FORE WORD 
This "bulletin has "been prepared to fill a long felt 
need for unity in May Day publicity throughout the State of 
Texaso Realizing that many of the chairmen were too "busy or 
were not experienced in writing articles, the following pages 
were prepared for their convenience„ 
There is a model mayor’s proclamation, district and 
county news releases, general stories on child health problems, 
suggestions for window displays and other items. MAYOR'S PROCLAMATION 
Whereas, the president of the United States and the 
Governor of Texas have proclaimed the first day of May as May Day 
Child Health Day, and 
Whereas, May Day has become officially recognized as a 
part of the State and Community health, and 
Whereas, future greatness of our State and City is 
contingent upon the proper and wholesome development of our 
children; 
NOW, THEREFORE, I, 
Mayor of 
the City of 
, do hereby proclaim May 1, 1959, as 
May-Day-Child Health Day, as the first day of a week of public 
examination of our child health, development and welfare projects 
and urge everyone Interested in the development and welfare of 
children on this day to launch a week-long program to promote the 
development and needs of children. 
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have 
hereunto signed my name officially 
Mayor of DISTRICT RELEASE 
Dr. 
, director of Putlie Health District 
No. , has Just announced the appointment of 
as County Chairman of May Day-Child Health Day in 
County. 
, upon assuming this chairmanship has begun 
the work of organization and will name the Community Chairman within a 
very few days. The slogan this year is "IN THE HEALTH OF ITS 
CHILDREN LIES THE FUTURE OF TEXAS". 
Starting May first programs will be held in each section 
of the County, and it is expected that before the week is over 
sufficient interest will be arounsed so that the work of protecting 
the health of children in County will be carried 
on throughout the year. LOCAL RELEASES ON APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMEN 
, Upon accepting the May Day chairmanship. 
stated that the program of the week was being outlined„ The week 
will probably start on Sunday, April 50th, when the ministers will 
give special sermons on the problem of the child as a whole„ On May 
first, meetings will be held on the development problems of child- 
hood, and all meetings will be sponsored by the Parent-Teacher 
Associations„ Also, on the same day there will be a broadcast over 
the Texas State Network with the State Health Officer, State Superinten 
dent of Schools and the Governor of Texas taking part., Tuesday, there 
will be programs in all the schools; Wednesday will be Child Welfare 
Day; Thursday, there will be programs designated to show the need of 
organized public health service in the county; and Friday, the American 
Legion will sponsor Child Health Day- SUGGESTED ANGLE FOE MAY DAY PUBLICITY 
SUNDAY - APRIL 50; 
If your local pastors have agreed to preach sermons on the 
problems of the whole child, your newspaper church editor will be 
Interested to have the information, plus possibly several para- 
graphs explaining the tradition of May Day and the 1959 objectives. 
MONDAY - MAY 1: 
Your newspaper will want a story on the community child health 
meetings devoted to the developmental problems of childhood, spon- 
sored by the Parent-Teachers Association, Possibly you will have 
out of town speakers and authorities on child problems for these 
meetings, and you should arrange to have these persons Interviewed 
by the local paper on their arrival concerning related subjects of 
childhood These interviews would, of course, be in addition to the 
stories the papers would carry on the programs arranged for Monday, 
Also a special story on the broadcast from 2;50 to 5:00 o’clock 
Monday over the Texas State Network, with Governor W, Lee 0'Daniel, 
Dr Geo, W„ Cox, State Health Officer, L A, Woods, State Super- 
intendent of Education, and Mrsc Violet Greenhill, State Director 
of Child Welfare, taking part 
TUESDAY - MAY 2: 
Newspapers will want stories of programs in the various local 
schools, the State Department of Education cooperating with all 
schools in the State in the production of special programs on this 
day. 
WEDNESDAY - MAY 5: 
Child Welfare Day - Program in charge of Mrs, Violet Greenhill, 
Division of Child Welfare and Welfare Committees of the American 
Legion, Welfare agencies and organizations throughout the State are 
arranging programs and are holding open house for the public, and the 
newspapers will want stories, both straight news and feature on this 
occasion, This day presents an ideal opportunity for photographs and 
special stories on the work of these welfare institutions. THUESDAY - MAY k: 
Public Health Day--with stories on the avantages of public 
health units which are arranging demonstration programs to familiar- 
ize the public with what the units are doing to better the health of 
children. 
