they give is going to people who need it; that pauperism is being discouraged; that where need exists, it is being met; and that in all cases justice is being done.

Just as relief societies should co-operate with milk dealers so should milk dealers and relief societies co-operate with doctors and health authorities, in providing the medical, instructional and "follow-up' work for those mothers who patronize the stores. Connected with the distribution of milk, nurses and physicians constitute a big commercial asset, as they attract to milk depots mothers who, under other circumstances, would either fail to purchase milk or would obtain milk of an inferior grade. Almost any milk dealer could afford for the sake of this advertisement, to provide space in his store or a separate room connected with it, where doctors and nurses could carry on instructional work. Or if he did not feel that he could afford to do this, rent,

chargeable to philanthropy, could be placed upon the space or room used. Many settlements, hospitals and other institutions on the other hand, could well afford to give quarters in their buildings where milk dealers could dispense milk, thus relieving the institution of the task and placing a supply within easy reach of those whom it is wished to reach. For this co-operative arrangement there are many precedents.

In all this work, the important thing is to distinguish clearly between business and philanthropy, for only then will the money of contributors be conserved and the greatest amount of good possible be done.

Ultimately, in many cities, nurses will probably be provided by the health department. Physicians, keenly interested as they are in problems of dietetics, particularly infant feeding, will probably be willing to give their services free. Some day it is to be hoped that doctors be paid for this work, for many believe the time will come when physicians will be paid to keep people well rather than to cure them when they are ill.

In different cities the plan will work out differently. But the fundamental principle of co-operation, of furnishing instruction, medical supervision and material assistance will remain the same. No one agency, no one set of men, no one department, organization, or society, can of itself or himself solve the problem of infant mortality. All must work together, each doing his own task expertly and relying upon others for the rest. In this way only is the solution of the problem possible.

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CHART 1-Mortality in New York City, in 1907, of children under 5 years of age. The total number of deaths in 1907 was 72,205; of those under 5 years, 25,794; over years 46.411. The square at the right represents the average deaths per year of age of all persons over 5 years of age.

45-9) 10-14 15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80-84

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CHART 2-Average deaths per age for persons of different age groups. The figures in the upper line denote the average deaths per year for each group: those in the lower line denote the total deaths in each group,

Ethical Lessons From Froebel's Mother Play

(Continued from page 114)

sessions of the human soul is the sense of solidarity, of human relationship, of the oneness in diversity of all life-a visit to the shops is one means to this end. One store or one department will awaken the mind to one need and help to satisfy it and another counter will stir other thoughts.

The best of all gifts is symbolized in the great gift of the Christ child, the love of God manifested in human love. Lead the child to feel the universality of this conception by acquaintance with the many myths and stories common to all countries. As an aid to this end we recommend "Christmas in Many Lands and in Many Times," by Evelyn H. Walker, (fifty cents) published by Welch & Co., Chicago. It is adapted to presentation as a school entertainment, gives music and suggests costumes. In connection with this Mother Play of the toyshop we recommend Elizabeth Harrison's "Some Silent Teachers." It has a very suggestive chapter upon the visit to the shops.

The Santa Claus question has been frequently discussed in the KindergartenPrimary Magazine. By letting the child play that he is a little Santa Claus to his brothers, sisters and friends, the idea of the universal Santa Claus spirit-the spirit of love and good-will, will become familiar to him and the belief in one personal Santa Claus will take on firm hold.

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THE CRIPPLE'S CHRISTMAS CAROL MARTHA REED SPAULDING

HE Lady of the Settlement House raised herself on her elbow and listened. Was that a child's sob she wondered, that low moaning of despair. It was certainly not a cry of physical pain or fear. Perhaps it had only been part of a troubled dream. She waited in a tense silence. It was past midnight. All seemed quiet on the street. The noise of the surface cars had ceased. The heavy rumble of the wagons filled with country vegetables and fruits had not begun, and the milk carts were still miles away on their route to the city's thoroughfares. It was the brief hour of respite from work, from traffic, from revelry even.

"Granny, granny, just let me in; let me in!" Again came that suppressed pitiful wail.

This was no dream. The Lady of the Settlement House leaned from the window, her eyes searching for the speaker. It was a child, almost beneath her, pressing her small body against Granny Stepniak's door, next to the settlement house. The moments of waiting for further development seemed hours, then the door was stealthily opened, the child was pulled in, and all was quiet without.

Sarah was an abandoned child, of Polish parentage. The family, returning to Russia the previous summer, had decided with little consultation, that the hunchback child was out of the question, a nuisance. Granny Stepniak must house the little one and feed her.

At the age of ten, Sarah knew all that the street could reveal. All the awful mysteries of the dark alleys had been unearthed to feed this child's mind. There was no saloon or dance hall for blocks that did not open its doors to her for the asking. Everyone recognized her shrewd, black eyes, her quaint manner, older than her years, her childish speech, her oaths and unclean words. With it all there was the voice of a young nightingale singing, not of the country and bird and flower, but every street song that could blacken and defile.

Everybody treated Sarah well, in a rough way. She was shielded many times from physical danger. Not a home in the

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