OUR BABIES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 281, 23 August 1919, Page 5

OUR BABIES

18/ Hygeu.T Published under tliß auspices of the Royal New Hc-aland Sodely for tho Health of Women and Children. "It is wiser to pnt up a louco at tho top of a precipice than to maintain au ambulance ai uie bottom." THE EED CROSS AND INFANT WBLFAKIi. As it seems probable that the lied Cross societies of the world will take, up the teaching of the hygiene of niotner ami child as u maul section of worK .nuriMG peace, we shall try to give a bnei jiibtory of the movement in this direction, piecing it together l'rcm information received from i.urope. , Iu war time the American lied Cress Society, was tho only one which had a special section devoted to infant welfare. It had infant welfare centres ui Franco and Italy, and leading pedcatrosts came over' from America to mko charge of those ttalions In December, 1918, a large meeting ot the Babies of the Empire S° |)'?j sided over by the Lord Sloyor, was held at the Mansion House, London. Among the -ipeakcTi! were Lord I'lunket mi Arthur Stanley (chairman of the eiecunv.i (YiHi'nittje of '.ho T-rilU'i he" i Society), Dr. Palmer Lucas (head of the American Ited Cross Infant Welfare Section at Paris), and l)r. Truby King. At this meeting Kir Arthur blarney Bald he thought that the British Bed Ciobs might do something with regard to _ the health of mother and child aB a of their activities no-,v that the hghtiUs, had ceased. Proposed Co-operation of British Red Orosg in Infant Welfare lVork.

In January, 1919, preliminary suggestions for British. Bed Cross co-opeiauou in infant welfare work were made at, a. meeting of tne British lied Cross, presided over by Sir Arthur Mauley, the following statements and prQposa.lt wen. submitted to this meeting by Blr > le ?' 1 "" dor Koger, chairman of the executive committee of tho Babies ot the Linen e Society:— . . Existing National and Local Societies. At the present time there are about a, dozen national health societies dealing with infant welfare. All are 61t^ t {- d ' Loudon, except one m Glasgow and m Tliei'e ll a're ill addition over 10KI local health societies. Of these ninny are eontrolled and financed by local _ amh™l ties. Some are partly municipal and partly voluntary, while there is a number of purely voluntary, local Of theso local health societies some 800 are ahiliated to the National Leafcuu tor Health, Maternity, and Child Weliaie to these slitutions there are a number of actne societies in the British d°iniiiiojis. pi cipal among tliem being the Jaw Zealand S Those' many societies at Home and m the dominions are responsible fur ■>» mense amount of activity, and o-mmiished ffi'eat worn toi the J- ,n }l )lT ~' but it is obvious that with so many fo'ceji St irork there is much overlapping <""» wasteful effort.

Tho Kcd Gross in War and Pcace. During: the war ihu Bed OroM hau amply proved that vulmituv.v eiiwt rnuai. "Ji in addition to purely ui»ernueni I'iiorfr It iKiis also obttiUiHUuii *oua ■wide 'reputation lor oreJinwlion _aad economical uduiim«i.i'aUoii, ami j - ouvious lhat- cue liuu U'u" |>"" U "J ' uu . voluntary M'R.uiisatiuii iu.. Dtato U'*i--S^^ra^rfhe'tit^ mm it is JiK.st- grauiymfl to Know mat tho llritiali J.td Cross ;ue pupaica iu help infant welfare work in 'lub ■.-ouutri . Tiv themorc, tuat we liriuw i.ui Orosß should bo. invited t° » u vout (I'-my ;ui wtivH interctil in the *■ 01K '"" devote its attentionto C0 ;0 1 " c ' 1, ! at ";® c " o ° rl [ and improvint: and eitenduiu the \iUiu wherever possible. Proposed Council. A'Central Advisory Coumnl.' to be called tho "iintlsh iied Cross Xniaut (Jouncil." siiouiJ be « M »! WXBWSF tho provincob, and the dominions. Bmliiifr Soeictiei- Freb to Pursue- lheir Worn. Tho individual efforts and specialinU<m. 1u r» Various OIISIUIK SOtilfiUcu biiuum not be curtailed, except to avoid overtop niiip ttud 11 snoulu a.Uwi-y6 ue uoijic anna that too much central control ovitably extinguishes enthusiasm. Bed Cross Representation, ■ Wherever' tho council thinks d o e n ßlrll °|° som liCS ' Funds. All societies, .iifttio wl 4 , l^ l '^ l lo „°V good shortages out of a centiil lunuTt in of course, understood thai t'auis UUIU ' ' Payment by Results. In this connection the council should ~ nSdfMt^ of tt hfriicr standard man others. jhu» uurd oi work lmmeasurautt •

Proprtcanua-' The council chowd have under Its conare wholly insult. aVff'irM" iuterest appearing 5 u tion hiio been Riven to bcen in iiiiaut welfare »« '~ aud t ™ ° d turned lately ,hal ° 0 Ction ind upper dasa.s donot d inir public gnbiect ooimnuaUy moment to show that the JjrfCro*. * accept? r «,"®°?.? lb 'l' e y w iH cive the work immense impetus. $d ar.iSSf »... accomplished in v.ar.