Infant mortality.
The study of Infant Mortality is now engrossing the thought and attention of many earnest men and women. It is most difficult to get vital statistics from any non-Christian lands in order to give comparative tables. In comparing the mortality statistics of the United States for 1890 and 1909 we find marked improvement in the “opportunity for life and health” granted to American children. If George B. Mangold is right in saying that “the infant and child mortality of a people is a barometer of their social progress,” then we have reason to believe that our land is making real advance in this respect.
In 1890 the total number of deaths of children under five years was 307,562; in 1909 the total number of deaths of children under five years was 196,534.
From the first mortality table of the principal cities of the world in 1912 that has been made public we learn that—
| Stockholm | has | 82 | deaths | per | 1,000 | births. |
| London | „ | 90 | „ | „ | „ | „ |
| New York | „ | 105 | „ | „ | „ | „ |
Contrast with these figures the following, based upon careful study and research by high authorities:—
“It is by no means improbable that more than half the whole number of Chinese children die before they are two years old.” (Arthur H. Smith.)
In Syria the infant mortality is 75% of the births.
In Persia the infant mortality is 85% of the births.
At a meeting of the National Association for the Prevention of Infant Mortality in Great Britain, the Right Honorable John Burns, P. C., M. P., speaking on “Infant Life Protection” gave many interesting facts and figures to show how infant mortality is being decreased in Great Britain through scientific and systematic efforts along many lines. One sentence is significant: