466 '^he Philippine Journal of Science mi 



baby. These analyses of the finished product of food just before 

 administration show dangerous contamination in practically 

 every instance, and this has been found particularly true in 

 cases of children dying from gastro-intestinal disturbances. 



Other faulty methods which need not be discussed at length 

 here are the almost universal custom of feeding babies with 

 the greatest irregularity in time, quantity, and strength of food 

 administered. 



The remedy for these conditions, obviously, is education, both 

 by theoretical instruction and, best of all, by practical demon- 

 stration as may be seen in the wards and clinics of the hos- 

 pitals and La Gota de Leche, and, as has been recommended by 

 the Committee for the investigation of Infant Mortality, by 

 the establishment of nursery maids training schools and day 

 nurseries. 



The remedy controlling the character and quality of foodstuffs 

 employed, however, lies in the hands of the legislative body, 

 and in the opinion of the committee above referred to the ques- 

 tion should be treated by discriminating high import duty on 

 unsatisfactory milk compounds and by allowing free entry to 

 the better qualities. 



In order to solve the infant mortality question in this or any 

 other country, the first essential is to secure the influence of a 

 favorable and interested public opinion. 



The attitude of public opinion in health matters is a very 

 popular one, and even in older countries with more advanced 

 civilization it is only within recent years that conservation of 

 health has been of much interest to the general public. 



Public opinion is vitally active regarding the pecuniary in- 

 terests of a country, as exemplified in commercial activities and 

 improvements, and even in the health and protection of draft 

 animals and in the comfort and well-being and protection from 

 cruelty to domestic animals. 



However, with regard to the great vital question of the con- 

 servation of the health of its citizens and the saving and pro- 

 tection of the lives of infants, there exists a curious indifference 

 that only springs, periodically, into activity as the result of some 

 spectacular catastrophe, and dies down again with the restora- 

 tion of the usual equilibrium. 



The great Taal Volcano eruption destroyed some two thousand 

 lives and a great deal of property, and its results sent waves of 

 horror throughout the world. There are more lives uselessly 

 sacrificed to tuberculosis in the Philippine Islands every month 



