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which some 60 have been issued with a circulation of about 240,000 up to 1913. These technical bulletins present scientific data on experimental methods, results of nutrition experiments and investigations, and similar subjects. Of great significance are the popular pamphlets on nutrition issued in the "Farmers' Bulletins" series, of which some 25 had been issued up to June, 1913, with a total circulation of 12,193,000; in the single year 1912-13, this circulation, which is entirely in response to demand, was 2,225,000, including 315,000 copies of a single bulletin, that on "Economical Use of Meat in the Home." These Farmers' Bulletins on nutrition, listed elsewhere, have been widely used by teachers in schools and colleges, in addition to their circulation directly into private homes; they have without doubt been the strongest single factor in popular education regarding home betterment in America. A third form of publication are the briefer "circulars" in connection with nutrition investigations, of which 30 have been issued up to 1913, with a total circulation of 127,600; a typical one of these and one which has had wide use is on "The Function and Use of Food." Two series of charts have also been issued: Four charts on food and diet and fifteen on the composition of food materials. A bibliographical work of great scientific importance which is also carried on is that of abstracting the current literature of nutrition. These abstracts are published by the Department of Agriculture in the Experiment Station Record, and in a single year, 1909-10, comprised 642 subjects, extending over 123 pages.

The nutrition investigations are under the supervision of the Director of the Office of Experiment Stations, Dr. A. C. True, and in immediate control of Dr. C. F. Langworthy, chief of nutrition investigations, who is assisted by a staff of scientific workers. There is provided at Washington a considerable scientific equipment, including laboratories with appropriate facilities for research.

While the scope of the nutrition investigations has been restricted to the subject of nutrition there has been a constant and growing pressure upon the Department of Agriculture from teachers of home economics, and others interested in home betterment, for an extension of the investigations to cover other aspects of the rural home, such as textiles and household appliances, and in general the whole field of home management. The Secretary of Agriculture in 1914 recommended such an extension of the nutrition work, and Congress provided for it in the appropriation of the year. Much of the scientific equipment of the nutrition laboratories, for example the respiration calorimeter, can be applied in studies of textiles, energy studies of household appliances and labor, and related problems which con

1 See bibliography given in Bulletin, 1914, No. 39 (Part TV of this report).

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cern the more efficient management of the home. It is believed that thus there would be supplied a basis of scientific facts greatly needed for developing instruction in textiles and household management, comparable to that already secured in nutrition. The importance of leadership in these newer fields of household science can not easily be overestimated.1

Supervision of food materials.-The supervision of foods and drugs by the Federal Government in enforcement of the Food and Drugs Act of 1906, is carried on under the United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C., which will furnish information on request. It is important to remember that the Federal act affects food and drug products only which go into inter-State commerce, that is, are sent from one State to another. In the individual States legislation has been generally adopted to establish standards regarding food produced and consumed within the State. The United States Department of Agriculture also has control of the inspection of abattoirs and meat-packing houses which ship their products in interstate commerce. Again in this field it has no concern with local abattoirs the products of which are consumed within the State where they are produced.

Section 19. UNITED STATES CHILDREN'S BUREAU.

The United States Children's Bureau, of the Department of Labor, Washington, D. C., was established in 1912. It is to

investigate and report to said department upon all matters pertaining to the welfare of children and child life among all classes of our people, and shall especially investigate the questions of infant mortality, the birth rate, orphanage, juvenile courts, desertion, dangerous occupations, accidents and diseases of children, employment, legislation affecting children in the several States and Territories.

The Children's Bureau has published bulletins as follows: "The Children's Bureau"; monograph No. 1, on "Birth Registration"; Infant Mortality Series No. 1, "Baby-Saving Campaigns" (a preliminary report on what American cities are doing to prevent infant mortality); Care of Children Series No. 1, "Prenatal Care," by Mrs. Max West; Part 1 of "Handbook of Federal Statisties of Children"; "First Annual Report"; Care of Children Series No. 2, "Infant Care"; "Compilation of Child-Labor Laws of the Several States "; "Report of Infant Mortality Investigation."

1 Origin and development of the nutrition investigations of the Office of Experiment Stations, Report of Office of Experiment Stations, 1900, pp. 449–460. For lists of nutrition publications, see Office of Experiment Stations Circular 102 (1910); Relation of nutrition investigations to questions of home management, Report of Office of Experiment Stations, 1907, p. 355; Department of Agriculture Yearbook, 1911, p. 144; Reports of Office of Experiment Stations, 1911, pp. 30, 36, and 1912, pp. 30, 31; Report of Secretary of Agriculture, 1912, pp. 109, 110, 221, 224; Journal of Home Economics, 5, 455.

The importance of the bureau's public work in promoting measures for safeguarding children and promoting their welfare can not be overestimated; home women will find its bulletins on the care of children very practical.

Section 20. FEDERAL GRANTS FOR EDUCATION FOR THE HOME.

The United States Congress passed in 1914 the Smith-Lever bill providing for an appropriation of $10,000 to each State in aid of extension teaching of agriculture and home economics, with additional grants proportioned upon rural population. The Federal administration of the law is lodged with the United States Department of Agriculture and in each State with the State college of agriculture. The law requires the States to make an appropriation in addition to the grant received from the Federal Government. The Federal aid is extended to make possible the adequate development of State systems of extension teaching to reach the farm and the farm home. This law makes possible important progress in home-betterment work for rural districts. Inquiry should be made by persons interested at the State college or university or directly from the United State Department of Agriculture.