Special and regular news stories will suggest themselves to the 
various committee editors. 
FRIDAY - MAY 5: 
The Whole-Child Health Day, sponsored by the health committee 
of the American Legion. Programs are to be presented recapitulating 
the health factors entering the life of the child. To check up on 
health activities of the past years, local recreation agencies are 
also presenting programs on Friday. Newspaper stories will naturally 
present themselves with these two observances of May Day-Child Health 
Day. 
It is important that the local publicity chairmen consult early 
with the newspaper editors to secure editorial space and to plan, day 
by day, the series of stories so that the Newspapers can be assured 
of efficient cooperation with the various agencies correlating their 
efforts in the annual May Day-Child Health Day. BROADCAST RELEASE 
The Texas State Network as their share in the Observance 
of May Day-Child Health Day are sponsoring a thirty minute program 
at 2: 30 P. M,, May lst„ 
At that time the speakers will Include Governor W, Lee O'Daniel 
Dr, Geo. W„ Cox, State Health Officer, L, A, Woods, State Superintendent 
of Education, and Mrs Violet Greenhill of the Child Welfare Division, 
The program will originate in Austin and radio station has 
1 
informed the editor that they will carry this broadcast„ 
The speakers are the representatives of the more than a dozen 
statewide agencies interested in Child Health. Teachers, school children 
and the general public are requested to tune in on Monday at 
2:50 P. M. Babies are like sailors in certain respects, according to 
Dr0 o Both develop scurvy if they are not protected against 
that disease through the dally use of certain fruit juices. That is the 
reason, Dr„ explained, why so much emphasis is laid on the 
addition of orange or tomato juice to a baby*s dlet„ They are necessities 
not luxuries. 
"Scurvy is not * catching* ", Dr0 "it 
is not a germ disease It is a nutritional disease that is caused hy the 
lack of a certain necessary element - which scientists call a vitamin - 
and have proved to he especially effective in protecting hahles from this 
disease„ 
"The baby starts out on the voyage of life equipped with a certain 
reserve amount of the scurvy preventing vitamin. But the stock has to be 
regularly replenished. If the supply runs very low, the baby is restless and 
\ 
fretful and begins to show the characteristic symptoms of scurvy. As the 
disease progresses, the bones and joints, the gums and other parts of the 
body are involved. The condition is often mistaken for rheumatism. There 
is intense pain and suffering, 
"To safeguard them from this disease all babies whether breast 
fed or bottle fed should be given orange juice or tomato juice daily. 
Babies who are nursed by their mothers get a certain amount of protection 
against the disease in their mother's milk, but they need additional pro- 
tection. Bottle fed babies are not protected against it, and it is very essential that the protective fruit juice he added to their diet. 
"The fruit juice should he given twice a day beginning when the 
hahy is a month old, continuing throughout the first year„ or longer ac- 
cording to your doctor’s orders0 
If orange juice is used, begin with a half tablespoonful of 
juice diluted with an equal amount of water0 The amount should be slowly- 
increased until the baby is getting a tablespoonful twice a day* Strained 
tomato juice, either fresh or canned is also effective as a protection 
against scurvy. If tomato juice is used begin with a tablespoonful of the 
Juice, The fruit juice should be given between the other feedings. Cod 
liver oil, which is necessary for babies to insure growth, does not protect 
them against scurvy." "One of the valued by products of May Day - Child Health Day 
activities of recent years has been the stimulus to periodic Health 
examinations of school children by their family physician," is the 
opinion of Dr, Geo, W0‘ Cox, State Health Officer, Early detection 
of these defects and their correction will assure better health and 
well being in our coming generation.. 
A child with defective vision cannot be expected to do the 
required work in school until this handicap is removed. Inflamed, 
watery eyes, granulated lids, chronic stys, nervous actions as habitual 
winking, may be caused by a defect and should have immediate attention. 
The far reaching effects of infected tonsils on the system has 
been recognized by health workers for years. Many of the ills of later 
life, such as heart disease, arthritis, deafness, etc,, are directly trace 
able to tonsils that became Infected during childhood and were allowed to 
remain untreated. 
