COLUMBIA UBRARIES OFFSITE HEALTH SCIENCES STANDARD HX64081214 RJ61 N48 Greater New York bab RECAP RIll //^ mtI)eCtlpoflmgork College of ^ibpsiicians^ ^nb burgeons! Hilirarp GREATER NEW YORK BABY WEEK JUNE 20-26 1914 COURTESY NEW YORK PRESS CO. **THIS IS MY WEEK" BETTER BABIES BETTER MOTHERS BETTER CITY IGNORANCE //- If the Infants are not aware this is "Babies' Week," it is be- cause they don't read the papers. Brooklyn EagLe. Digitized by the Internet Arciiive in 2010 with funding from Open Knowledge Commons http://www.archive.org/details/greaternewyorkbaOOnewy Courtesy New York Times. Johanna Wiggers, Grand Prize Winner in Better Baby Contests. GREATER NEW YORK BABY WEEK JUNE 20-26 1914 PURPOSE TO REDUCE THE TOLL OF PREVENTABLE INFANT DEATHS BY CALLING CITY-WIDE ATTENTION TO NEEDS MET AND NEEDS NOT MET FOR INFANT WELFARE IN GREATER NEW YORK COURTESY NEW YORK TRIBUNE SLOGAN BETTER BABIES • BETTER MOTHERS BETTER CITY PUBLISHED BY THE NEW YORK MILK COMMITTEE 105 EAST TWENTY-SECOND STREET NEW YORK CITY CONTENTS PAGE Foreword 3 The Lessons of Baby Week 5 First Steps 7 The Week, Day by Day 9 How the News was Spread 17 How the Newspapers Helped 18 How the Business Men Helped 22 How Private Organizations Helped 25 How the City Departments Helped 26 The Cost 27 FOREWORD Baby saving has made tremendous strides throughout the civilized world in the last decade. In the United States, New York city, as the metropolis of the country and its most complex community, has naturally taken a conspicuous part in this work. Since well-organ- ized efforts were begun here, seven years ago, a cut of over thirty per cent, has been made in the infant death rate — a striking demonstra- tion of what can be done by a systematic campaign, waged winter and summer, for clean, safe milk and educated motherhood! Today this city can show an infant death rate lower than that of any of the ten largest cities of the country. In this field New York has not only taught many lessons to other communities, but has in turn received many valuable suggestions from the experience of other cities which the workers of this city gratefully acknowledge. It is in the spirit of reciprocal helpfulness, therefore, that we publish the following record of New York city's latest method of promoting infant welfare. An attempt has been made in this re- port to give to the experience here an application as general as possible. Despite past achievements New York was not satisfied. Its in- fant death rate for 1913 was 101.9 per thousand births. It should be reduced much lower. To do this it was believed there must be a re- awakening of public interest. The attention of the citizens, particu- larly of the substantial business men, must be called more point- edly to the work being done and to the many needs of the field that had not as yet been met. With this purpose in view there was or- ganized a city-wide advertising campaign. At the beginning of the summer, New York held a Baby Week. An account of how the week began and how it was conducted is given in the following pages. We believe it represents better than anything else what can be done when public and private agencies join hands in a common cause for the common weal. New York Milk Committee. THE LESSONS OF BABY WEEK If a Baby Week propaganda, like any advertising campaign, is to be a success, its purpose must be clear, direct and concrete. The New York promoters did not propose, as has been done in some cities, to make this a direct money-raising campaign. Their purpose was rather the driving home to the public of certain definite lessons, be- lieving that if this purpose should be achieved the money would fol- low spontaneously. These Baby Week lessons as presented in New York are summarized as follows: 1. That while much has been accomplished in the work of saving baby life much remains to be done. 2. That co-operation among infant welfare agencies, public and pri- vate, is absolutely necessary if the whole field is to be covered. In the outlying districts of the city, particularly, local interest on the part of citizens in the Health Department's program needs stimulation and co-ordination. 3. That effective infant welfare work must begin with educational work among expectant mothers carried on by a corps of nurses especially qualified to give prenatal instruction and supervision. This work is as yet in its infancy and should become generally adopted by public and private agencies. 4. That the milk station is a practical means of sa\dng baby lives, and that additional milk stations are needed in those districts of the city where infant mortality has not as yet been materially reduced. 5. That the next logical step in the evolution of the milk station is the District Health Centre in which the welfare of the infant is promoted by meeting the health needs of the entire family. 6. That there is need of close co-operation between hospitals and other infant welfare agencies. It was shown that 1000 additional hospital beds for babies are needed in New York City. 7. That the work of the day nursery shovdd be encouraged and ex- tended and that these agencies should establish night shelters for well babies while their mothers are sick. 5 6 THE LESSONS OF BABY WEEK 8. That convalescent homes for mothers and babies should be open the year round. 9. That a clearing-house for wet nurses should be established so that mothers with milk to spare may be able to come to the rescue of sick babies needing maternal mUk. 10. That there should be more stringent penalties for old offenders who violate milk laws. 11. That there is need throughout the city of a broader conception of the function of the Health Department. Mothers should be made to understand that infant welfare work is not a charity but a measure of intelligent self-interest on the part of the city at large. 12. Finally, that organized co-operation between public and private agencies is a necessary condition if wasteful duplication of effort is to be eliminated and efSicient infant welfare work done. This principle had already been embodied here in the federation known as The Babies' Welfare Association, and the success of co-operative effort in the Baby Week campaign has given new impetus to its general adoption. 