OUR BABIES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1782, 21 June 1913, Page 11

OUR BABIES.

[BY HYOSIA.]

Published under tho auspices of tho Society for the Health of Women and Children. "It is wiser to put up a fcnco at tho top of a prcoipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom." As the Karitane Harris Baby Hospital belongs practically to the whole society, and not to .Dunedin alone, we feel sure that our readers throughout the Dominion will bo interested in the following extract from the Dunedin annual report:— Ths Karitane Harris Hospital. The matron reports that during the 11 months from May 1, 1912, till Jlarcfh 31, 1913. 89 babies have been under treatment, tho largest number resident at one time being 21. At the same rate there would havo been 97 for tho year. Two of the babies came from tho I*orth Island, and the remainder from Canterbury, Otago, and Southland, many belonging to* remote, outlying districts. All of the babies admitted were either restored to health or greatly improved, with the exception of 12. Of these one left to go into a private . hospital for operation; another, being incurable, returned homo after 24 hours, and 10 died. Four were moribund, and died within *4 hours of admission. Two of the remainder died within a week. Threo died of grave infantile diarrhoea, and tho other was ai premature, the child ot an unhealthy mother, who has no iuing the month of February there were 11 babies in the hospital at one time suffering from epidemic summer diarrhoea. Six of them were so ill that their lives were despaired of; however, threo ot these recovered. . ■ , Tho history of one of the infants who died within a week of admission is interesting. " This baby had not had tho advantage of maternal nursing, and was fed first on cow's milk, water, and cano sugar, then on patent food and cow s milk, no regard being paid to suitablo quantities, proportions, or regularity. A long-tube feeder was used; the milk was never scalded, and was kept m the kitchea cupboard. Baby slept in a room with closed windows, and, except on very bright sunny days, spent tho rest of the time in the kitchen.' Irritating flannel was worn next the skin; napkins were rarely changed, and tho child suffered from a rash. As the outcome of continued living under all these injurious conditions, tie baby developed .dropsy, and died of a chronic septic condition a few days after entering the hospital. . This illustrates the common experience among infants that death from a particular disease is, in general, merely the last of a series of misfortunes—if death in the circumstances is to be regarded as a misfortune! . , ~. It is the long procession of little victims such as the above, who come under the society's care year after year, in their homes' or in the baby hospital, that constantly braces us up to let nothing stand in the way of spreading the know-ledge ot motherhood and babyhood, that alone can prevent such pitiable misfortunes m the future. Ignorance is practically the sole cause of all the wreckages' id childhood. Surely it is not' too much to hope that before long every sensible parent m the Dominion c<tn be brought to realise that, whatever else may bo desirable in the way of education, education and training in the simple laws and practice of healthy existence must stand first, as the inalienable right of everyone' (especially every girl) born into the world and charged with the oares, responsibilities, ana privileges of living and playing a part in it. Five mothers have availed themselves of tho privilege of residing in the hospital with their babies, whilo several have come in for the day in order to have tho beby weighed before and after cursing,, to ascertain whether it were necessary to supplement breast-feeding. Training of Nurses, etc.

Twenty-six nurses have been in training in the hospital for longer or shorter periods during tho 11 . months ending March 31. Of these, nine presented themselves for examination antf passed successfully; seven qualified as Plunket nurses, the other two as liaritane baby nurses. The Karitane Hospital has now taken its placo among the recognised teaching institutions of our university. Doctors attending the Post Graduate courses are given tho opportunity of visiting the hospital and investigating the methods pursued there. Last winter a number ot medical studonts attended, accompanied by one of the visiting Physicians, and received clinical .instruction. Tho lady students taking the domestic science oourso at the university received their practical training in the care and feeding of infants at the institution. _ The Baby Hospital Used as ;a : Practical School for Girls, Wives, and Mothers. _ A large portion of every afternoon is taken up explaining and demonstrating to mothers and othkr- visitors the simplo needs of babyhood. This is one of the most important .functions of our baby hospital. The honorary secretary of one oC the new branches of the society went into residence for a-few. days to make a special study of the system and methods fifteen members' of the.Dunedin Nursing Division of the St. John Ambulance Association attended a .special demonstration, which'included*.the preparation of humanised milk, the advantages of pure frssh air, the best method of making baby's bed, etc.

Preparation of Humanised Milk at Hospital. Since October last all the milk used for the babies at tho Karitane, Hospital lias been prepared at tlio institution, instead of being procured ready-mado from the factory, as heretofore. This has added greatly to the interest and proficiency of the nurses, as they now become acquainted with every detail of the modification and grading of the milk to suit tho individual Ixtbies, and. can study the effect on their young ctoges. Tho number of visitors to the hospital is steadily increasing. During .the eleven months 2484 visits have been paid; that is at the rate of 2710 for tho year. Among the visitors were their Excellencies the Governor and Lady Liverpool, the Hons, the Prime Minister, tho Minister for Public Health, the Minister for Education, the Minister for Native Affairs, members of Parliament, tho- SavI for™ Bank trustees with their chairman, Mr G. L- Denniston, Miss Richmond, delegate to the Kindergarten Conference, Miss Wrench of tho Overseas Club, and many others.