SAVING CHILD LIFE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2582, 19 May 1923, Page 2

SAVING CHILD LIFE.

A RECENT number of “Life” contains some striking information regarding the world’s waste of child life, from which it is clear that New Zealand is in the proud position of having the lowest child death rate in the world. Whatever other (muses may operate to carry off her people before their time, the babies are getting a good start. The Press of America is asking why the United States loses 87 out of 1,000 babies soon after birth, whereas New Zealand loses only 45. Australia loses (it), England 80, Scotland 102, and Germany 145 lives, during the first twelve months. Chili has the still worse record of losing every third child. America is asking—-is there something in the atmosphere of New Zealand, its location in the sea, the elevation of its lands, its equable climate, that makes this country so tender in its treatment of the babies?, There might appear to be favoured treatment on the part of Dame Nature, were it not known that, only a few years ago, the Dominion's child death rate was a much higher one, and the improvement has not been caused by any changes in the climate. The change is due to better nursing. The ministrations of the Plunket Society now reach one fourth of all the babies born in New Zealand, and Plunket. baby deaths are rare occurences. In this connection we desire to pay a tribute to the good work being ac--complished by the local Plunket Society. While we do not desire to single out any one of the ladies who have taken up this work and continued it against certain handicaps, we would be failing in our duty did we not make special mention of the secretary, Mrs McMurray, who has been a dynamic force in establishing and developing the local branch. We hope, at no distant date, that the Borough Council will provide a suitable room in connection with the proposed rest-room for women, to enable the society to develop its splendid work.