SHERMAN C. KINGSLEY 71 



agency that was enlisted in the crusade. The baby register grew. 

 A little steel marker flag was put on each card bearing the name 

 of a sick baby. Thus the sick baby situation was flagged. This 

 was an advance. Heretofore the only time that any kind of 

 thing was placed or hung for the baby was to hang some crepe 

 or other emblem on the door after he was dead. The whole 

 movement helped to exalt the baby and that means exalting 

 citizenship. Then, too, through that beautiful foundation, the 

 Elizabeth McCormick Memorial Fund, the United Charities of 

 Chicago, was again able to let down in the very midst of the 

 thickest baby death districts fresh air stations 10 tents located 

 on roofs or in yards were operated double the number of last 

 year. Here about 2,000 of the sickest babies in Chicago came 

 and received the most skilful and loving care that the big heart 

 of big-hearted Chicago could afford. 



The nursing service was obtained through the Visiting Nurse 

 Association, and had the benefit of the skill and devotion and 

 efficiency of that splendid organization. The medical service 

 was generously given by members of the Pediatric Society, Dr. 

 F. W. Allin in general charge; then from the Health Depart- 

 ment, in addition to supplying the field nurses, there emanated 

 a campaign of education it came through the bulletin of the 

 department, through lectures, churches, through phonographs 

 and films in 5-cent theaters. The department also carried on a 

 fight for all the babies and all the people in its vigorous efforts 

 for a better milk supply. 



So the campaign went on, and when the heat of an unusually 

 hot summer had passed it was found that in the wards where 

 the campaign was centered the congested wards, of course 

 the death rate over the previous August had declined 6 per cent, 

 in the wards where we had worked. In the well-to-do wards, 

 where we had not worked, it had increased 44 per cent, for the 

 same period. 



This work for the baby drives straight at the heart of our 

 social troubles. The Infant Welfare movement relates itself to 

 general social work as the baby is related to the general popu- 

 lation. He grows into the population and makes either our 

 effective citizenship or our social problems. The place to do 

 telling effective work is with the children and with the children 

 when they are babies. 



DISCUSSION 



Miss Carolyn C. Van Blarcom, Executive Secretary of the Com- 

 mittee on Prevention of Blindness of the New York Association for 

 the Blind: In Mr. Kingsley's story of the short life of one baby in 

 Chicago, he mentioned the fact that this baby was attended by a 

 midwife. He also stated that about 50 per cent, of the births in Chi- 



