PLUNKET SOCIETY

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2345, 22 October 1921, Page 2

PLUNKET SOCIETY

LOCAL BRANCH FORMED. Sj'- 1

There was a good attendance of ladies at the Town Hal[ supperroom yesterday afternoon, including > some fine small babies* The attendance would have been larger if the weather had not been, so boisterous. In the absence of the Mayor, Sirs R. McMurray took the chair. The visitors were Mrs L. A. Abraham, president of the Palmerston N. branch, Mrs Aitcheson (their secretary), and Nurse Bosher, who took up full time' duties at Palmerston N. on October 6th. Miss Cook, of Marton, who has done good work in organising branches. Mrs L. A. Abraham briefly outlined the objects of the meeting. Miss Cook then addressed those present on Plunket work. The Plunket Society was founded in May, 1907, said- the speaker, by Dr. Truby King, at Wellington. Dr. Truby King was so impressed by the necessity of the work that he had a nurse trained at his own expense. Lord and Lady Plunket were then at Government House, and Lady Plunket took up the work, and ad--dressed meetings in various centres, and gave demonstrations and formed branches, especially in thq North Island. At the present time there are thirty-two branches, and fifty-five nurses., and by the end of the year, the speaker said, there should be 75 nurses. The objects are: To teach women everything possible to keep themselves and their babies in health, and to promote natural feeding of babiesj, to , train nurses to give sound and uniform instruction. “It is always odds against the baby when artificially fed.” The real Plunket baby is the natural fed one. We do not advocate humanised milk, except where natural feeding is impossible. Our nurses do not do the doctor’s work. She does not deal with disease. She teaches the things in (Connection with motherhood that every woman ought to know. Tho work to be regarded as educational principally, and is directed to all classes. ' A league for mutual help. Miss Cook stressed the point that every woman should aeouire ■ thq knowledge of how to bring up a baby. We all come in contact with the work at tjome lime. Do not waits till babies are ill before visiting a nurse. Get all the knowledge you can. The great decrease in infant mortality in this country speaks for itself. Children must be physically perfect first, mind and morals and soul depend on that, in spite of the belief that suffering makes saints. The Plunket Nurses services were free, but subscriptions were expected. The honorary membership annual subscription was ss. Our responsibility, if we decided to havo the nurse in Foxton, would be £3O per year, payable quarterly or halfyearly, as we liked. We would havo to provide a furnished room, and arrange for lunch and morning and afternoon .tea for the nurse. In the morning the nurse would visit babies where mothers are unable to attend, and in the afternoon would be in attendance at the room. Miss Cook then asked for an expression of opinion in regard to establishing the work in Foxton. Mrs Halliday spoke of her experience in Plunket work, and strongly advised a sub-branch for Foxton.

Mrs Pearson generously offered the free use of a room for six

months,

Mrs F. Robinson said she thought we should take advantage of Palmerston’s offer, and proposed that we establish a sub-branch here. This was seconded by Mrs Halliday, and carried unanimously. The following committee watt then elected: —President, Mrs Aus-tin-Johnston; vice-presidents, Mrs F. Robinson, Mrs Halliday, Mrs Pearson; lion, secretary and Treasurer, Mrs R. McMurray; committee, Mcsdames Chrystall, Christie, Matull, Walton, Moorbouse, Trueman, W. Symons, A. Ross, Tong, with power to add. mittec to meet in the Presbyterian Sunday schoolroom at 7.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 25th inst., for the first meeting. The nurse is to be in Foxton on Friday of each week, and the committee hope to make arrangements for her to be here next Friday, 28th inst.

Mrs F. Robinson, in moving that a vote of thanks be accorded the visiting ladies, said they had all enjoyed Miss Cook’s address, and she hoped the work would do well in Foxton. Miss Cook, in reply, said she was very pleased indeed with the meeting, and felt sure Foxton would do well. She mentioned that a Plunket rest-room would be open at the forthcoming Palmerston N. Show. Mothers could leave their babies for an hour or two, and could feel assured they would be well cared for. The rest room is to be in the building known as the Wheeler Memorial, on the show grounds. The visiting ladies were subsequently entertained at afternoon tea by Mrs McMurray.