Dental defects are found in more children than any other imper- 
fection, and for this reason children should be taken regularly to their 
dentist for examination and cleaning of the teeth. This precaution keeps 
the mouth clean and makes it possible to discover dental defects as soom 
as they appear. 
Postural defects appear in the life of a child much sooner than 
we formerly suspected. Have your family physician see if your child's 
shoulder blades project and if his arches are low. Simple exercises, dill 
gently adhered to when the child is young, will prevent later serious 
developments in many cases. MATERIAL FOE STOEIES OR EDITORIALS 
More and more communities are studying the problem of health to 
see if their present services are effectively meeting the local needs of 
their people. They want to know what steps are being taken to prevent 
these diseases that are preventable, whether they are protected by safe 
milk and water supplies and proper sewage disposal, whether all the facil- 
ities for the care of children are made available and whether the facts 
about health promotion have been brought to the adults of their community0 
The present trend is toward the establishment of adequate health services 
under the direction of well trained personnel. 
In the business of preventing disease and prolonging life, it 
is well to stop occasionally to see that our methods of work are in line 
with the newer discoveries that have been made in medical and sanitary 
science While we may look back with pride on past accomplishments, we 
must see whether there have been any opportunities missed. For example, 
some cities and towns may find from their records that they have failed 
in controlling such preventable diseases as diphtheria, and they may wish 
to make more careful plans to avoid unnecessary loss of life. 
It is only natural that a town should look to its health depart- 
ment for leadership in the promotion of personal health From this organ- 
ization one should he able to secure Information on measures which will de- 
crease the chances of death from childbirth, which will build up the health 
of all age groups in the town Voluntary health agencies such as public 
health nursing associations should be able to have sound guidance in their 
work. 
The foundation of effective local health work is a full-time 
department of health with qualified personnel working on a well rounded 
program. Only with such an organization as a basis can. the money spent on 
any phase of health bring the greatest amount of service to the greatest 
number of people. While much thought and a fair measure of action are being given 
to the welfare of youth in the industrial field, it is nevertheless true 
that a fair proportion of young workers are physically handicapped. That, 
on the average, young people in the wage-earning category are likely to 
require corrections Just as badly as do their school contemporaries should 
be plain to everyone. 
Protective Influences of the young worker have been Inspired by 
the medical profession, public health and labor officials, and by Industry 
itself. However, the real interest in this vital problem still rests with 
the home. 
Parents in some way must be made to realize that a thorough physical 
examination of the young employee by a physician is essential. The correction 
of discoverable and remediable defects is essential not only to his happiness 
and vitality but to his ability to earn his livelihood efficiently. 
Industry, particularly in large plants, has made much progress in 
employee welfare including those in the younger age groups. It is likely to 
be a different problem, however, when the establishment is comparatively small, 
or when the business is of a nature, such as a retail shop, that welfare pro- 
grams are neither practicable nor applicable. And in these classifications 
many thousands of younger persons are working. 
This type of breadwinner is Just as entitled to the health attention 
as is now accorded those in school or to those more fortunately placed in 
industry. The medical profession, Industry, and health and labor departments, 
while pointing the way and expressing a wish to cooperate, cannot render their 
best services to these young people unless parents intelligently and generally 
cooperate. It is an attitude that needs strengthening if the young worker 
of today is to be the healthy mature worker of tomorrow." Eegularity of meals is Important for all ages, tut particularly 
so for children. In fact the infant starts off on a definite schedule, 
for the mother is advised by her physician that feedings must come at 
regular intervals. When the food begins to take on the nature of a real 
meal feedings may come after longer intervals than at first, but they are 
still part of a schedule and given at regular times. 
Babies who are not fed on time as a rule give warning by crying 
or fretting, but when the child grows a little older the mother is not 
so often reminded of the approach of meal time, for the child has many 
more Interests to divert his attention. For this reason the child who 
grows up in the home where regularity is not the rule is very likely to 
suffer. 
With meals at any or all times the Intervals are sometimes quite 
too long which leads to the bad habit of eating between meals. Such a 
habit should not be allowed to start, for once started it is apt to per- 
sist throughout life. Eating between meals is not only the result of ir- 
regularity of meals, but is often a reflection on the type of meals served 
If the menus have not been well planned, eating between meals is often an 
indication that the body needs have not been fully met and there is a 
craving for something that is lacking in the diet. 
