314 AFFILIATED SOCIETIES 



MARYLAND ASSOCIATION FOR STUDY AND PREVENTION OF 

 INFANT MORTALITY. 



The Maryland Association was formed in February, 1910, by the 

 federation of the Mother's Relief Society and the Babies' Milk Fund. 

 The work has been carried on under the direction of a joint com- 

 mittee of the two organizations. It has included advisory care of 

 the expectant mothers; obstetrical and nursing care; consultations for 

 mothers and babies, extending the advisory care throughout the period 

 of infancy; and the distribution of modified milk for the babies for 

 whom artificial feeding is necessary. The work is continued through- 

 out the year. Eight milk stations are operated, each of which is under 

 the charge of a trained nurse. The number of babies on the list dur- 

 ing the year was 1,200; the number receiving milk daily is 250. The 

 death rate among the dispensary babies has been less than half that 

 of the general mortality rate among babies in Baltimore City. The, 

 Association employs a physician; a superintendent and staff of six 

 trained nurses; and a social worker. During the summer months the 

 sick babies are sent to the Thomas Wilson Sanitarium for children 

 at Mt. Wilson, a short distance outside the city. 



History of the Milk Stations in Baltimore: In 1904 the Trustees 

 of the Thomas Wilson Sanitarium in order to increase the scope ol 

 the year for babies of Baltimore who could not go to Mt. Wilson, 

 established four milk stations in widely separated districts of the city. 

 The work of the first year was made possible largely through the 

 liberality of Mr. Jacob Epstein. During the second year the stations 

 were maintained by the Sanitarium. Afterwards in order to meet the 

 increasing demands at the stations, the Babies' Milk Fund Association 

 was duly incorporated and an appeal was made to the public of Balti- 

 more for support. The Sanitarium has continued to be the largest 

 contributor. 



From the beginning the milk used at the stations has been produced 

 at the Burnside Farm of Mr. S. M. Shoemaker, and modified and dis- 

 tributed to the several stations from the Walker-Gordon Laboratory. 

 A number of simple milk mixtures suitable for babies of various ages 

 are used, but it is clearly understood that other formulae can be 

 ordered by physicians at their discretion. A uniform charge of ten 

 cents a day for all mixtures has been charged, but no child is refused 

 the milk because of the inability of its parents to pay. All the babies 

 are sent to the stations by their physicians or from the medical dis- 

 pensaries of the city. From the outset the milk has been dispensed 

 by trained nurses who spend the greater part of the day in visiting 

 the homes of the babies and in giving instruction to their mothers. 

 This has been done under the direction of the Superintendent, Miss 

 A. M. French. 



History of the Mother's Relief Society: The Mother's Relief So- 

 ciety was organized in the early nineties as the Mother's Branch of 

 the Young Women's Christian Association. The objects of the asso- 

 ciation are: 



To secure for needy, deserving women in confinement skilled care 

 as a substitute for the attention of the ignorant midwife. 



To provide a caretaker for the confinement period. 



To furnish clothing for the baby, gowns for the mother, and bed 

 clothing in cases needing these supplies. 



* The aim of the society has been to aid without pauperizing. In 

 addition to the work of investigation of special cases Miss Alice H. 