'S 3 FIRST STEPS The decisive first steps for Baby Week were taken early in June, when Mayor Mitchel appointed the Greater New York Better Baby Week Committee, after a conference in which the following organiza- tions took part, at his request: Chamber of Commerce. The Merchants' Association. Advertising Men's League. Advisory Council of the Board of Health. New York Milk Committee. Federation of Churches. Association of Catholic Charities. New York Board of Jewish Ministers. Federation of Women's Clubs. New York City Conference on Charities. The personnel of this conference illustrates how broad was the interest in this movement from the very outset. The slogan adopted for the campaign was: "Better Babies: Better Mothers: Better City." A good slogan is one of the most important features of such a movement. Official headquarters for the Committee were assigned by the Mayor in the Municipal Building, the office of which was temporarily equipped with furniture from other city departments. A paid sec- retary was put in charge of the office. The organization of the Committee was as follows: Honorary President. President. Honorary Vice-presidents. Vice-president. General Committee of fifty representatives of leading civic and social organizations. Executive Committee. Subcommittee on Publicity. Subcommittee on Meetings and Demonstration. 7 8 FIRST STEPS Subcommittee on Baby Sabbath. Subcommittee on Finance. Mayor Mitchel was made Honorary President. The Honorary Vice-presidents included the presidents of the various boroughs. Those who served on the Executive Committee were invited to do so by a special letter sent out by the Mayor. The help of the fifty members on the General Committee was enlisted by a similar com- munication from the Mayor's office. Every one of the 366 organiza- tions in the city, whose work either partly or wholly touches infant welfare, was asked to join the campaign through a special letter sent by the Executive Committee. "It says here in the announcement for baby week that you must keep the bright sun- light out of the baby's e^^es. That'll be easy for us." Courtesy Neiv York World. I'__^ I x And Don't Stop Thinking m 11 of Me After This Week Courtesy New York Evening Journal. THE WEEK. DAY BY DAY The features of Baby Week are given in some detail with the be- hef that they will illustrate the working out of a general plan that, with modifications to fit local needs, can be adopted anywhere. The fol- lowing program was made public in the early part of the week pre- ceding, and all organizations and citizens were asked to visit the special agencies on their appointed days. PROGRAM OF GREATER NEW YORK BABY WEEK June 20-26, 1914 Watch the Newspapers for Further Details Purpose : To call attention to needs met and needs not met in making BETTER BABIES: BETTER MOTHERS: BETTER CITY Saturday, June 20. — Baby Sabbath to be observed in Jewish Syna- gogues by reading of Mayor's letter in pulpits, by special ser- mons and other exercises. Sunday, June 21. — Baby Sabbath to be observed as above in churches. Illustrated articles in Sunday newspaper supplements. MoNT)AY, June 22. — ^Little Mothers' Day, to be observed in the pubHc and parochial schools of the city by reading of a letter from the Mayor and the distribution by the children of one mil- lion pieces of educational literature to mothers. Examination of babies winning prizes in contests in last two years for Grand Prize of Greater New York. Tuesday, June 23. — Milk Station Day, to be observed as "visiting day" in the public and private infant milk stations. Delegations from commercial and civic organizations will visit certain stations in official automobiles. Wednesday, June 24. — Hospital and Clinic Day, to be observed as above in the hospitals, clinics and dispensaries. Thursday, June 25. — Nursery and Demonstr.\tion Day, to be ob- served as above in the morning at all institutions sheltering well 9 10 THE WEEK, DAY BY DAY babies, such as day nurseries, temporary shelters, convalescent homes and asylums. Grand automobile ride for mothers and babies in the afternoon. Awarding of Grand Prize to winner of Better Baby Contest. Friday, June 26. — Outing Day, free ferry rides and steamboat ex- cursions for mothers and babies, special music in parks, recrea- tion piers and playgrounds. BABY SABBATH Saturday and Sunday of Baby Week were observed in all syna- gogues and chmrches of the city as Baby Sabbath. A special letter from the Mayor was read as follows: CITY OF NEW YORK Office of Mayor To the Clergy of New York City: The week of June 20th to 26th has been set apart by a committee of citizens co-operating with the Health De- partment as a week for considering the needs of the in- fants of this city. It has been suggested that the clergy of the city call to the attention of their congregations the plans of the committee in charge of this excellent under- taking. Their purpose is to fix the attention, especially during this week, of the whole city on the proper care of babies, particularly during hot weather, in order to fur- ther reduce infant mortality. It is hardly necessary for me to say that this program seems particularly fitting for the churches' support. Much has been accomplished within the last few years in the saving and protecting of child life in New York. In order that we may progress still further in reducing infant mortality and promoting the welfare of the children of the city, we must have the active co-operation of all citi- zens, and especially of the religious and civic organiza- tions which have so much concern for the city's welfare. I ask, therefore, that you bring this matter to the atten- tion of your congregations, urging their co-operation with the committee in charge. (Signed) John Purroy Mitchel, June 17, 1914. Mayor. GREATER NEW YORK BABY WEEK 11 LITTLE MOTHERS' DAY Every school child in the city from the kindergarten up was en- listed in the campaign on Little Mothers' Day. Superintendent Max- well requested Public School principals to read the following letter from the Mayor to the children in all assemblies and in every class- room in the city. The same letter was also read in every parochial school: To the School Children of New York: Every boy and girl in New York should know that the week of June 20th to 26th has been set apart as Baby Week. In that time an effort will be made to show, by the guidance of the Department of Health, and the as- sistance of many organizations interested in the welfare of children how the lives of thousands of babies may be saved in this city. More than thirteen thousand babies under one year of age died in New York city last year. It is estimated that nearly half of them woidd be alive today if they had received proper care, and if necessary precautions had been taken during the summer months. As Honorary President of the organization which will direct the educational and