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MORTALITY OF CHILDREN IN RUSSIA,

A terrible picture of the mortality of children in Russia is given in a journal called the Rousky Dnevnik. It appears that a vast proportion of this premature death is assignable to that carelessness of mothers which continually exposes children to fatal accidents. "The indifference of our peasantry," observes a writer in the journal above mentioned, "with respect to their children exceeds all belief. They give themselves not the least concern about their offspring. The consequence is that only a very small proportion of the children brought into the world reach maturity. The mortality of children under five years of age is, no doubt, considerable in all countries, but in Russia it is frightful. Many more than one-half of the children born in this country died in the very earliest period of infancy. One-eighth die between the ages of five and ten, and another eighth, between ten and twenty: thus three-fourths perish before reaching mature age. Where are we to look for the cause of this mortality? It cannot be referred to climate, for throughout the whole extent of Russia there is no climate more inimical to health than that of St. Petersburg; and yet in the capital the deaths in infancy are not, as in other parts of the empire, in the proportion of one-half, but only of one-third, to the births. The reason is that children are more cared for, and their physical development is better attended to in St. Petersburg than in the provinces. The ignorance and superstition of the lower classes of the people have, in many instances, a most fatal influence on the management of children. Of this the following facts afford a melancholy example. Last August small pox of a very malignant character broke out in several villages of the government of Voronetz, and made fearful ravages among the children of both sexes. The activity of the disease was considerably heightened by the humid climate, the uncleanliness of the people, the bad quality and scantiness of food, and the ignorance and negligence of mothers in the treatment of the patients. A physician residing in one of the infected districts found a young child suffering under a most terrible attack of small pox. He offered his professional assistance, which was obstinately rejected by the mother, who observed that if it were written that her child must die, no doctor could save him. However, the poor woman was fondly attached to her child, and at length she yielded to the doctor's recommendations, and said, "Well, you may try to cure him, and may God help you." On being asked why the child had not been vaccinated, she replied that when the men came into the village to vaccinate the children she hid her boy, and though the men came into her hut several times they could not find him. Vaccination, she observed, was an impious practice, and she could not charge her conscience with the sin of making her child a victim to it. "But," said the doctor, "you have been compelled to have your child vaccinated." The woman shook her head sorrowfully, and most piteously wept. Another woman, who happened to be present, said that she had a child, and that if any doctor were to vaccinate it she would suck the matter or even bite out the pieces of flesh with her teeth to prevent the diabolical operation taking effect. This opinion on the subject of vaccination is general among the Raskolniks, or schismatics, of the district of Korotiak; but it also prevails in districts in which there is no schism. The Russian peasantry generally look upon a doctor with distrust; and in cases of illness, they invariably prefer the assistance of the village sorcerer."