OUR BABIES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1776, 14 June 1913, Page 5

OUR BABIES.

[BT Hiobia.]

Published under tho auspices of the Society for the Health of Women and Children. "It is wiser to put up a- fenco at the top of a precipico than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom." GENERAL CONFERENCE. After the health campaign throughout the Dominion, tilts most important event in the annals of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children was tho General Conferenco of representative* from tho branches, old and new, in conjunction with tho Health Department, which took place in Christchurch last month. At this meeting, which was attended throughout, by tho Chief Health Officer, much jm-' portant business was transacted. The constitution of the society was confirmed, and the pre-existing rules and instructions for the guidance of Plunket nurses were coordinated and classified. Theso are about to be issued in pamphlet form. Society and Health Department, Tho financial position <jf the society was placed upon a stable footing, and its relationship to the Department of Public Health was clearly defined as follows, in conjunction witfl the Chief Health Officer :— (1) That tho funds of the 60ciety shall be subsidisable at the rate of 2-ls. in each pound of tho society's funds subscribed up to ,£IOO for each Plunket nurse appointed. A similar subsidy shall bo paid on other sums collected for this purpose, provided only one claim for such subsidy is made during cacli financial year. (2) That the above subsidy shall be procurable through the mechanism of tho Hospital and Charitable Aid Board of the district in which the main work of the particular nurse will bo carried on. (3) That the provisions of the Hospital and Charitable Institutions Act are availed of, not at all from tho point of view of "charity," but with a clear recognition of the fact that the functions of the society, while broadly "humanitarian," are not "patronising or charitable" nor even in the ordinary sense "philanthropic," but essentially "patriotic and educational." (i) That it is in the highest interests of tho State that this form of education shall bo free, and that, as far as possible, every woman in the Dominion shall be induced to avail herself of the services offered by the society with a view to the betterment of the race, the recipient herself being always regarded as a potential health advocate and teacher. The only stipulations which tho Health Department suggested'with regard to tho Government subsidies allowed to the local branches of the society were:— (1) That the branches of the society adopt a uniform system of accounts, the balance-sheet of each branch to be submitted to the Department within three months of''March 31, the end of the Government financial year. (2) Tliat any proposal of the society to form additional branches be referred to the Department. - (3) That the names of nurses whom it is proposed to appoint for training with a view to Plunket-nursing be submitted to the Department for approval. (1) That the monthly reports of the Plunket nurses be submitted to the District Health Officer. It was pointed out by Dr. Valintino that if a Plunket nurse reported that infantilo diarrhoea was specially prevalent in a particular area, the District Health 'Oificer, being in touch with all the dairies in the district, might be able to put his finger on a weak spot in the local milk supply, and thus render great assistance in checking the epidemic. Conference Resolutions. The following resolutions were passed 'unanimously. (1) That an effort bcl made'to extend and co-ordinate fife principle of quarterly, half-yearly, add yearly conferences, with representatives of the various humanitarian and philanthropic- societies, with a view to further co-operation. (The question of overlapping was raised, but it was abundantly demonstrated that there had been no overlapping in tho work done by the society's nurses.) (2) That further measures be concerted 'with a view to maintaining and promoting esprit do corps, conformity, unity, and harmonious working and development throughout the various branches of tho society. , , . . • (3) In reference to the decision of tne conferenco to have all tho 'branches represented oft tho CcMral Council, it was agreed as follows:—That a special meeting of tho Central Council should bo held every six months in Dunedin, at which delegates representing the different societies would attend to discus 9 matters brought forward by any of the branches, • such questions to bo submitted in writing to the special secretary of tho council before the first week in Juno and the first week in December of each year. (-1) That further representation bo made to the Government as to the desirability of legislation, or other public measures, in tlw direction, of preventing the use ot tho long-tube feeder, and discrediting the dummy. (Dr. Valintino said ho would endeavour to have a clause prohibiting the sale of long-tuba feeders inserted m the Food and Drugs Act.) , (5) That representations be made to the authorities of tho various hospitals, with a view to inducing tliem to further avail themselves of tho services of the Plunket nurses, in order to ensure suitable home after-care of infants discharged from such institutions. (Dr. Valintino said the suggestion was .an excellent one. tt hen mothers'and their infants camo out ol hospital, there was no present guarantee that the nccessary treatment would be toi-

lowed up.) ... (6) The following resolution, which was carried unanimously, was the outcome of a suggestion that Plunket nurses, especially in country places, might undertake work beyond what was contemplated m the rules and regulations of the society, at tho option of the local committees That, in the opinion of this conference, the value of the services of the Plunket nurso to tho Dominion for "tho special educational Health Mission and services, for which she is appointed, would tend to become narrowed and restricted, in the direction of personally helping and ministering to a comparatively few persons in tho way of maternity nursing, or for the emergencies of disease or accident, if any indication were given that such matters came within tho potential sphere of her duties. Further, that it would bo highly undesirable to leave these vitally important considerations to local decision and ruling, because such a policy would place, not only the committees, but their advisers, doctors, aud others. in an invidious position, when asked, in response to local pressure, to Bay whether or not, in their opinion, the nurses sen-ices should be held available in a way not embraced in tho essential nature and spirit of tho constitution and intentions of the society, but in a direction that would bo welcome to, and appreciated b)_, certain persons or their friends who might personally benefit thereby. In reply to a question from Kotorua, asking whether, as the centre was a small one and the district scattered, their Plunket nurse might? act as a maternity nurso in an emergency, it was decided that-111 tho case of Kotorua', a special extension of the nurse's sphere of work be permitted, in that she may attend maternity cases, with the proviso that she is not to bo regarded-as a maternity nurse except tor the purpose of tiding over an emergency, and that she is not to remain with tho patient for more than 24 liouts. Iho nurse: to, keep a recrd of all sucli cases, and the committee to submit a:reportat the conference to he held in Wellington next year.. . ' It was unanimously agreed that the sotvices of the Plunket nurse in her special educational'health mission be available gratis to any member of tho community, whether rich or poor,- as heretofore. _ At tho same time, it was considered right that parents who can afford to pay for help should continue to bo givon tho chance of doing so, and sh° ulll > lf Ilficc '?' sary, bo tactfully reminded, that it is open to them to make a donation to the society's funds in appreciation of services rendered; further, that if they are already members, they can become 60.

BIRTHS, MARRIAGES,' & DEATHS.