PLUNKET SOCIETY

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 89, 12 October 1934, Page 14

PLUNKET SOCIETY

RESIGNATION OF PRESIDENT

PAST MONTH'S ACTIVITIES

Tho monthly mooting of the Plunket Society hold recently was presided over by Mrs. Tytho Brown. The meeting opened with motions of sympathy with Mrs. Leach on the loss of her husband, Mr. A. 0. Leach; Mrs. ltalph, on the loss of her father, Mr. Jucobsen; and also with the family of tho late Mr. D. McKenzie, of Petoue, who took an active interest in tho work of the- Plunket Society in Wellingtonand Petono. The resignation of tho president, X'f.. Tythe Brown, was received with profound regret. Several members of tho committee spoke of the years of'devoted service Mrs. Brown lias given to the Plunket Society, and of her tactful and gracious leadership. Her knowledge of. the work, both nursing and administrative has been invaluable in her office as president, and the members were glad to, J6low that Mrs. Brown will still actively associate herself with the work of the branch, and unanimously elected her a vice-president. The committee had also received with very great regret the resignation of Dr. T. F. Corkill from tho advisory board, and from the honorary medical staff of the Truby King Karftane Hospital, and of Mrs. Corkill from .the general committee. Tributes were paid to the many years of devoted work given by Dr. Corkill to tho Knrltane Hospital and his valuable guidance as ii member of the • advisory board. A grateful- vote of thanks was passed to "Dr. Corkill for his farewell gifts of a carbon dioxide oxygen cylinder for the premature ward at the hospital and a pair of test weighing scales. The resignation of Mrs. Goldsman, on account of leaving Wellington, was received with much regret, and a vote of thanks for the work she had done for the Wellington branch was recorded. Tho committee resolved to join with the National Council of Women and other organisations in making a farewell presentation to Lady Bledisloe. The treasurer reported that, the recent raffle of pictures and alluvial gold made a profit of approximately £120. The committee passed a vote of thanks to Mrs. C. E. Richardson and Mrs. Weston for their active interest in this art union. It also thanked tho Northland sub-committee for its successful baby carnival, which made a profit of £149 10s. Tho late Mrs. Potter left a legacy of £25 t6 the branch, and appreciation of this action was recorded. jThe charge nurso reported as follows: —Number of new baby cases in city, suburbs, and outstations, 124; visits to homes, 1280; visits to rooms, adults 2100, babies 1885, children 242; antenatal section, new ■ cases 23, return visits 199, total visits 245. It-was now four months since the staff was reduced by one nurse, and a comparison was made between this period and the corresponding period last year, when there were twelve nurses' on tho staff. There .were 459 new baby cases, an increase of 13 over the number in the same period last year. This was remarkable in view of the fact that there had been a decrease in the, actual number of births. The nurses had paid fewer visits to homes, but the visits to rooms had increased correspondingly, so, that the actual volume of work done was about, the same as last year. The Plunket nurses acknowledged gifts of flannel from Lady Armstrong, baby clothes from Mrs. Alderton, older children's clothing from tho NgaioKhandallah stocking league, cot quilts from Mrs. Croker, baby clothes from Mrs. Ainslie, Mrs. Lewis, Mrs. Barnes, Mrs. Searle; magazines from Miss Barnett; flowers and cakes from Mesdames MeEldownay, Luke, Leniston, and the Misses Cameron, Barnett, and Po^acli. The nurses also thanked the following voluntary motor drivers: Mesdumcf Mnzengarb, Gordon, Hemery, Saunders, and the Misses Myers, Patterson, Thomson, and Newton. The matron of the Truby King Karitane Hospital reported that patients admitted for treatment during the month were 9 mothers and 22 babies.; the largest number of patients on any one day was 4 mothers and 31 babies. Among the admissions were three sets of twins, four of the babies being premature, and two others.were premature. Visitors to the hospital numbered 304, including the party of English school girls., for whom a demonstration of bathing and care of a normal baby was given by the nurses. Tho matron acknowledges gifts from Mrs. Hickey, Mrs. Cousins, Mrs. Fairley, and Miss Constable, Mrs. Grocott, Mrs. Williamson, Mrs. Ballinger, and Marsden School.