other activities of Baby Week, I ask every pupil of the schools in this city to help in this work. As future citizens, you can do much to help save the lives of babies in this city. Circulars which will tell you what should be done have been left at your school. If you will take them home and call the attention of your parents to them, you will help make New York a better city. (Signed) John Purroy Mitchel, June 12, 1914. Mayor. In addition, the following "Pledge to the Baby" was memorized and recited by all kindergarten and first grade classes: I pledge to be a Baby's friend And everybody tell Clean air, clean clothing, and clean food, He needs to keep him well. The "Little Mothers" were the center of interest in 78 pubHc schools of the city, where special exercises were held. The "Little 12 ^ THE WEEK, DAY BY DAY Mothers" represent one of the most hopeful forces in the city's work for future Better Mothers. In 1909 Dr. S. Josephine Baker, Chief of the Bureau of Child Hygiene of the Department of Health, saw that the httle girls who "mind the baby while mother is out," could be made powerful missionaries in saving baby lives. Accordingly, Little Mothers' Leagues have been organized in many schools, and during the last month of every school year, special lectures on baby care with real, Uve models, are given by physicians and nurses sup- plied by the Board of Health. Then the little girls are asked to vol- unteer as aids to the Health Department, and those who join are given a certificate of membership. Weekly meetings of each league are held during the summer, the inspector and nurse acting as honor- ar}'- ofi&cers. Instruction for other "Little Mothers" is also furnished by the Little Mothers' Aid Association, a private organization maintaining several "Home Making Circles" in several parts of this city. MILK STATION DAY The story of the Milk Station's part in the reduction of the infant death rate was told anew on Milk Station Day, and revitalized by visits of delegations of citizens and officials to many of the stations themselves. There the visitors could see the "Mothers' School" in full operation, where doctors and nurses act as teachers and the prob- lems are little squirming bundles in the pupils' arms, and visitors learned that here, as in the best of schools, the real work has to be done by the students themselves — in the last analysis it is the mother herself who must save her baby. There are all told 84 Milk Stations scattered throughout the city in districts where the need was found, by a block canvass, to be most acute. Sixty- two are maintained by the Board of Health and the re- mainder are run by six different private agencies: The New York Diet Kitchen, The Nathan Straus Pasteurized Milk Laboratories, The Babies' Dairy, The Henry Street Settlement, The Good Samaritan Dispensary, and The Madison Square Church House. In addition to learning what the Milk Station has done and what it may do, citizens and ofi&cials on Milk Station Day inspected the areas of the city where more Milk Stations are needed, and special publicity was given to these needs. The establishment of seven new Experimental Health Center of the New York Milk Committee. GREATER NEW YORK BABY WEEK 13 milk stations has been one of the concrete results of the publicity of this day. Not only have the Milk Stations served as life saving stations, but through them infant welfare workers have been able to make many important experiments. For example, the New York Milk Committee during the years 191 2-13, working in large measure through the municipal Milk Stations, proved conclusively that the death rate from congenital causes can be greatly reduced by special educational work with expectant mothers. The ultimate aim of this demonstration was to secure the general adoption of a plan of systematic education of expectant mothers as the next logical step in the development of infant welfare work. What the Milk Stations may ultimately be expected to become is demonstrated by the Health Center now being maintained by the New York Milk Committee in the lower West Side of Manhattan. This station was a particular feature of interest on Milk Station Day, Its purpose is to save baby lives by attention to the health needs of the whole family. "You can't have well babies in sick families," a visiting official of Baby Week put it. HOSPITAL AND CLINIC DAY On "Sick Baby's Day" special attention was given to the needs of baby hospitals and cUnics throughout the city. Many of the hos- pitals and clinics were open for inspection, and another delegation of citizens and officials was sent to visit these centers. It was found that while 68 hospitals in Greater New York have provisions for babies and while there are 2126 baby beds available throughout the city, the sick baby's needs are imperfectly met. For example, while Manhattan has 1600 beds, Brooklyn has only 271 beds in winter and only 321 in summer. Other boroughs are even worse: The Bronx has only 92 beds, Queens 27, and Richmond 16! Another particular need discovered during the day w^as the scar- city of convalescent homes for mothers and babies open the year round. This need is realized by those in charge of sunmier homes, but they are not able to obtain sufficient means to keep them open during the entire year. One feature of particular interest, which was emphasized, was the clearing-house maintained by the Babies' Welfare Association, a 14 THE WEEK, DAY BY DAY federation of public and private agencies working for infant welfare in New York city. The "New York Evening Mail" thus well de- scribes the work: "Baby Saving is a business built on an efficiency basis: take the matter of hospitals, for instance, as this is Hos- pital Day, and let us draw a timely example of the busi- ness-Uke methods applied by Baby Savers. " Suppose a visiting nurse in her rounds finds a baby who is in urgent need of hospital care. Does she hurry to tele- phone the nearest hospital only to find that they have no beds? Then does she try another and another until many precious hours have been lost and perhaps a baby too? "A year or two ago she did that, but now she telephones to the clearing-house, that is to say the Babies' Welfare Association, which is a loose federation of most of the baby saving agencies in New York city. She gets Miss Mary Arnold, Assistant Executive Secretary of the Association, on the wire and in ten minutes her baby is placed in the nearest hospital with an empty bed. Miss Arnold keeps in touch with all hospitals belonging to the Association and she knows when they