Keeler-Bailey Family, 1828-1928

Babies Form an Asset:

Danbury's March 4-11 Campaign Expects to Produce Good Results.

(Contributed by Local Baby Week Committee.)

There were 459 babies born in Danbury in 1915, of these fifty died. It is hoped that the Baby Week campaign will result in the dissemination of knowledge that will preserve and prolong the lives of all the babies born in 1916.

Hartford is among the cities that feel the need of the Baby Week campaign and is pressing the work along. One of the newspapers there says:

``Out of 368 children that died in Hartford last year, 195 were less than a year old. Seventy died of premature birth. There are also figures showing that 113 children died of diarrhea and forty-three of general debility. Perhaps all those that died of premature birth might have been saved if the mothers had been properly instructed during pregnancy, and it is also probable that half the number of deaths resulting from diarrhea and general debility could have been prevented if mothers had known how to feed the children properly. Hartford authorities say that at least 156 of the children that died last year could have been saved by educating mothers in child welfare.

``About 20 per cent. of all the deaths occur among children under one year.''

    Certainly if efficient advice and pertinent illustrations have any effect much good will be accomplished in Danbury.

    Those who peruse the newspapers find them all alive with articles pertaining to the nation-wide project in which Danbury has a part. The week of March 4-11, inclusive, will certainly give to the little strangers who come to gladden homes more importance than they ever have attained before. The visit of the stork will mean more, perhaps, than heretofore to some people for they will realise that much depends on the mother---in fact, on both parents--—in rearing a child, forming a life and molding a character. The treasure that comes out of the nowhere into the here will, mayhap, hereafter find this world a more goodly place than many other babies have found it.

    If anyone has too little time to read the lectures and illustrated talks to be given here will afford sources of much valuable and interesting information. Note books can be carried and the listeners thus carry home keeping records of much, if not all that ls said about child welfare, care of infants, and children, and the preparation of modified milk.

    Among the active workers aiding Dr. Penfield are: Mrs. \index{Rogers!Cephas} Cephas Rogers, secretary, representing the Boy Scouts and Monday club; Mrs. \index{Stevens!D. Frank} D. Frank Stevens, the Travelers'; Mrs. \index{Little, Andrew} Andrew Little, the Other club; Mrs. \index{Nowlan, Clarence} Clarence Nowlan, the Afternoon Musical society; Mrs. \index{Ives!J. Moss} J. Moss Ives, the Classics; Mrs. \index{Doran!Charles} Charles Doran, the Fortnightly; Mrs. \index{McLean, C. Stuart} C. Stuart McLean, The Club; Mrs. \index{Barber!E. B.} E. B. Barber, the Students' club; Mrs. \index{Loewe!Mathias} Mathias Loewe, the Literata; Mrs. \index{Woodruff!John} John Woodruff, the D. A. R.; Mrs. \index{Barnum!J. C.} J. C. Barnum, the Central W. C. T. U.; Mrs. \index{Darling!Lewis} Lewis Darling, the East Danbury W. C. T. U.; Mrs. \index{Patchen, Arthur} Arthur Patchen, the Mill Plain W. C. T. U. Dr. Penfield has charge of the birth registration and fraternal organizations; Miss \index{Mackey, Isabelle} Isabelle Mackey, posters; Mrs. \index{McCarthy, John} John McCarthy, Nurses Association; Dr. \index{Keeler!Annie} Annie Keeler, graduate nurses; Mrs. \index{Collins!Matilda} Matilda Collins, school nursing; Miss \index{Brennan!Anna} Anna Brennan, Visiting Nurse Association; Mrs. \index{Loewe!Mathias} Mathias Loewe and Mrs. \index{Stone, William} William Stone, Baby Sunday; Mrs. \index{Perkins, J. C.} J. C. Perkins, Equal Franchise League; Mrs. \index{Stevens!D. Frank} D. Frank Stevens and Mrs. \index{McLean, C. Stuart} C. Stuart McLean, store displays; Miss \index{Sniffen, Lula M.} Lula M. Sniffen, press committee.

    Posters are being gotten out under the direction of Miss Isabelle Mackey, the school drawing instructor. They are the work of pupils in the local schools.

    Local merchants are entering with zest into co-operative work and the store windows and special stocks offered promise to excite much interest while promoting trade.

    The ministers and various local organizations are pushing the enterprise along and much interest is manifest in the homes of the city. People are rapidly coming to realise that it is not fad but fact; not fancy but force; not fiction but fate that ``thou shalt and thou shalt not, '' dealing with a human life and especially when that life. is an innocent baby given into the care of earthly mortals—--to have, to hold, to love. Yes, more than this, to direct, comfort, encourage, advise in the way it shall go.

    A Hartford paper further says:

"In New. York, by concentrated efforts along baby saving lines, the death rate has been cut down from approximately 110 to 90 for every thousand living births. It is believed that by educational methods the rate will cut down considerably in Hartford, also.

``The six principal points of the baby welfare compass are intelligent motherhood, clean milk, proper medical supervision, prenatal care, birth registration and clean homes.''

    A statement issued by the Hartford committee says:

"It is as essential for a mother to protect her baby by knowing what to do in case of an emergency as for a householder to know how to turn in a fire alarm in order to call out the fire department to save his house. There are enough agencies la existence to cover the field, but their use must be known