422 MEDICAL SECTION 



were permitted to deal with them. I refer to infantile 

 mortality and ophthalmia neonatorum. A great deal 

 has yet to be done in connection with these two 

 problems, but now that the Public Health Depart- 

 ment has authority to deal with them, we know that 

 they will gradually be solved just as we see other 

 problems are being gradually solved by them. But 

 you may say to us obstetricians, you should educate 

 the young mothers; you should tell them about the 

 dangers- they are liable to if they are not properly 

 looked after during pregnancy and parturition ; you 

 should print leaflets and circulate them ; you should 

 organize mothers' meetings and tell them what should 

 be done and when they should seek advice. Now I 

 ask you who are concerned with infantile mortality, and 

 you who are connected with the Public Health Depart- 

 ment of the State, if you have ever found much benefit 

 result from the circulation of leaflets ? Undoubtedly 

 they advertise the subject and the State is educated 

 up to dealing with the matters contained in these 

 leaflets, but until the Public Health Department 

 obtains authority to step in and deal with the parti- 

 cular problems very little advance is made. Take 

 the infectious fevers, tuberculosis, ophthalmia neona- 

 torum ; was there any appreciable progress made in 

 dealing with these matters until notifications of these 

 diseases was made compulsory ? 



We must have your help. We obstetricians must 

 have the assistance of those organizations which are 

 concerned with infantile mortality, and above all we 

 must have the assistance of the Public Health 

 Authorities. 



I have shown that there is a great number of 

 mothers and children lost, and that there is a great 

 number of mothers permanently injured and children 

 born handicapped as regards health, as a result of the 

 complications of pregnancy and parturition. I have 

 also indicated, and I trust convinced many, that this 