have a room to spare." NURSERY AND DEMONSTRATION DAY From the point of view of the newspapers and the general public, this was the "Day of Days" of the Baby Week celebration. The special features, of course, were the Baby Parades in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Richmond, and the awarding of the grand prizes to the better mothers and babies scoring highest in the special contest. Only those babies who had won first prizes in previous Better Baby Contests — 37 in all — were admitted to the Baby Week Contest. "The Evening World" gave the prize money and special publicity, while a committee of doctors examined the babies. The educational value of such contests, both to the mothers and the general public, can scarcely be overestimated. A new twist was given during Baby Week to the Better Baby Contests which have been held in the city during the past year and a half. Instead of scoring babies merely on their physical condition, babies were rated 60 per cent, on their health and 40 per cent, on home surroundings and mothers' care. The certificates of award were > GREATER NEW YORK BABY WEEK 15 made to the "Prize winner for care given her baby resulting in its ex- cellence in physical proportion, muscular development, respiration, circulation, digestion, general intelligence and self control." The nurse called upon each contestant at a time when she was least expected and entered on her score card certain essential facts as to the baby's history and home conditions. Then each mother was given an oral examination to determine her general intelligence as to baby care, the nurse copying her answers on her score blank. This paper together with the chart showing the baby's physical con- dition was rated by the committee of physicians in charge. In Manhattan there was a parade of the prize-winning babies and their mothers in Fire Department automobiles, escorted by a thousand picked babies from all over the city, riding with their mothers in other machines. From Washington Square they rode proudly up Fifth Avenue stopping long enough at Fifty-ninth Street at the entrance of Central Park for the awarding of the Grand Prizes by Mayor Mitchel and leading ofi&cials and citizens of the city. After the awarding of the prizes the automobiles took their precious burdens up through the park and back. In Brooklyn and Richmond smaller but none the less enthusiastic parades were held and special prizes awarded. A marked feature of the Brooklyn Day was the presentation to the city of a new Milk Station by the Luna Park Amusement Company. This section of the city was in urgent need of such work. Special publicity was given in the news articles as to the Day Nursery needs of the city. Among the new developments in day nurseries is the establishment of temporary shelters for children whose mothers are ill. A number of day nurseries are keeping babies at night as well as during the day and the need of more such agencies in the city was shown to be very urgent. OUTING DAY Outing and education went hand in hand on Outing Day of Baby Week when about 20,000 babies and their mothers were taken out on the river and bay and several times this number enjoyed special privileges upon the velvety lawns of the City Parks set aside for their use on this day by the Park Department. Municipal ferries, private excursion boats, steamers and tugs were pressed into service. 16 THE WEEK, DAY BY DAY On every boat was a Department of Health physician and a nurse for every group of fifty babies and mothers. Boats were thus converted into floating schools and informal talks were given all day long to the mothers on the proper care of babies. Free milk, free ice and, in some instances, free lunches were furnished the excursion parties by business firms and private individuals. Pubhcity was also given on Outing Day to the work of the thirty- five agencies in Greater New York giving country vacations to mothers and babies during the summer months. The needs of particular so- cieties conducting such work were advertised and public support re- quested. In the afternoon members of the General Committee met in City Hall at the request of Mayor Mitchel, and received his acknowledg- ment of the work done during Baby Week. S MJ^ inu ^'fe«Jg tl L- i^! FS>-« m t; £ rnz t- ^ t^ '.4:^ mS ^O /^ I . HOW THE NEWS WAS SPREAD Every approved method of advertising was used and, in addition, the mightiest organ of all — the public press — was enlisted in the cam- paign. The following represents the chief methods of publicity : Special stories in the newspapers in the week pre- ceding Baby Week. Daily display stories every day of Baby Week. Copy supplied to all the leading dailies and the 200 smaller local and foreign papers in New York city. Special letter sent to 50 special writers, cartoonists, editorial writers, etc., enclosing material and suggestions. Large illimiinated and non-illuminated signs on Broadway and other principal thoroughfares. Slides exhibited "between films" in 800 moving picture houses of the city, courtesy of the Motion Pic- ture Exhibitors Association. Large billboard posters displayed in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx. Subway and elevated stations, posters in Manhat- tan, Bronx and Brooklyn. Window cards and streamers displayed in depart- ment stores, hotels, settlements, and milk stations. One million pieces of educational literature were dis- tributed through the school children and insurance com- panies. Twenty-five thousand educational slips regarding the proper clothing for babies in summer inserted by leading department stores in all packages containing infant wear. Ten thousand slips relative to the care of baby's bottle and nipples inserted in drug store packages. One hundred thousand tags for milk bottles, "wired" by the Camp Fire and High School Girls and finally dis- tributed by milk dealers to their patrons. Five hundred car "ads" displayed on three im- portant surface lines of the city. Special letter sent to all leading department stores, large advertisers and makers of baby specialties. Re- sponse was immediate as reflected by the special baby advertising by many large firms. 