OUR BABIES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3131, 9 July 1917, Page 3

OUR BABIES

[BY HTGEU.I

Published under the auspices of the Society for the Health of Women and Children. "It is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom." PIiUNKET SOCIETY. At the annual meeting of the Auckland Branch of the Plunket Society tributes wero paid to the beneficence of its mission by several sneakers. The following extracts, which should be interesting to our readers, arc taken from the Auckland "Star":Uγ. Qunson, speaking as Mayor of Auckland, said he was pleased to be able to identify himself with this splendid society. It has been a truism that infant life was the future of the nation; but some truisms bad been somewhat overlooked in the past, and be was pleased to see that it was not so with the Plunket Society. In the lust 50 years tho place of women had changed, and to-day they stood on a plane which enabled them 'to do much valuable work. It was quite time, too, that something was done to promote and protect the health of women and children. The operations of the society made not only for immediate, but for distant, results for the benefit of our' race. Tho speaker went on to congratulate the local society and its popular and energetic president (Jtrs. G. Bloomfield) upon the noble work carried on. He was astounded at the great worlt of the three local nurses, and on behalf of the citizens he wished to bear testimony to the appreciation of that achievement. He concluded by wishing the society God-speed in its work of the future. Bishop Averill's Appreciation. Bishop Averill congratulated tho society upon its excellent report, the expansion of its work, and the increased confidence the public had in the society. Twenty years ago he was distressed that so little done by the Government or the community for mothers and children; but since those days things were altered, he was thankful to say. It was cruel to realise that the real true mothers seemed' to receive so little sympathy from the Government and the authorities. What New Zealand wanted was a large population, and it was the I'lunket Society which was doing a work that was helping to bring about this re!suit, i It was in reality doing a splendid humanitarian and patriotic work for the people. Another great asset to any conntry was tho happiness of its people. This depended upon the home and tho health of tho women and children. It was evident that the Plnnket Society was thus beneficently contributing to the happiness of the homes. It was terrible that children should start out in tho race of life with the handicap of ill-health, owing to tho ignorance of the mothers; it was jnst here that tho society Bteppcd in. What moro noble work could any society be doing? I hat was why it was meeting with such generous public support. Then, too, the society s unobtrusive war-work meutioned in the report, struck a happy note. The .acknowledgments of gifts of baby clothing by widows of heroes of North bea battles were touching, and would appeal to all as showing how such assistance was appreciated. Commenting upon the rapid progress of the society, ho said that, with the Increase in the work, there was a real dan- ! eor of overloading the nurses, who he understood, numbered three. As far as ho could gather, thero were no "strikes" amongst the nurses, and there was also no suggestion of the "go-slow policy" with them. There was no nurses' union to urge claims for better pay and shorter hours. He wished, however, to stress the need for helping the nurses as much as possible, and one way in which the recipients of their assistance could render help to the nurses themselves and to the good cause was by attending upon the nurses for Help instead of always expecting the nurses .0 call on them. (Applause.) "I do not know how the nurses get about and visit patients in this large district," added Dr Averill, but I think they should gat a free pass on the tramways, and if not then the community should send them round in motor cars in order to save them !" f, nc ,,?? od wor k they are accomplishing. (Vigorous applause.) Extension of Work Advocated. Dr. Elizabeth HDonaldf medical inspector of.schools in the Auckland district) threw out a suggestion that may in Uiu near future be worthy of full consideration, and possibly of eventual adoption. Aiter referring to the early feeding and care of babies as of basic importance. Dr. M/Douald 1,-aid that, from the experience of the school children) uuder her notice, she felt that something further might also be done. She would like u> see the scopo of tho Plunket Society extended to cover all child life up to school age. If tho society could by voluntary means bridge what was at present a gap it would be doing a great service. Tho doctor went on to refer to the hundreds of cases of wrongly-fed and undeveloped children she had seen, and she believed that this malnutrition showed the need for the sphere of tho Pluuket Society being enlarged in the way she had pointed out. A lot, of the troublos and ills of childreu occurred just when they crcapod babyhood, about three years and up to Bix years. Once a child attained the third year there always seemed a difficulty of setting its food. Dr. M'Donald said shn thought there was too much choice of food for babies in New Zealand. The speaker was warmly thanked. The society (says "Hygcia") has never

placed a limit to the age of the children under its supervision, and we have always strongly impressed on the J'lunket nurses that they should not only givo attention to the immedijitc needs of the mothers and babicH, but they should also take interest in tho growth and development of older children, especially with regard to su<:h primary fundamental retiuii'cments as fresh air, exercise, regular meals (no "pieces" between), regul'M* habits, the state of the teeth, symptoms of adenoids, proper clothing, and footgear, etc. However, our readers will readily realise that it is impossible for tho Flunkct nurses to keep in constant touch with their charges up to five or six years of age. The more pressing needs of the little babies take up most of their time and attention, and the society would require far more nurses to enable them to keep tho children under supervision up to school ago. Dr. M'Donald's suggestion is a good one, and we realise that it would further benefit the taroily if a larger mefienro of Hygienic supervision could be given in the ease of children between three and sis years of ago. Still, wo must remember that it is much more difficult to get people to l>o reasonable with regard to tho upbringing ol older children than it is in the case of the baby. Tho Imbit of allowing unsuitable food, sweets, etc., between meals is so Inveterate that it is hard <o ovorcome. especially as grownups look upon such vagaries as somewhat in tho nature of a joke, and speak of snoilinir their children almost with pride. How often one hears the expression: "Oh. he is a most devoted fa_thcr; he simply spoils the children." We join with Bishop Averill in paying a tribute to the devotion of the Plunltet nurses throughout the Dominion. With few exceptions they are it work early and late, and it is very difficult to pTeveut them from doing too much.

At the Grey River Hospital on Tuesday last Sister Mary Dolph received a testimonial from the pioneers and a sum of money subscribed among.the inmates of'the hospital. Sister Dolph, who has resigned lier position at the institute, was a general favourite, and her severance from tho staff was much regretted.