AFFILIATED SOCIETIES 315 



Small, the social worker of the Society, has made an investigation of 

 the practice of midwives in Baltimore, as well as a study of birth 

 registration. 



Consultations and Classes for Mothers: Consultations and Mothers 

 meetings have been held by Dr. Henrietta M. Thomas, the Associa- 

 tion's physician, at the various stations. At these meetings topics 

 pertaining to the feeding, clothing and general hygiene of the baby 

 are systematically considered. The great value of maternal nursing 

 is always emphasized. 



Study Classes:. During the winter of 1909-1910, a study class was 

 conducted by Dr. Mary Sherwood. The class was composed of mem- 

 bers of the board of managers, physicians, nurses and social workers. 

 The meetings were held in the office of the American Association for 

 Study and Prevention of Infant Mortality. The topics included: 



I. 'General statement of the facts of preventable infant mortality 

 and its contributing causes. 



II. Maternal Nursing and Substitute Feeding. 



III. Milk Production. 



IV. Birth Registration. 



V. Flies as Disease Carriers. 



MARYLAND SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF BLINDNESS 



This Society has given talks on the prevention of blindness before 

 two of the Mothers' Meetings, the Social Service Club, the Parents 

 and Teachers Club, the Settlement Association, the Hebrew Friendly 

 Inn, two meetings of the Eastern Branch of the Young Women's 

 Christian Association, at the Social Worker's Hall before the Fed- 

 erated Blind Men's and Woman's Clubs of Baltimore, and at its 

 own public meeting at the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty in March, 

 1910. 



About four thousand leaflets on the Prevention of Blindness, 

 especially in infants have been distributed. 



Two thousand and thirty-seven letters have been sent to the physi- 

 cians throughout the State to enlist their co-operation. About nine 

 hundred answers were received and pledges given to use a prophylaxis 

 in infants eyes at birth. 



Sixty-one letters were sent to the hospitals throughout the state 

 inquiring how far they could co-operate in the care of mothers and 

 infants at birth, and the later care of eye cases. 



This Society sent a delegation to Annapolis and assisted in obtain- 

 ing the Governor's signature to the Mid-wifery Bill passed in the 

 Legislature in the session of 1910. 



This Society's efforts at present are to organize the teaching of 

 midwives in Baltimore, and to bring the- prevention of blindness in 

 industries before the Labor Unions. 



METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE CO., INDUSTRIAL DEPARTMENT, 



New York; City 



In 1909 the Company established a visiting nurse service for sick 

 policy holders. The service is carried on in over sixty-four cities- 

 One of its features is the right of the policy holder to call for the 

 nurse in maternity cases. This enables the expectant mother to 

 receive advisory care before confinement, and if advisable, the nurse 

 continues her instruction of the mother afterwards. 