17 HOW THE NEWSPAPERS HELPED The Committee placed its chief reliance for publicity upon the newspapers of the city. Seven days before Baby Week began the following letter was addressed to the editor of every paper, large and small, in Greater New York: City Editor: Enclosed please find the first announcement of Mayor Mitchel's Greater New York Baby Week, which is scheduled to run June 20th to 26th. Everybody in town is being pressed into service, but of course our main reliance for city wide publicity is the public press. Our signs and posters will announce that Baby Week is coming, but will give no details of coming events beyond the fact that The Newspapers Tell The Story. This office is equipped with a publicity agent and full details as to the events scheduled to take place during Baby Week. We will be glad to see your department man every morning and we are planning to send you in advance the story of each day's program and all other information relating to the day's special features. We have plenty of photographs and additional material which we are glad to place at your service. May we count upon you? Very sincerely yours, (Signed) Agnes de Lima, Secretary Publicity Committee, Mayor's Baby Week Commission. And the newspapers did tell the story. Probably no other social movement with only a v/eek's preparation has ever had so much and such helpful publicity. It is estimated that the 230 papers, large and small, dailies and weeklies in New York, devoted nearly 1500 colimins of space to Baby Week news and Baby Week lessons. Sev- eral of the large dailies gave as much as thirty columns during the eight days of greatest publicity. The chairman of the Publicity Committee was a prominent member of the Advertising Men's League. On the Committee also were representatives of the press, special well-known 18 THE BVENIKG WORLD, MONDAY, JUNE 29 How the Lives of $9, OOP, OOP Worth of Babies Can Be Saved in New York This Summer Contribute the Money Neces- sary to Provide More Day Nurseries, More Milk Sta- tions and Shelters, and to Enable the Babies' Wel- fare Association to Do the \A^ork It Aims to Do. Locking Him Out Courtesy New York Evening Journal. GREATER NEW YORK BABY WEEK 19 writers who furnished display articles for their respective papers. One method which proved successful in securing newspaper space for spe- cial stories was the giving out to each paper of different material from that furnished any other; and in the case of neighborhood papers making the articles applicable to local conditions. The personal in- terest taken by these local editors was shown by many letters written by these editors to the Executive Committee. The following extracts are typical: "We are very enthusiastic about Baby Week and in the paper, as well as locally by lectures, we are encouraging our people to join this noble venture of the city." — "Vienybe Lietuvninku, " Lithuanian, July 7, 1914. "We in this office are proud of the results accomplished by the movement. We shall always be ready to aid in any future campaign along similar lines." —"North Side News," July 7, 1914. The cartoons and photographs indicate to some degree the co- operation given by the press as do the following editorial extracts: EXCERPTS FROM EDITORIALS "The success achieved in the past by various societies organized for the pre- vention of infant mortahty and disease has been so notable that the pubhc generally is likely to regard the activities of Baby Week with more attention and more favor than are usually granted to similar spectacular movements. The record of work done attests not only the worth of the service but the right of the workers to ask further help, public and private. "According to figures given out by the Board of Health, the infant death rate of the city in 1904 was 162 for every 1,000 within the first year after birth. Last year the rate was only 102. This represents the saving of the lives of upward of 8,000 babies within a single twelvemonth. "The object of all the activities of Baby Week will be to make a veritable campaign of education concerning infant Hfe and its needs. Saturday and yester- day were set apart for church services to present the issue clearly to the church- going people. For the rest of the week there will be lessons in the care of babies, demonstrations of various means of providing for their health and recreation, boat rides and automobile rides for the poor and their mothers, and the inevitable baby contests, with prizes for the most perfect. "The cause is a good one. None better engages the attention of any class of our people. If anybody deserves a week's notice, the New York Baby does. Let him have it for aU he is worth." — "New York World," June 22, 1914. 20 HOW THE NEWSPAPERS HELPED "Every city in the land should have a similar campaign. Thou- sands of small lives are sacrificed every year that could be saved were it not for the ignorance of those to whom they are entrusted. . . . Education rather than charity is needed in the congested districts of Hartford and every other city." — "Hartford Times," Jime 15, 1914. " All will join in recognizing the urgency in the economy of baby life which the Babies' Welfare Association points out. It is not the economy of money that counts, though $9,000,000 is well worth saving, even theoretically; the great thing is the saving in tears and heartbreak, the conserva- tion of hope and light of life. And what hope it is— not in the narrow circle alone, but in the widest sense. Any tiny flickering spirit that is saved may be the savior of his generation, the inspiration of humanity in the coming day." — "New York Sun," June 30, 1914. "Babies' and Mothers' Week in Greater New York comes to a close with the city convinced of its success and enthusiastically determined to hold another next year. Meanwhile education should go on with its work. Each and every week can help to make Better Babies and Better Mothers." — "New York Evening World," June 27, 1914. "Baby Week is not only a most efficient conservation of precious property, it is, if properly taken, a rare creator of good will and good, warm human affection for one's fellow beings, old and young. Are you taking it properly — which is to say, are you doing your share to help the city's children, some of them, that is, to health and happiness?" — "Tribune," Jime 26, 1914. "We have had 'Holy Week' for a long time, but I believe this is the first time we have had 'Baby Week.' Which is the holier? Let every man decide in his own way; but a mighty miiltitude will answer: ' Baby Week comes mighty near being as holy as anything can well be in this world.