PROTECTION OF MATERNITY.
45
to the question ‘ ‘ Would a straight maternity benefit, paid by the Com
monwealth, be justified in your opinion based upon your experience,'
Z representing 927 cases, said yes; 7, representing 772 cases said no.
’ The Chairman. Are those questions as to whether or not they
are against this particular measure ?
Mr. Burnstead. Certain details of those problems of having
maternity provided to the general health measure
The Chairman. But that is your State bill?
Mr. Burnstead. Yes, sir; it is the State bill.
The Chairman. And has no reference to this.
Mr. Burnstead. Now, lastly, I would like to give you this informa
tion of some of the Massachusetts obstetricians. They are in printed
form, and a copy of the State bill in this form, and, furthermore, to
sav that the Massachusetts Civic Alliance——
The Chairman. The State bill is a short bill, and I think perhaps
you had better put it in the record. I think that ought to go into
the record, together with this information.
(Sections 1, 2, 4, and 7 of the Massachusetts maternity bill are
here printed in the record in full, as follows:)
AN ACT for the better protection of the life and health of mothers and infants.
Section 1. The department of public health is hereby authorized to provide advice,
instruction, and visiting nursing care to women during their pregnancy and con
finement. and to mothers and their infants after childbirth, regardless of their linan-
cial condition. ,
Sec. 2. Whenever it shall come to the attention of the department ot public health
that any such woman is in need of aid other than that provided for in section 1. it may
certify the fact, together with recommendations as to the care necessary, to the com
missioner of public welfare or to the authorities of the city or town in which the
mother or infant so certified is found in distress, and thereupon it shall be the duty
of the department of public welfare or the local authorities, as the case may be. to
provide such care; and no woman shall be deemed to be a pauper by reason of having
received such aid.
Sec. 4. The department of public health shall make and may alter, revise, or
amend all reasonable rules and regulations necessary to the execution of this act. and
no mother shall be eligible to the provisions of this act unless she shall comply with
the same.
Sec. 7. For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this act there may be
expended annually by the department of public health such sums as may be appro
priated by the general court.
Mr. Burnstead. My last matter of testimony, Mr. Chairman, is
regarding the protest of the physicians of Massachusetts to this report
and bill which I have in this tabulated form, and it contains the names
of 775 physicians of Massachusetts, with their addresses by street and
number, in 18 cities and counties throughput the State.
The Chairman. And they protested against this bill ?
Mr. Burnstead. They protested against that bill.
The Chairman. When you say “ that bill " do you mean the State
bill ?
Mr. Burnstead. I mean the bill that I have given you.
The Chairman. The State bill ?
Mr. Burnstead. The State bill. These physicians are prominent
physicians of the State.
Senator Phipps. Can you tell us how many physicians are regis
tered in the State of Massachusetts ?
