48 
PROTECTION OF MATERNITY. 
Dr. Hill. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I have no elaborate notes 
or manuscript to read you, but I merely am here in my interest in the 
subject. 1 want to say briefly what the views of the "en era! run of 
the profession with whom I come in contact are. In the first place, 
the medical profession is always alert and always on the lookout for 
anything looking toward the advancement of the citizens, especially 
on the maternity question. We look to the foresters to make our 
forests, and we look to our stock men to protect our stock, and we 
think that it is necessary to look to the doctors for the protection of 
the children born into the community. 
Now, how can this be accomplished is a very important matter to 
discuss. I believe briefly that this can best be done by the States 
individually. We believe that it can be best done by the voluntary 
associations, with promptings from some bureau, if you choose, where 
information can be gathered, and statistics can be worked out and 
facts provided. 
Senator McKellar. But you do think that there is some need 
of some improvements, do you not? 
Dr. Hill. There is always need of improvement. The medical 
profession and all the social organizations and the philanthropic 
bodies are chiefly alive to the importance of this subject, and they 
are willing to give whatever assistance can be given, and we believe 
that these bodies are managing and handling this subject admirably. 
There are many of them, and they have innumerable names and 
titles throughout all of the States, and especially in our State, which 
has been for a long time regarded as the center of medical advance 
ment and learning. It would be very unfortunate, in my opinion, 
if this important measure should be made the football of politics. 
It should have no political aspect at all. In our social organizations 
and in the medical organizations we have no politics. There is no 
doubt that the social and the physical and the mental condition of 
the public should be improved. We get our information from the 
social hygiene committee, the committee on medical hygiene, and 
from the child labor services which are constantly working out this 
program, and the results of their labors are always before us. 
Now, this bill, even at its best, as far as I can see affords no pro 
tection. There is nothing in that but advice. Now, advice is not 
very easily taken. It is easily given but it is not so easily taken. 
It is very disagreeable at times, but a propaganda from an intelligent 
source, not a political source, but from an intelligent body of physi 
cians and from laymen and from philanthropists who are interested 
in this subject; any kind of a thing emanating from their hands, care 
fully and thoroughly considered and judiciously administered, would 
be read by the public. The public is very open to propaganda in 
matters of that kind. Some one starts the idea that bad teeth 
is the cause of all evil, and it gets into the newspapers, and we have 
the spectacle of people going around toothless but they are not 
cured. 
Senator Jones. The illustration which you give, Doctor, strikes 
me as being quite to the point with which we are dealing. Now, 
in your State of Maryland, perhaps you have your civic societies 
very well organized and these various matters pretty well looked 
after, but are you doing to-day in those States where that is not the 
case? As you have just indicated, isn’t it quite probable that there