* . . A glorious omen is this Baby Week. There is a golden prophecy in the bare fact that it was thought of much less established. ... All Hail, Baby Week ! Let every one work for it to make it a grand success. And by all means keep it up. Instead of forgetting it, let this first Baby Week be the beginning of a long and glorious series of Baby Weeks, which shall result in untold good to Greater New York and to the whole world." — Special editorial in " New York Journal," by Rev .Thomas S.Gregory, June 24, 19 14. "Infant Mortality is recognized nowadays as something to be dreaded and fought persistently. These seven days of lectures and prize baby contests, of clinics, picnics and outings, should be valuable in two ways: by giving city-bound babies and their mothers an imusual chance to get fresh milk and fresh air and by spreading broadcast, in popular form as it has never done before, information re- garding the care of infants. It ought to have an effect lasting the year round, just as the city's clean-up week has proved to have." — "Tribune," June 21, 1914. BABIES' WEEK. Courtesy New York Tribune. The Hope of the Nation Courtesy New York American. GREATER NEW YORK BABY WEEK 21 "One Better Baby Week every twelfthmonth is better than none at all. However, we really ought to have fifty-two Better Baby Weeks a year. It would be one of the best things that could happen to New York." — "New York Globe," June 20, 1914. "The opening tomorrow of New York City's campaign for 'Better Babies' deserves attention in all quarters. Every resident of New York should come out of the campaign knowing something definite that will make child life healthier and happier, and resolved to see something done, how- ever small it may seem to be, to bring this purpose to fulfilment." — "New York Herald," June 20, 1914. "The sentimentalists and the efficiency economists can shake hands over the Greater New York Baby Week to begin June 20. . . . By such active dissemi- nation of good health doctrine the rate of infant mortality has been reduced in six years from 144 to 102 per 1,000 births. If there is anything of which the city has a right to feel prouder we do not know what it is." — "New York Tribune," June 16, 1914. "The real significance of 'Babies' Week' which ended with the big Brooklyn outing at Coney Island, lay in the remark of Health Commissioner Goldwater in accepting the Luna Park MiUc Station for the city. He said that that gift was typical of the interest shown in the work for children in many parts of the city and that never before had the Health Department received any such effective co-operation from citizens as this year." — "Brooklyn Eagle," June 27, 1914. "It does the soul of an optimist good to read what went on in the Milk Stations ail over this great city yesterday and what will be done in the hospitals and dispensaries today for the health of babies and sick children. . . . This observance of Baby Week at the beginning of the hot season puts emphasis at the right time upon some of the most needed work which the city is doing, and work that it is doing well." — "Brooklyn Eagle," June 24, 1914. "The whole move is in accordance with the wise policy of pre- vention being the better cure. . The best outcome of the week in New York will lie in the arousing of public interest. That need not be delayed for the formality of a Baby Week in New York. Wherever there is a baby some- body should be seeing that it is getting the right kind of care." — New Bedford, Mass., "Standard," June 26, 1914. "Something that ought to convince itself to every person in that Greater City is the educational campaign the coming week to reduce the infant mortality in New York. Many other cities would do well to inaugurate such a campaign as this as inestimable good would result from it." — Taunton, Mass., "Herald News," June 23, 1914. "No city could wish publicity of a better kind than that which surely will attend the Better Baby Week just opened. ... In advance it may unhesitatingly be said that New York Better Baby Week steered by a Better Baby Commission will be a big success." — "Newark News," June 23, 1914- HOW THE BUSINESS MEN HELPED The real pvirpose of Baby Week was to enlist the support of two doughty allies: 1. The business men of the city whose moral and financial support is absolutely necessary if infant welfare work is to be continued upon any extensive basis. 2. The mothers of the city who in the last analysis must do the actual work of baby saving. Business men were represented by several of the leading business and civic organizations of the city, such as: Chamber of Commerce. The Merchants' Association. Advertising Men's League. Allied Board of Trade and Taxpayers' Association. New York Board of Trade and Transportation. Greater New York Taxpayers' Conference. Queens County Board of Trade. Long Island City Business Men's Association. Everjrwhere it was made plain that a low infant death rate is a dis- tinct asset to any community, and business men were asked to help make New York the safest city in the country for a baby to be born in. Early in the week a special letter was sent to all the leading de- partment stores, large advertisers and makers of baby specialties, as follows: Dear Sir: The week of June 20th has been set aside by Mayor Mitchel, as already announced by the press, as Baby Week, when a concerted movement will be made through- out the Greater City to instruct mothers how to care for their babies and to stimulate public interest in this great cause. The slogan of the movement is: ''Better Babies: Better Mothers: Better City." The newspapers will give the movement their hearti- 22 Greater New York BABY WEEK BETTER BABIES JUNE 20-26, 1914 BETTER MOTHERS BETTER CITY CLEAN-UP WEEK was to inake your luom; ^urro^llldblgH a better place for your baby to live in. BABY WEEK is to arouse in every one agre:iler inter.t!st in the work of saving New York's babies. TtilNGS EVERY MOTHER SHOULD DO Nurse her own baby, unless the doctor advises otherwise. Avoid weaning the baby during the hot weather. Use only Grade A bottled milk, prepared under the doctor's direction, if unable to nurse the baby. Keep the baby's milk on ice, and in a clean place, until ready for feeding. Give the baby plenty of clean, cool water to drink. Keep everything out of the- baby's mouth but its food. Keep the baby's bottle clean by washing it in bailing water before using. Protect the home and babies from flies. Keep the baby in the fresh air. Keep the baby clean and on hot days t,''ve it cdd sponge bathe. Dress the baby in light, loose clothing. Keep the baby in a quiet place, and away from excit ment. Have the baby sleep alone. Keep the bright sunlight out of baby's eyes. Have the baby weighed every week. Send for a doctor at once if the baby shows any sign of sickness. 