The
Arkansas State Board of Health attempted to reduce maternal and infant
mortality rates through health education and good health practices. In
1921, monies from the federal government became available to the State of
Arkansas for child health programs. One of the first federally-funded
programs, the Sheppard-Towner Act, provided funds to various state
health departments. Maternal and child health programs were designed to
provide mother and infant care, and reduce high mortality rates in areas
where doctors were not available. Beginning in the 1920s, midwives were
required to register their names, which would be listed in a directory
of midwives from each county, and encouraged to obtain a permit.
Midwives were responsible for reporting the number of births and deaths,
and the causes of deaths of mothers and infants, to the Arkansas State
Board of Health.
The collection includes directories of midwives, permits issued to midwives, and midwife reports.
The collection includes directories of midwives, permits issued to midwives, and midwife reports.
- I. Directories and permits
- 1. Directory of Midwives, 1925-1943 (Box 1)
- 2. Directory of Midwives, 1944
- 3. Directory of Midwives, 1944-1947
- 4. Permits issued, 1935
- 5. Permits issued, 1936
- 6. Permits issued, 1937-1938
- 7. Permits issued, 1939
- 8. Permits issued, 1940
- II. Permits and reports
- 9. Permits issued, 1941 (Box 2)
- 10. Permits issued, 1942
- 11. Permits issued, 1943
- 12. Permits issued, 1944
- 13. Permits issued, 1945
- 14. Permits issued, 1946
- 15. Local registrars for vital records, circa 1930s
- 16. Midwife reports, 1944
- 17. Midwife reports, 1945
- 18. Midwife reports, 1946
- 19. Midwife pledge card
