44
PROTECTION OF MATERNITY.
lieve that a change of this system that we now have from private
to public control will give you any less infant mortality, but it would
tend to a greater infant mortality, because you will have a system
that has not worked efficiently in other matters, to take the place
of a system that has made America what she is.
Now, in this report that I stated was defeated this year, a few in
teresting things are worthy of your attention. One is the question
naire of the physician, and"the other is the questionnaire of the social
welfare societies. The point is this, that those physicians who replied
were overwhelmingly against each of the questions put up to them,
and these social welfare societies were in a majority in opposition, and
these societies, you will have an idea as to their character, if I shall
simply name some of them, and they were the Worcester Society for
District Nursing, the Associated Charities of Worcester, the Instruc
tive District Nursing Association of Boston, the Brockton Visiting
Nurse Association, the Lowell Guild of District Nursing and Baby
Hygiene, the Lowell Social Service League, the Boston Provident
Association, the Boston Children’s Friend Society, the Newton Dis
trict Nursing Association, the Visiting Nurse Association of Spring-
field, the Associated Charities of Boston and the Children’s Home
Association of Hampshire County.
Senator Phipps. Is that volume of the report made on this particu
lar resolution ?
Mr. Burnstead. That is all the report that they made.
Senator Phipps. I want to know, is it summarized in any place so
that we could get a brief abstract of it ?
Mr. Burnstead. There are some summaries at the back and tabu
lations.
Senator Shortridge. What is the publication ?
Mr. Burnstead. That is the State commission report of Massa
chusetts.
Senator Shortridge. And what is it you wish to add in regard to
these societies ?
Mr. Burnstead. The answers of those societies are to the various
questions appearing here, are 5 yes, 6 no; 4 yes, six no; 3 yes, 8 no;
2 yes and 9 no.
Senator Phipps. In order to make that intelligent we will have to
know what the questions were.
Mr. Burnstead. These answers were based upon 7,402 births during
the year ending August 31, 1920, which were cared for by these socie
ties. In answer to the question “Was there in any of these instances
a failure of proper maternity care during confinement ? ” 5, represent
ing 6,477 cases; 6, representing 925 cases said no. In answer to the
question “Was there any instance in which the mother was obliged
through poverty to get up and be about sooner than the physician
would ordinarily advise?” 4, representing 5,763 cases said yesj 6,
representing 1,639 cases said no. In answer to the question “Were
there cases where definite impairment of health occurred, either of
mother or child, because of lack of proper care, before, during or im
mediately after confinement?” 3, representing 5,289 cases said ves;
8 representing 1,426 cases said no. In answer to the question “Was
there any instance where failure of prenatal advice and instruction
resulted in danger to the health of mother or child?” 2, representing
5,041 cases said yes, 9 representing 1,674, cases said no. In answer