The proposed Smith-Hughes bill, following the recommendations of the national commission on national aid to vocational education, which reported to Congress in June, 1914, provides that Federal aid shall be given the various States in establishing a system of training for agricultural, industrial, and household vocations. An appropriation of $200,000 a year is to be given a proposed Federal board for vocational education, for administration, and for studies, investigations and reports, on subject matter and methods of teaching these vocations. An appropriation aggregating $1,000,000 for vocational teachers is to be divided among the individual States, according to population. Next, a fund is provided for aiding State systems of agricultural teaching, beginning at $500,000 and increasing to $3,000,000 by 1924, which is to be divided among the States in proportion to their agricultural population; and a similar sum for education in the industries is to be divided on the basis of urban population. Each State must provide funds, either by State or local action equal in amount to that granted by the Federal Government. The grants are designed especially to aid the training of boys and girls of 14 years of age or older in all-day or part-time vocational schools and in day and evening continuation classes in agricultural, industrial, and household callings.

A third proposal is that of Senator Smoot to provide a grant of $10,000 to each State agricultural experiment station for research work and publication in home economics. This bill is heartily

approved by those who recognize the great need in home economics of establishing its fundamental facts by scientific research and investigation.

Another bill is that introduced by Mr. Wilson, of Illinois, to provide for a Bureau of Domestic Science in the Department of Agriculture. Such action would provide the needed national leadership, especially in research and investigation. It is but fair to say, however, that the recent extension by Congress of the scope of the "nutrition investigations" in the United States Department of Agriculture to include problems in the utilization of textiles and in household management gives, in effect, this much-needed national bureau of research and information on foods, clothing, and shelter. The United States Bureau of Education is now giving special attention to education for the home. The position of specialist in home economics has been created in the bureau, and home-education workers regard this as an important step.

Section 21. STATE GOVERNMENTS AND HOME BETTERMENT.

In addition to the general work of education for home betterment which is developing under State authority, and with which this whole report deals, the State government in its various administrative activities performs many services of direct significance to the home.

There is commonly State legislation for the control of food industries the product of which is made within the State for consumption within the State and which, therefore, is not subject to the Federal food law, and also for the supervision of food materials shipped into the State for local consumption, which thereby become subject to State law.

The State food work is organized in some States under the department of agriculture, in some as a part of the health department, and in some independently. An inquiry to the Secretary of State at the capitol will bring information. The food departments in all States are doing work of great interest to housewives; in some States the food publications will be found a source of practical information. To cite an example, the Special Bulletin, Food Department. of the Agricultural Experiment Station, North Dakota presents monthly not only new regulations and decisions, but discussions of food materials, sanitary laws, etc., in which the home is vitally interested. In the same connection reference should be made to the food work of local boards of health, as illustrated by that of Westfield, Mass., which has published lists of recommended food.

State boards of health.-Much of the work of boards of health, State and local, is directly related to the home, and health progress

requires a popular education which will reach the home. This is illustrated, for example, in the 1912 report of the commissioner of health of Virginia, which explains the work of his office for rural sanitation, especially in behalf of pure water supply and sanitary toilet facilities. It has conducted educational work through newspapers, popular publications, lectures, and exhibits. Plans for sewage-disposal plants for private homes were prepared. Other States are at work on similar plans attempting to reach the home as a central problem in the health situation.

State supervision of markets, at least as regards weights and measures, is common; the work of the New York State bureau, Albany, N. Y., under Mr. Reichman, has attracted wide attention. Action in this field may be municipal as in the effective mayor's bureau of weights and measures of New York City; one of its reforms was securing the container law requiring the net contents of food packages, cartons, etc., to be stated on the wrapper. The problem of market organization is just now attracting attention, and State action seems likely, as in the proposed Wisconsin "market commission," and the New York State superintendent of markets; municipal governments of course are intimately concerned with providing better market facilities, and the Federal Government, through the Department of Agriculture, is working on this problem.

Section 22. SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF HOUSEHOLD PROBLEMS -PROPOSED EXPERIMENT STATIONS.

American scientific study of nutrition, beginning essentially with the late Prof. Atwater, of Wesleyan University, has enlisted scientific research of high rank at Yale University, Harvard University, Cornell Medical College, Columbia University, University of California, Johns Hopkins University, Northwestern University, University of Illinois, University of Wisconsin, to mention only some of the leading university laboratories; also in the division of nutrition investigations of the United States Department of Agriculture, and in some of the State agricultural experiment stations. The Carnegie Nutrition Laboratory at Cambridge, Mass., is also to be mentioned as an important scientific undertaking in this field.

Some scientific studies have also been made of textiles from the viewpoint of the user, as at Teachers College, Columbia University. the University of California, and elsewhere. The question of fibers and fabrics as adapted to various purposes, of reactions to light. heat, sunshine, rain, and bodily moisture; of endurance or wearing quality; of grading and standardizing; of the proposed labeling of fabrics for the benefit of the consumer are all worthy of careful study, not to mention the general economic aspects of clothing, the social problems of mode and fashion, and the aesthetic possibilities of dress.

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