Usually what is missing in the diet cannot be met by the foods 
eaten between meals, however, since such foods as crackers and cookies and 
oftentimes candy and other sweets are the rule and these only serve to 
burden the digestive system with superfluous sweet and starchy foods which 
dull the appetite for the next meal. Everyone Is familiar with the sensations of hunger which come 
at regular intervals indicating that this is usually the hour for break- 
fast or lunch or dinner. This is a healthy sign that the digestive sys- 
tem has become accustomed to a rhythmic order of activity followed by a 
period of relaxation. Loading the stomach with food at irregular periods 
upsets this nice physiological balance. Regular time for meals, then, is 
important and three-meal intervals is the best though in some Instances, 
to meet certain special needs, one or more extra meals may be recommend- 
ed by the physician. If such is the case these meals should also be well 
spaced at regular Intervals. 
Feeding time is of particular Importance to the mother. Her 
responsibility in planning and serving well balanced meals is not ended 
when the food is placed on the table. It is at this time that she must 
take note of the response from each individual member of her family. Quite 
often an idlosyncracy which appeared early in childhood has still persisted 
unless it was wisely overcome at that time. This may be shown by refusal 
to eat certain food or foods due to an earlier dislike which was allowed 
to continue. Mothers need to watch all such tendencies and correct them 
by subtle means. A watchful eye is needed at each and every meal to detect 
such diverse tendencies. Otherwise some child at the table may continually 
refuse milk, or butter, or vegetables or fruit and by so doing upset the 
balance of foodstuffs carefully planned by the mother - for the tendency 
may be toward on excess of meats or breadstuffs or sweets. An instance of this was noted in an institution at one time - an institution where a 
well balanced diet was the rule. A small hoy who had recently been admitted 
was found to have developed a case of scurry which is caused by failure to 
eat green vegetables, tomatoes and raw fruits, or even many potatoes. Up 
to this time it had not been observed that this boy was actually eating 
only those foods he had previously been familiar with and these were largely 
the starchy foods. After this, each child was watched more closely for 
failure to partake of the well balanced diet provided. 
The time to correct such tendencies is early in life, when a 
variety of new foods is being introduced into the hahy's diet. Variety in 
foods is essential to provide for necessary mineral elements and vitamins 
and high quality proteins if health is to be maintained. The mother's duty 
is to make provision for this and to make sure that each member of her family 
is taking advantage of it. Babies Born in 1959 have a 62-year lease on life 
The total "life expectancy at Birth" for the United States last 
year, according to computations Based on certain estimated factors and 
released By the United States PuBlic Health Service, was 62 years. This 
figure compares with an expectancy of 60.26 in 1951, and 60.9 as estimated 
for 1957. 
While still somewhat Below the Biblical promise of "three score 
and ten", the life expectancy now is almost twice as great as it was 100 
years ago. For the 7 years since 1951 a gain in expectancy of 1.7*+ years 
is indicated, while a gain of 1.1 years is shown in 1958 over 1957- 
The expectation of life at Birth, it is explained, "is the average 
age at death of a hypothetical group of persons each of whom is subject 
to the same age specific mortality rates throughout his lifetime." 
The important factors in the computation of life tables are 
these age specific death rates, which are based upon the age distribution 
of the population and on the deaths by ages. Apparently the actual average 
age at death of persons in the general population should be the life expec- 
tancy at birth. This is not likely to be true, however, since the age 
distribution of the living population will probably not be Identical with 
that of the stationary population which is a function of the computed ex- 
pectancy. It is the function of our city and town governments to carry 
out the work of the whole community, to furnish various services and pro- 
vide protection which can he secured only with great difficulty on an 
individual basis. For example, the community not only looks after such 
general matters as education, welfare, streets and roads, hut also spends 
money to protect our lives and our property from fire and from criminals. 
Strange as it may seem, many of the diseases that now occur can he pre- 
vented, lives may he prolonged, and public health may he improved depend- 
ing largely upon the extent to which we wish our communities to buy better 
health. 
Although there are still many diseases that we do not know how 
to prevent, medical science has made such tremendous strides during the 
last fifty years that we are receiving only a portion of the dividends 
which may he had through proper application of the accumulated knowledge. 
