The Dominion. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1920. HELP THAT WILL TELL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 34, 4 November 1920, Page 4

The Dominion. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1920. HELP THAT WILL TELL

The symbol of the Plunkct Society is a beacon of hope, to many an anxious young mother; the help and advice given by it's trained workers, and in its own publications or through the newspapers, mean to many a baby a good and hopeful start on the road to health and happiness. ■ These are thoughts to loosen purse-strings at a time when the society needs and is asking for money in order that its work may be carried on and freely developed. To-morrow, Wellington people will have an opportunity they ought to welcome very heartily of forwarding the splendid enterprise on behalf of mothers and infants to which the society is devotecL Here and elsewhere in the Dominion the society is widely known by its work, and held as widely in honour and esteem. ' No one in whom the spirit of humanity survives can fail to appreciate and feel grateful for its successful efforts—taking shape in practical measures of help and instruction —to bring down the infant death-rate and profnote ' the health and welfare of mothers and their offspring. The need of a liberal response afc to-morrow's street sale and collection is all the greater since the Plunket Society, like other institutions, finds its working expenses much increased under the conditions that prevail. All donations will be welcomed, but those who can afford it will best help the society by making their contribution in the form of a yearly subscription, and so assisting to establish an basis of revenue. The money collected' from the public is, of course, subsidised by tho Government, but it ought not to be forgotten that the, society is a volunteer organisation, which derives much of its usefulness and efficiency f - --om the spontaneous' enthusiasm of its members and officials, and that its continuance and development on these lines depend upon its being given by the public the recognition and support to which it is so well entitled.

The claims of the Plunket Society vest first and foremost oil the fact that it is giving the best kind of help to those who most need and deserve it. At a longer and broader view these claims are heavily .emphasised There is still great scope for extending the endeavours on _ behalf of motners and infants which at their present stage show good results and better promise. In ten years the infantile deathrate of the Dominion has been lowered froin 61.60 to 48.41 per thousand —an improvement to which the work of the Plunket Society has very largely _ contributed—and the current rate is much lower than in any of the Australian States, and shows to even greater advantage in comparisons with other countries. There is no thought, /however, of being content with what has thus far been accomplished in saving infant lives. / Even in its present scale tho loss of such lives is terrible. On the 1918 figures, one in nineteen of male children and one in twenty-threo of females died before attaining the age of one year. During the ten years from 1909 to 1918, the Dominion lost by death 14,848 infants under one year, of whom at least a very large proportion might in happier circumstances have been reared to become healthy, happy, and useful citizens. There is no readier and more direct moans of limiting these losses than in giving liberal support to tho Plunket Society, and enabling it to extend its activities. The useful results oftlie society's work are, of course, very far from being completely measured by the .immediate' benefits it is'enabled to confer on mothers and infants. In spreading abroad the true gospel of health with special reference to motherhood and infant welfare it is assisting in an important degree to raise the standards of general health throughout tha community. Speaking'the other day of the incidence of child welfare, Db. Teuby Kino observed that the immunity of tho very younp from disease was the most effective barrier against disease of any kind. No doubt it is as true in matters of health as in others things that a good start is half the CTattle. Alike on account of what it has done and is doing to promote the welfare'of mothers and infants, and as a big factor in the forces of progress that are rousing the community to a perception of the justice and imperative need of setting motherhood on a higher plane, the Plunket Society has claims to public gratitude and support which could not well be improved upon. An opportunity of civing it the liberal and ungrudging help it so well deserves will present itself to-morrow.