BABIES' DISPENSARY AND HOSPITAL, CLEVELAND 



AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR STUDY AND PREVENTION 



OF INFANT MORTALITY 



AFFILIATED SOCIETIES 



REPORTS 



BABIES' DISPENSARY AND HOSPITAL,, 



The work of the past year has been characterized by an extension 

 of the branch dispensary system; a campaign of education for the re- 

 duction of infant mortality, especially emphasized during the sum- 

 men months ; a serious attempt at the solution of our milk problem, 

 and a gradual growth of the dispensary in all of its departments. Our 

 problems have had to do largely with the details of everyday dis- 

 pensary life, rather than with fundamental policies. The brunt of 

 the details has fallen upon the physicians in the dispensary and upon 

 the Superintendent of Nurses, with her corps of hardworking, 

 painstaking nurses. 



The growth in the Central Dispensary has been paralleled by 

 growth and interest in the Branches. Last summer, following the 

 general plan of the summer before, two additional Branch Dispen- 

 saries were opened, making a total of six branches. Here, of course, 

 the work was largely prophylactic. Consultations between physi- 

 cians, nurses, mothers and older children became a prominent part 

 of the plan. While the attendance at some of the branches was not 

 as large as desired, it was nevertheless felt that the general scheme 

 was admirable to meet the needs of many mothers in districts too 

 far from the Central Dispensary and to attract those with well babies, 

 who simply needed intelligent direction and encouragement. It has 

 therefore been deemed best to continue the six branch dispenaries 

 throughout the year. 



During the summer months a municipal campaign for the reduc- 

 tion of infantile mortality was planned on broad, lines, attempting to 

 draw into co-operation all organizations interested in the welfare of 

 babies. The organization was effected with a Medical Director and 

 a corps of attending physicians and nurses for the Central and Branch 

 Dispensaries. An advisory committee constituted as follows gave 

 valuable counsel: (i) The Director of Public Health and Sanitation. 

 (2) Member of the Committee on Public Health and Sanitation of the 

 Cleveland Chamber of Commerce. (3) The Director of Schools. 

 (4) the Secretary of the Milk Commission. (5) A member from the 

 Medical Board of the Babies' Dispensary and Hospital. (6) A mem- 

 ber of the Women's Board. The Board of Education allowed the use 

 of a room in the Broadway and Kinsman Schools during the summer. 

 The Board of Health assisted in many ways to make the summer work 

 successful. Through its influence the services of four Visiting Nurses 

 were made possible. Perhaps the greatest problem last summer, as 

 all through the year, has been the milk. The Babies' Dispensary has 

 endeavored to control and distribute a clean, pure, tuberculosis-free 

 milk to as many needy babies as possible. This has been effected 

 through the co-operation of Messrs. Bellamy and! Ganderton at Bed- 

 ford, who have received every suggestion for bettering conditions at 

 the farm with favor, and have carried out many improvements during 

 the year. Milk has been distributed from the Central Dispensary and 



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