1914 ,26-20 ^:r .titjDc >nycj,-i; w — cr'c ny^cyny ]y7i:i?s ]v-\]!cv2 K c'T lyK "iiE n;{'i« .isrc rpsi nj,'t:iD VfV csr, ]y:^i .lyr^E n: 'a"3 '-: pk t'ln dsi lyx'K'ya msi n ud'm itftDptfT nyi tk jyi"b ,'2"3 tr^-'tt lyj'it ^nsT lyti'siioi-N :vo yD'\-! pN P« .P"> ''-'"- "' \vo'?»n tnsT m .^y-'<^■5 ytv yos"? px '2": '- pfna;*? niST 't p''S PE D'Mi ,!'{!''£ lyvni- K p!< ':'•; 'i \vv>':'ifr\ tnsi m .jjijyiD'iK .p'''« ]v-t}-c> ^tft '.:'>:! ■'T tynyi msT n .ivrix D''3"3 '1 IV t:D'''';jJ;ir v':'V-:- lyr^^x o': n-»T n .■isjv, y-y '2''2 '1 ;y:yr,2i# tnsi m 03"V '2"3 'T 3'IN .IStiPtJ-: !< ^fj: lyp'L^ T'^J IISI M .D"rp:8ip iiE D';t;D t'K oy y3?yii D-iyijs t!J~u VD'M M pK '3"a 'T tv^'ivntojs li' iy;"OD'i!< f.iKi » .lyiyos^r. PK t5oip D8fv, ,T"2 (*) ■"« i»"3 t'T'^ jy^'niy;- msi • 3'i« ,j;ii"t;:i$ D'lfjt^psfi oyi 'itj; D3ny;iv .cs^d n .';"3 '- lyz'ir u'j lyp 't DVr'T K PK pK T"K II'IN ^?'0 D''3"3 n IVUSSH enjjn « .'^''^ ^y^ ty:yj dijt ensi ivo r'a rs^E ■lypjnc Div ".yosn ?nv ,pn jijya '3"3 nyi lyay: n-.»T » lyoMK ?'io pK ^(?r p'p lyo^sn '2"3 n |yi{j> D': engi » .Tests' PK DV lytj-sn Tin pn b's^d d''3"3 n lytit'sn tnsT » .oy CD'nnyj n nyT'K lyosii oyrDij? SETTIMANA DEI BAMBINI GIUGNO 20-26, 1914 MIGLIORI BIMBI, MIGLIORI MAORI. MIGLIORI CITTA U setiimana di pulizia generals della Citii ama per scopo di rendera Tambienfe della rostra casa piil favorevole alia vita del vostri bambini. La settimana dei bambini I inlesa al line di eccitare nel pubblico un piii vivo interesse all'opera di priservazlone del bambini di Niw Toric. QUELLO CHE OGNI MADRE DOVREBBE COMPIERE Allattare 11 proprio bambino a meno che il medico non sia di parere contrario : Non svezzare il bambino durante la stagione calda: Se incapace d'allattare essa stessa il figlio, usare -oltanto latte in bottiglia del Grado A, preparato secondo le prescrizioni del medico: Mantenere in ghiuccio ed in luogo pulito il latte desti- nato al bambino sino al' momento della nutrizione: Far here al bambino acqua pura e fresca in quantita abbondante : Impedire I'introduzione nella bocca del bambino di qualsiasi oggetto estraneo all'infuori dei cibi: Mantenere pulita la Ijottiglia mediante lavaggio in acqua c.ilda prima dell'uso: Preservare la casa e i bambini dalle mosche : Far respirare al bambino aria pura: Mantenere pulito il corpo del bambino e nei giotn caldi lavarlo con spugna imbevuta in acqua fredda Fare indossare al bambino indumenti, leggeri e non aderenti al corpo : Tenere il bambino in luogo tranquillo ed evitargli ogni commozione : Farlo dormire in letto solo: Evitare agli occhi del fanciullo i taggi diretti di sole Pesare il bambino ogni settimana: Chiamate subito il medico appena il bambino mostra indi/i di malattia. 3038, '14. l.OOO.OOn 'f) One Million of the Above Circular were Distributed during Baby Week. GREATER NEW YORK BABY WEEK 23 est support. In our posters and placards we say: "The Newspapers Tell the Story." This means that papers will be read with unusual care by the pubUc in general, especially such matter which leads ofiE with mention of Baby Week. A million Baby Week leaflets will be distributed by school children. Motion picture houses and producers are co-operat- ing. Billboard space, illuminated streets signs both in Manhattan and in Brooklyn, as well as poster space in the elevated and subway stations, have all been do- nated by different firms interested in the cause. The churches and synagogues of the city are to give their endorsement on Baby Sabbath, June 20-21. We trust that you will see the opportunity to take note of this great awakening campaign in your adver- tising. There will be special features for each day in the week — Monday, Little Mothers' Day; Tuesday, Milk Station Day; Wednesday, Hospital and Clinic Day; Thursday, Demonstration Day and Nursery Day, including a grand automobile outing of mothers and babies in all boroughs with special addresses and exercises in the park, to be featured by the "Movies"; Friday, June 26th, Park and Outing Day. When you realize that "more than 10,000 babies under two years of age in Greater New York who are healthy will be dead before the close of the year, largely from preventable causes," you will realize that this movement is tremendously economic as well as human- itarian. Very truly yours, (Signed) 'M. M. Gillam, Chairman, Publicity Committee. In addition department stores were asked to distribute to their women patrons special educational slips in all packages containing infant wear. The response was immediate. Special Baby Week advertising was run by twenty concerns. Many of the department stores offered special Baby Week attractions. One Brooklyn concern gave a course of lectures during the week. A Harlem department store had a trained nurse in their infant department and a special Baby Week window. Another store exhibited a model Milk Station in their win- 24 HOW THE BUSINESS MEN HELPED dow, and the leading department stores and drug stores distributed educational literature in all packages containing infant supplies. At the end of the week one of the advertising men on a leading daily said: "Advertisers everywhere are falling in line. IVIany of those who held back and expressed skepticism are sorry now that they did not take advantage of this tremendous opportunity." To the business firms of the city must be attributed no small credit for the week's success. Hundreds of dollars' worth of printing and free advertising including large billboard posters and iEimiinated signs were donated by concerns, large and small. At the end of the week letters of acknowledgment were sent to over loo concerns who had donated their services. Not only did the ready and generous co-operation of the business men attest to the very real demand there is throughout the city for Better Babies, but every donor meant an added baby's friend. HOW PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS HELPED While it is true that without the help of the newspapers and the business men there could have been no Baby Week, it is equally true that this campaign would have been a failure had not the private social service agencies, particularly those doing infant welfare work, responded unanimously to the Mayor's appeal and borne a large share of the actual work. Representatives of the leading organizations of this class served actively on all the committees and several organiza- tions gave the time of members of their staffs to the detail work. Some of these societies even advanced money for immediate expenses pending the action of the Mayor's Finance Committee. Through the Central Office of The Babies' Welfare Association, which is a clearing-house federation of the infant welfare agencies of the city, a survey of the needs of the private field was obtained and used as the basis of publicity during the week. The entire time of the Central Office force of this Association was devoted to the work of Baby Week. Many of the private agencies, at the suggestion of the Mayor's Committee, added to the general publicity by sending out special appeals for funds during the week. In turn these agencies benefited by the week's publicity both directly and indirectly. Each agency opened its doors to the visiting committees on the special day on which its work was featured. Special exercises were also held by many societies. Altogether the campaign resulted in a spirit of close co-operation among the private agencies and between those agencies and the city departments. 