DISCUSSES DECLINE OF INFANT DEATH RATE

Dr. R. M. Smith '07, associate professor at the Harvard Medical School, gave the first of the series of free public lectures at the school on the afternoon of Sunday, January 4.

Emphasizing the fact that the infant mortality rate in a community is the most sensitive index to its social and economic development, he contrasted the conditions existing 20 years ago with those of today. At that time an infant mortality rate of 100 out of every 1000 was considered reasonable. While now nearly 70 babies of every 1000 born in Boston die before their first birthday, the mortality rate for the first year being in the state of Massachusetts, 64.7, and in the United States, 67.3.

Half of these early deaths-Dr. Smith attributes to circumstances surrounding the first months of life, and to prenatal conditions; taking the country as a whole, he said that the latter stands as the chief cause of infant mortality, pneumonia the second, and congenital causes the third.

The most important factor in improving an infant's chances for surviving the perils of its first few weeks of life is the care that the mother gives it, according to Dr. Smith. Other causes are diminished in their effect if it has intelligent care, while unwise material attention gives them all the more opportunity.