CHRISTMAS SEAL

Hokitika Guardian, 9 December 1929, Page 7

CHRISTMAS SEAL

MESSAGE OF HOPE. APPEAL FOR DELICATE CHILDREN. The Christmas Seal, a combined postage and anti-liner. ulosis stamp, will he procurable at all Post Offices throughout the Dominion early in December, or a date wlii.-h will be publicly notified. The design has been completed, but the printing of many hundreds of thousands of stamps necessarily takes some time. Every effort is being made to expedite the issue of the seal.

Half of the fund derived from the stamps will lie devoted to the cnin. paign against tuberculosis, including tiie establishment of health camps for delicate or undernourished children, or children who have a tendency to contract tuberculosis, or whose surroundings may be such as to lead to their contracting the infection. The -Christmas Seal movement has been most sneers* ful in* all the lending countries of the world. Every citizen, even those with the most slender means, can help by placing a seal on his or her letters or cards of greeting during the few weeks before Christmas. Each seal means the gift of a penny, for a most worthy cause.

For several years past articles have from time to time been published in the “Evening Post” giving an account of the start, progress, and objects of the movement widely known in the leading countries of the world as the “Christmas Seal,” which is, as stated, a combined postage and public liealtli stamp, half of the funds from which are chiefly devoted to preventive medicine, e'/ecially to the furtherance of the anti-tuherculosis campaign. The recommendation that New -Zealand should adopt the system was made by Mr G. M‘Namara, Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department. As a means of assisting in a branch of public health activity, the proposal received the support of the Health Department. With -the approval of the Postmaster-General (the Hon. Jas. B. Donald) and the Minister of Health (the Hon. A. J. Stallworthy), and the endorsement of Cabinet, it has been arranged that Christmas Seals will he made avaiable. The Minister of Health has made a str ng personal appeal to the public to support the movement, which should result in a further improvement in the public health by reducing the incidence of tuberculosis, mainly, in the first instance, by the establishment of permanent health camps, medically supervised, for delicate and undernourished' children or children who have a tendency to contract tuberculosis. It is in childhood that this disease usually makes its first appearance. Sir William Ostler, the distinguished physician, in an address to medical men, referring to tuberculosis, said: “The leadership of the battle against the scourge is in your hands. Much has been done; much remains to do. By early diagnosis, and prompt, systematic treatment of individual cases, by striving in every way to improve the social condition of the poor, by joining actively in the work of the Ideal and national antituherculosis societies you can help in the most important and most hopeful campaign ever undertaken by the profession.”'

The following article has been contributed b,v a medical practitioner who has laid large expeiience in the treatment of tuberculosis, and who at present is in charge of a sanatorium: — IS THIS SUFFERING INEVITABLE? The festive season of Xmas is drawing near—the time when our perhaps latent generosity is stirred, when expressions of brotherly love find vent—when peace and goodwill echo throughout the world.

Xmas is usually a day of happiness for hospital patients (and not least, we trust, for those in the sanatoria), where brightness and cheerfulness are eagerly welcomed as a pleasant distraction by those separated so long from their home ties. The end of the year suggests a backward glance and “attendance of a sick bed being a great breeder of reflections,” we find ourselves surveying the situation. Vie see how this ( Xmas, as at each preceding one, our institutions are lull of

physicial failures, those who have no chance at present of swimming in the river of life, flowing so swiftly along. As we look at the bright, responsive faces of these fellow wayfarers from childhood to age, many questions are suggested to us. Is all this suffering inevitable? It is part of a universal scheme—when did the stumble come for this one—why did it come? Are these people victims of early infection always? there is some definite nutritional lack at some period of life? Is it to some extent a temperamental error, or purely physical? It is perhaps a com iff nation of causes—and so on. What is the future of those who leave our institution? AVe see' those "'ho through necessity have gone on bravely trying to light a losing game, and others who through, want of knowledge have overdrawn on their physical capital. AVe see the Maori race being depleted—their customs clashing with our civilisation. THE TUBERCULAR. CHILD.

The germ which is responsible for tuberculosis is familiar to us, and we kmw the predisposing factor—deterioration of health which makes the invasion of that gernt possible in the hunun body. What is the solution of this one of the world's most ungent /prob lems? Charles Dickens, immortal novelist, with his keen observation and .sympathetic understanding of social difficulties',' has portrayed for iis the tubercular child ill all its pathos for us. AVho cannot call to mind little Nell, Paul Dombey, and Tiny Tim, gentle, loveable physically ineffectual, each in different circumstances trying, bravely but feebly to pursue his way through life, yet each a misfit to his environment. The literary T genius could create toe picture—it is left to this and each succeeding generation to ensure for every child a healthy and joyous existence. All great reforms have been brought about by a consideration of existing error. Jn New Zealand our efforts t:wards the betterment of children have been based on an appreciation of adult misery and suffering, the foundation of which has been laid in childhood. In the last twenty years much has been accomplished along health lines. Infants and children have been rescued from errors in feeding, clothing, and hygiene, and bodily defects corrected. Dress had been revolutionised, and women at any rate have dsnensed with heavy, tight clothes, allowing access of air and sunlight to the surface of the body, stimulating and reinvigorating it. People have learned the value of fresh air in their homes. “SYMBOL OF HELP.”

The obviously sick will we trust always claim the world’s sympathy’ and help, hut it requires courageous hope to face the prevention of disease, radiated by that vision without which we are told a people perish.

There are not wanting agencies to help stumbling humanity along the roau; stirely the people of New Zealand can add a united effort to raise a fund to provide measures for stamping out tuberculosis, which in the light of our present-day knowledge we regard as a preventable disease, but which for so long has been regarded as the scourge oi mankind' The Christmas seal has come as the visible symbol of that help. By its effort it is hoped, among other considerations to bring into existence rest homes for debilitated children—that is potentially tubercular children. Apart from the protection of the child from early infection, we know that nutrition is the most vital problem we have to consider. It is a social and an economic question. We trust that these rest camps will he a practical illustration of how to live. Other countries are keenly alive to the preventive aspect of tuberculosis in its many-sidedness. Let us not lag behind in our efforts to do what is humanly possible, and 'at this season of tne year to remember those words which have rung down the ages “Inasmuch as ve have done it unto one of the least of these my brethen ye have done it unto Me.”