OUR BABIES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 53, 26 November 1917, Page 3

OUR BABIES

TBI HTOEIA.I

Published under the auspices of tho Sooloty for the Health of Women and Children. "It is wiser to put up a fence at tho top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom." .BABY WEEK. TMb week I had intended to Rive a description of tho exhibits in tho Barns Hall, Duncdin, during 'Baby TCaok; but having started with Dr. Ohaniptaioup's lecture, I think it will bo a better plan to give a resumo of tho other lecturer and addresses first nnd finish up with an account of tho exhibits. Demonstrations to School Children. On Tuesday afternoon, October $0, the great audience of schoolgirls who flocked to tho Burns Hall from the city and suburban schools was a sight to gladden the hearts of thoso who feel that futuro progress in the dircotion of rearing a healthy raco lies in the education and training of tho children. We hopo wo havo at last made a beginning, and that in tho near future it will bo as difficult to find a girl who does not know practically how to care for a baby and keep it in health as it now.is to find'ono who cannot read and write. Tho following summary of tho afternoon's proceedings is adopted from one of the daily' papers:— Tho methods of the demonstrfttorß -jrere vivid and engaging, and tho interest displayed shewed that an excellent inprossion had been made upon theso virgin mindß-a keen curiosity aroused.

Mrs. King's Address. First, Mrs. Truby King gave a Blort address. She said that tho real reason that such- meetings and demonstrations were being held all over the Empire at this time was that tho war had drawn attention to an enormous wastage of life and impairment of health in civilised man. In tho early days of tho war there wefe 10 per cent, of rejects among volunteers, and the chief cause of incapacity was found to bo decay cf tho teeth. It was certain that if this largo proportion of mon were unfit, a muoh larger proportion of girls wero unfit. This was a very. grave matter, for tho future of the race depended upon tho women; and, therefore, to them the passing of examinations was of little importance compared with tho attainment and retention of thoroughly good hearth, and a knowledgo of the laws of health for transmission to children. A short exposition of health-giving piacticos followed-emphasis being placed upon the maintenance of a stroam of pure air in a room all night, the taking of a cold bath every morning, and exercise.

Mlbs Thomson's Demonstration. Miss Winnie Thomson (matron of the Karitano-Harriß Hospital) followod with a practical demonstration of how to hath baby-tlie subject being a life-size celluloid model-and how to dreßs him and make up his bed. In the handling of a baby, sho said, 'until it was su months old it should never bo placed in a sitting posture, bgt laid upon the knee, and turned over and back to dress and undress. At the'hospital the first temperature of tho water was lOOdeg., bit the infant was gradually used to a lower temperature. In washing the eyes, small swabs or cotton wool, which have, been sterilised, Bhould he used. Each swab should bo passed over the eye once only, and then nnißt bo thrown away. A thin, porous, cellular cotton shirt should be put on next the skin (to prevent irritation,whioh was a not uncommon cause of restlessness), and on top of this came, tho .woollen sin-let. The child's clothing Bhould be warm without being heavy. Tho demonstration of making the bed showed tho baby as in a sleeping-bag, with plenty of room for kicking, but protected from was very deftly given, and quite a host of the children present were seen round tho oradle later nvestiBating the procedure. Indeed, such was the interest aroused that Mrs. Oarr announced that the committee of might institute a competition among the schools or among clasßcs-which »ou« make a completo set of baby olothes, Inst as tho matron had shown. The committee would provide a trophy for the sohool or class winning, and it would be for the competitors to say whether tho clothes should afterwards bo given to tne Jvaritane Hospital., Miss Isitt's Exhibition. The third demonstration was given by Miss Winifred Isitt and a few pupilsyoung, and a little older. It had been intended that this should be a big demonstration of exercises and games, but the. programme had to be abridged bocauso the stage was already "dressed" for Dr. Kings lecture in the oveuing. Tho exhibitions, however, wero interesting and suggestive, and Mlbs Isitt's few happy words touched tho imaginations of her auditors. She asked them mildly how many of tho musoles they now saw in pleasant exorcise they ÜBed on Saturday afternoons sitting in the picture theatre, watching exciting things being done by other people. If they tried thoy would find that things other people did wore never so exciting as things one did oneself. The game one played oneself was tho game that made one grow, and ordinary play oould bo quito as exciting as the picture play if the player used invention and made it so. A Pathetio Case. ' After the demonstration the girls went round tho hall examining the exhibits, at each of which were members of committee who acted as demonstrators, and who were there ttf explain and to answer questions. Being Btruck by the nervous, rather overBtrung aspect of one of the girls—an only too common feature of tho modern adolescent sufleriug the stress of education—l said, harking back to what had been said by ono of tho speakers, "I hope you always get to bed before 10 o'clock." Sho said, with the pathetic smile of the overtaxed, "I can't possibly; I'm going up for 'matric' We have bo many subjects wo can't get through with them unless we work late and early." I tried to persuade her that it would really be better for her success at the examination that she should push matters less near to the breaking strain—that sho would retain more and bo ablo to oxpreßS her knowledge better if Bhe restricted her work to reasonable hours and got the, inestimable recreation of sound and s'uflicient sleop. The girl shook her head, smiling sweetly, but rather hopelessly, while her companion said, "I wish you would apeak to the teachers." We are still a long way from providing the growing mind with those three most necessary oonditions which Froebel insisted on—space and timo and rest. We shall have to mend our ways if our girls are to be fitted to pass on the lamp of lifo worthily.