By Johanna Goldberg, Information Services Librarian
When in the stacks recently, I came across two slim issues of “Better Babies: Infant Welfare and Race Progress,” one published in December 1921 and the other in April 1924.
While the title suggests an interest in eugenics, the two issues in our collection focus solely on ways to keep babies healthy, including articles on clothes for children, playgrounds and public health, the benefits of breast feeding, and disease prevention.
This last topic inspired the following list, published in the 1924 issue. As it is (coincidentally) Baby Safety Month, it seems appropriate to share it.
Which piece of advice is your favorite?
Books, Health and History 
The last line is brilliant, I assume it is ok to let people afflicted with illness other than TB take care of your child?! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you, great observation! That would seem to be the implication!
I wonder if either of your great grandmothers read either publication.
And if they did read them, did they follow the advice?
Spitting on hankies, a trauma many of us experienced in our youth. I don’t know what to think about your comment that it only seems eugenical, perhaps you mean only mildly reacting to the turn of the century immigrant “threat”?
We were referring to the title , which suggests an interest in eugenics, as it includes “race progress.” But the content of the two issues did not concern race.
Sorry about this but “taking the nipple in the mouth”!!! What? Whose mouth? The mother’s? This would be a nigh on impossible task. Should I assume that this refers to a bottle, not a breast?
Yes, it refers to a bottle.