132 ADMINISTRATIVE SECTION 



THP: PROBLEM OF THE INSTITUTIONAL 



INFANT. 



BY'HENRY L. K. SHAW, M.D. 



Albany. 



THE problem of the institutional infant is a most 

 complex one and unfortunately it is no nearer solution 

 than it was years ago. There are fifteen institutions in 

 New York State devoted exclusively to the care of 

 young infants. These institutions are required by law 

 to be regularly inspected by the State Board of Chari- 

 ties, with which are filed all reports of admissions, 

 deaths, and discharges. In 1902 there were 3,394 in- 

 fants admitted to these institutions, of which number 

 1,148 died, and in 1912 4,130 were admitted and 

 1,871 died under one year of age. The mortality in 

 ratio to the number of infants admitted has averaged 

 38 per cent, for the past ten years. The number of 

 deaths among infants in institutions, therefore, has 

 varied but little during the past ten years, while the 

 general infant mortality in New York State has been 

 materially reduced. For example, in the year 1904 

 the number of deaths under one year to 1,000 living 

 births was 151, or 15^0 per cent., while in 1912 

 there were 108 deaths under one year to 1,000 

 living births, or a mortality of 101% per cent. Out- 

 side of institutions a greater number of infants' lives 

 are being saved each year by improved methods of 

 feeding and caring for babies and by the instruction 

 of the mothers in matters of infant welfare. In 

 the institutions for infants, where the construction, 

 hygienic conditions, air space, milk supply, and 

 trained oversight are vastly better than in the 

 majority of homes, the mortality is approximately 

 four times as great and does not show any signs of 

 diminishing. A comparison of the number of deaths 

 among the home babies and the institutional babies 