25 HOW THE CITY DEPARTMENTS HELPED In the last analysis any thoroughly successful Baby Week cam- paign must find in the city government leadership and moral support. It is a municipal movement and must be recognized as such. New York recognized this in looking to the Mayor for the initiation of the movement. Once the Mayor had organized the Baby Week Committee, how- ever, and provided its headquarters, the brunt of the official side of the work fell upon the Health Department. The Health Commis- sioner, as first Honorary Vice-president, presided at the organization meeting of the Executive Committee, and offered the services of such members of his staff as were needed. During the period of preparation and the week itself the Deputy Health Commissioner, the chiefs of the Divisions of Child Hygiene and Public Health, the borough chiefs of the Division of Child Hygiene and many subordinates gave most of their time to aiding in organizing the campaign in the various parts of the city and directing the carrying out of many features of the pro- gram. A large part of the expense of printing posters and dodgers was borne by the Health Department. But while the Health Department is naturally most concerned in a movement of this kind, there are several other branches of the city government which can properly be co-ordinated. Such official co- operation was heartily accorded in New York during Baby Week. The Board of Education allowed the distribution of educational literature through the schools and granted the use of many of the buildings for special mothers' meetings during the week. The Park Department removed park lawn restrictions for the benefit of mothers and babies on Outing Day. The Police Department officered the Baby Parade and the day excursions. The Department of Docks and Ferries gave free use of the ferries to mothers and babies between certain hours each day during Baby Week and gave dock facilities for the water excursions. " The Tenement House Department gave the use of its inspectors to distribute literature. Nearly all the departments donated the use of their city auto- mobiles for the Baby Parade. 26 THE COST After reading the elaborate details of the Baby Week celebration, as carried on in New York City, the natural inference would be that the cost must have been enormous. It is surprising to note, therefore, that the actual cash outlay of the Baby Week Committee was only about $650. This expense was assumed by a Finance Committee composed of three prominent business men appointed by the Mayor. It is estimated that an advertising campaign of this scope con- ducted on a purely commercial basis would have cost not less than $200,000. This does not take into account the buses, automobiles, steamboats, and other free contributions. The Baby Week Com- mittee, in its appeal to business men, sought to place these contribu- tions in the Hght of an investment rather than of a donation — an investment which, by advertising and promoting the public health of the community, could not fail to react in favor of the community's business. The prompt response of the business men proves that they regarded their share in the week's work in this practical light. The success of Baby Week is a striking demonstration of what can be ac- complished when the social forces and the business interests of a city are allied for the common good. 27 PUBLICATIONS * First Annual Report of the New York Milk Committee, 1907. * Second Annual Report of the New York Milk Committee, 1908. * Third Annual Report of the New York Milk Committee, 1909. * Fourth Annual Report of the New York Milk Committee, 1910. Fifth Annual Report of the New York Milk Committee, 1911. Sixth Annual Report of the New York Milk Committee, 191 2. Seventh Annual Report of the New York Milk Committee, 1913- * Bovine Tuberculosis in New York State. 1907. * How TO Establish and Maintain Infants' Milk Depots. 1908. * Infants' Milk Depots and Their Relation to Infant Mortal- ity. 1909. Proceedings Conference on Milk Problems. Under the auspices of the New York Milk Committee, at New York City, Dec. 2d and 3d, 1910. *Milk: Its Value and Care in the Home. 1911. * Diet Lists for Children. 1911. Infant Mortality and Milk Stations. Special report dealing with the problem of reducing infant mor- tality. Work carried on in ten largest cities of the United States together with details of a demonstration by public and private agencies in New York City during 19 11 to determine the value of milk station work as a practical means of reducing infant mortality. 191 2. Report of the National Commission on Milk Standards Ap- pointed BY the New York Milk Committee. A summary of the recommendations agreed upon by the com- mission after an exhaustive study of every phase of the milk problem. Published and circulated by the U. S. Public Health and Marine Hospital Service, Washington, D. C. Original re- port published May, 191 2, and revised edition August, 19 13. IN PREPARATION Report on Prenatal Experiment. A comprehensive report of a demonstration conducted by the New York Milk Committee to determine the value of instruction of expectant mothers as a means of reducing infant mortality. Report on Health Center Experiment. Conducted by the New York Milk Committee to demonstrate that the milk station should be developed into an agency for dealing with the health of the entire family. *Out of print. >».* :>■•> COURTESY NEW YORK PRESS CO. I've had a Bully Time! COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES This book is due on the date indicated below, or at the expiration of a definite period after the date of borrowing as provided by the rules of the Library or by special arrange- ment with the Librarian in charge. DATE BORROWED DATE DUE DATE BORROWED DATE DUE C2a(ll4l)Mt00