INFANT MORTALITY.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20789, 24 February 1933, Page 9

INFANT MORTALITY.

IMPORTANT DISCOVERY CLAIMED. fnou oux own eoß*E*po»]>x»'r.) SYDNEY, February 16. After, two years of research at the Baker Institute at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, Dr. W. J. Pcnfold, the director, of the institute, and Miss Kildred Butler., "Ms assistant, believe that . they have discovered an entirely new cause of infant mortality, due to still birth an,d post-natal disease. It is claimed, further, that these causes are preventable, leading to a- considerable reduction in tho rate of infantile mortality. The process of the research and the, conclusions reached will be revealed in a paper to be read at the Alfred Hospital before a number of prominent medical men and scientists on February 28. The work of Dr. Penfold and. Miss Butler opens a new field of medical enquiry, and one which is of considerable importance. It was inspired by the fact that, although there has been a rapid fall in infantile mortality in the first year after birth, deaths at the pre-natal and post-natal stage have not diminished. It was regarded as evident that unknown causes were at work:— causes that were not entirely due to physical reasons —causes that could be controlled. With this contention, ia vie* Dr. P«a£6ld «ad Jfiw B,utl*j jjfflr

mcnccd a bacleiiologkftl investfeattajjjL, <, upon internal organs. Tnia is kave revealed oac of ine cause* of fantile mortality not hitherto s *^^^S^li Investigations -were cfHtJnn«4- < *ft&Bßi£l l i?i view to protecting tuo infant nefiMrii; birth and during the dangerous few days after birth, when a ffflV&tfty number of deaths take place. When 'C 1 \ | child has survived .Jor 12 moutha Mg'jJi chances ol life ale* greatly and it is'to this period of the first HpfriV of life that so many other a i. have turned their attention from, 'tyREKV' I to'time. The wort of the Baker Mm* J"! [tuie is intended to lint up Tffefc already accepted methods for tW meat of very young children. 33fi<v Bwjr ■', < fold has been unwilling to laadtS mature revelation of doctors and others are awaiting the mßk p M ,| cial announeemsiits with a «*?** l f^B a *»d| of interest, '- ".'*w^ftj la' view of the work already by the jnstitutej it pa» conm tha i£L, shock to lean* that the plft?e_fflw:<tMJSf|K|.-t| down'almost immediately ©wing *• *w! v U I lack of funds. BentMh instiinsjtbas **£_*■] few and. far between in AitfiUsMia,' anjCEn the Baker Institute, which was fou^M*.^. * by Mr Thoma ß Baker, of Kodak *WfiL" .<i has done valuable work. It has ly specialised staff, but as its ifaSs, &$* ' , - dependent upon industrial anvftßtsaeaJf J it iB unable to carry on same waif Jr * J out of" the difficulty is found. Thw *£« ■: J\ integration of the staff will b*» blow to research work in ADstwHa.: [ .]f,