HASTINGS H. HART, LL. D. 59 



Reports were received from 22 institutions,, most of them cov- 

 ering a series of years, showing the following facts : 



Total number of infants under 2 years of age received. . . 56,451 



Number of deaths reported 22,743 



Ratio of deaths, per cent ' 40.3 



The following is a statement of the death rate reported : 

 Institutions. Death Rate. 



6 Under 30 per cent. 



6 Between 30 and 40 per cent. 



3 Between 40 and 50 per cent. 



3 Between 50 and 60 per cent. 



2 Between 60 and 70 per cent. 



2 Above 70 per cent. 



It is a common impression that the death rate in institutions 

 has been greatly diminished in recent years, owing to the im- 

 proved methods of care and feeding. 



A summary of the reports received for the last year show 7,326 

 infants under 2 years of age, of whom 2,677 were reported to 

 have died, an average of 36.5 per cent., which is only 4 per cent, 

 less than the average for the series of preceding years. 



The point of view of some of those who are in charge of insti- 

 tutions of this class is illustrated by the following facts: 



In the printed report of a prominent home for the care of 

 infants occurs the following statement: After referring to a 

 change of practice, whereby nursing infants were placed on 

 board in private families, instead of being kept together in the 

 institution, the report says: 'The mortality has been reduced 

 from about 100 per cent, to about 34 per cent." A later report 

 of the same institution shows a further reduction to less than 20 

 per cent. 



The physician in charge of an institution where the practice 

 of boarding out children in family homes has prevailed during 

 recent years said: "During my period of observation, covering 

 more than a year, every motherless infant under the age of 1 

 year admitted to the institution died before reaching the age of 2 

 years." 



The superintendent of an asylum for infants sent the follow- 

 ing report: "I send you the infant statistics required. During 

 the past 20 years the death rate among the children 2 years and. 

 under was 75 per cent." 



The preliminary inquiry above referred to revealed the fact 

 that accurate information with reference to the mortality of 

 infants under the care of philanthropic institutions and agencies 

 is very greatly needed as a basis for the efforts of such organiza- 