That this is not done is shown hy the large number of cases of preventable 
Illness and death that still occur. During the past year some cities have 
had as many as twenty and thirty cases of diphtheria, while nearby cities 
and towns have had none. In most of the towns of the state there is not 
a well-planned local program aimed at finding tuberculosis early, with 
the result that 85 per cent of the cases admitted to our state sanatoria 
still are either moderately or far advanced. Many communities do not have 
adequate sanitary inspection of food-handling establishments and of the 
production of milk, and the need is not felt until a food-poisoning outbreak 
occurs at which time the cost of unnecessary sickness and death is far in 
excess of the cost of good sanitary supervision. To what extent Is it worthwhile to invest the public money in 
health protection? In the reports of various towns and cities in Texas 
one finds none of which it may he said that more is being spent than is 
justified by the return on the investment. There may be some where it 
could be expended more wisely, but one finds too often a grotesque dis- 
proportion in the use of public money in an effort at economy. For ex- 
ample, we even find towns in which devotion to our ancestors is so great 
and the preservation of public health is of so little importance that 
twice as much is appropriated to care for the cemeteries of the dead as 
is spent to promote the health of the living. One also finds towns in 
which the dog warden or the tree warden is paid ten times the amount of 
the health officer. This may not indicate excessive expenditures for 
these services, but it does make one wonder whether or not enough is being 
appropriated to plan an enlightened and well-rounded public health program 
The saving of lives and the prevention of disease do cost money. 
At the most it has been calculated that good community health protection 
will cost around two dollars and a half per capita, which is only a small 
percentage of the cost of local government. In most towns voluntary asso- 
ciations have assumed much of the burden of providing health service. This 
shows good public spirit, but the community itself should have machinery 
adequate to furnish leadership to other health agencies and to carry out 
all the various duties required of health officers and health departments 
by law. ADVERTISING SUGGESTIONS 
Many newspapers are more than willing to issue special editions 
for May Day. These go under various names such as Better Babies, Healthier 
Babies, Child Health and many more. 
Generally pictures of local hahies and children under five are 
scattered throughout the section. The reading matter is all on the care of 
Infants, preschool children, Immunizations, sanitation and other disease 
prevention measures. The cost of the edition is borne hy the extra adver- 
tising, such an issue carries. Material may he secured from the State Depart- 
ment of Health. 
In the event that it is thought best not to attempt a special 
edition, advertising can he used with a courtesy line at the bottom giving 
the sponsor's name or names. 
Many of the merchants will carry the slogan of May Day at the top 
or bottom of thier regular advertisements. Any of these avenues are worth 
considering as they will serve to focus attention on your activities. 
The merchants should he interested in planning window exhibits 
for the week. A baby window can he easily decorated hy a drygoods or de- 
partment store: Dolls' (for hahies) layouts, cribs, clothes, hooks on the 
care and rearing of hahies, pamphlets etc. Other possibilities are windows 
for preschool children, school children and playground equipment. Drugstores 
could prepare a window on immunization and first aid; groceries, a window 
on diet. 
The use of the theatres is generally available for special showing 
of films. The District Health offices can furnish 16 mm film and the Extension 
Dlv is ion. University of Texas, Austin, can supply you with both 16 mm and 35 Eim 
films. Theatre managers may be willing to run slides or trailers containing 
health slogans. RADIO 
The State Department of Health will sponsor the following 
radio programs during the observance of May Day: 
MONDAY: May 1, 1939 
Texas State Network. 2:50-3:00 p. m. 
TUESDAY: May 2, 1939 
KTSA - San Antonio 3:03-3:15 P- ni. 
WOAI - San Antonio i+:15 p. m. 
WEDNESDAY: May 3, 1939 
Texas State Network 2:30 p. m. 
THURSDAY May k, 1959 
KNOW - Austin 11:50 p. m. 
WOAI & KTSA-San Antonio -- Time to 
"be announced later 
Forty-three communities of Texas have radio broadcasting 
stations. The American Medical Association has prepared two radio 
talks suitable for May Day and the State Medical Association has 
called the attention of County Medical Societies to these talks 
and has asked them whenever possible to assist local May Day Committees 
by designating persons to deliver these talks over local radio stations 
May Day Committles should confer with the Secretary of their County 
Medical Society about having these talks delivered if there is a radio 
station in their towns. 
PUBLICITY CHAIRMEN SHOULD READ PAGE 20 OF THE MANUAL