Our Babies

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 6 July 1917, Page 4

Our Babies

(By Hygeia). Published under the auspices cf ti»e Society for the Health of Women and Children. "It i« wiaer to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom." Tbe Annual Meeting of The Auckland Branch. At the annual meeting of the Auckland Branch of the Plunket Society tributes were paid to the beneficence of its mission by several speakers. The following extracts, which should be intereiting to our readers, are taken from the Auckland Star: — Thanks of The Community. Mr Gunaon, speaking as Mayor of Auckland, said he was pleased to be able to identify himßelf with this splendid Society. It has been a truism that infant life was the future of the nation; but some truisms bad been ; somewhat overlooked in the past, and j be was pleased to see that it was not so with the Plonket Society. In the last 50 years the place of women had changed, and to-day they stood on a plane which enabled them to do much valuable work. It was quite time, too, that something was done to promote and protect the health of women and children. The operations of the Society made not only for immediate, but for distant, results for tbe benefit of our race. Ihe speaker went onto congratulate the local Society and its popular and energetic president (Mrs G. Bloomfield) upon the noble work carried on. Be was aitounded at tbe great work of the three local nurses, and on behalf of the citizens be wished to bear testimony to the appreciation of that achievement. He concluded by wishing tbe Society God-apeed in its work of the future.

Bisbop Averill's Appreciation. Bishop Averil congratulated the gnciety upon its excellent report, the expansion of its work, and the increased confidence the public bad in the Society. Twenty 5 ears ago he was distressed that so little was done by the Government or the community for mothers and children; but since ihose nays things were altered, be was to say. It waa cruel to realise that the real true mothers »emi d to receive so little sympathy r- m thft Government and the authorities. What New Zealand wanted ft as * lar v e population, and it was the Plunket Society which was doing a w rk that was helping to bring about thi» result. It was in reality doing a splendid humanitarian and patriotic work lor the people. Another grt at a-set to any country waa the happiness ut its people. Tnis depended up m the h me and the healtn of tbe women ana ■'tiiidren: It was evident that the Plunket Society was thus beneficently contributing to the happiness of the

homes. It was terrible that children a- ould start out in the race of life with 1 he handicap of ill-health, owing to the

ignorance of the mothe 3; it was just

here that the Society stepped in. What more noble work could any Society be doing? That was why it was meeting with such generous public support. Then, too. the Society's

unobtrusive war work, mentioned in the report, struck a happy note. The acknowledgments of gifts of baby clothing by widows of heroes of North Sea battles were touching, and would appeal to all as showing bow such assistance was appreciated. The Plunket Nurses. His Lordship Bishop Averill, commenting upon the rapid progress of the Society, said that, with the increase in tbe work, there was a real danger of overloading the nurses, who he understood, numbered three. As far as he could gather there were no "strikes" amongst the nurses, and there war; also no suggestion of the "go-slow policy" with them. Thex-e waa no nurses' union to urge claims for better pay and shorter hours. He wished, however, to stress the need for helping the nurses as much as possible, and one way in which the recipients of their assistance could render help to the nurses themselves and to tbe good cause WBs by attending upon the nurses for help instead of always expecting the nurses to call on them. —(Applause). "I do not know how the nurses get about and visit patients in this large district," added Dr Averill, "but I think thpy should g<jt a free

pass on the tramways, and, if not, then the community should send them round in motor cars "in order to save tbetn in the good work they are accomplishing. " (Vigorous applause). Planket Society's Scope.

Extension of Work Advocated. Dr M'Donald (medical inspector of schools in the Auckland district) threw out a suggestion that may in the near of fall consideration, and possibly of eventualfj&doption. referring to the early feeding and care of babies a 8 of basic importance,, Dr M'Donald said that, from the experience of the school children under her notice, she felt that something further might also be done. She would like to see the scope of the Plunket Society extended to cover all child life up to school age. If the Society could by voluntary means bridge what was at present a gap it would be doing a great servic .

The doctor .went on to refer to the hundreds of cases of wrongly-fed and Dndsvelopsd children she had seen, and she believed that this malnutrition showed the need for the sphere of the Plunket Society being enlarged in the way she had pointed out. A lot of the troubles and ills of children occurred just wben they escaped babyhood, about three years asd up to six years. Once a child attained the third year there always seemed a difficulty of setting its food. Dr M'Donald said she thought there was too much choice of food for babies in New Zealand. The speaker was warmly thanked. Memo by Hjgeia.

The Society has never placed a limit to the age of the children under its supervision, and we have always strongly impressed on the Plunket Nurses that they should not only give attention to the immediate needs of the mothers and babies, but they should also take interest in the growth and development of older children, especially with regard to such primary | fundamental requirements as fresh air, exercise, regular meals (no j "pieces" between), regular habits, the state of tbe teeth, symptoms of adenoids, proper clothing, and footgear, etc. However, our readers will readily realise that it is impossible for the Plunket Nurses to keep in constant touch with their charges up to five or six years of age. The more pressing needs of the little babies take up most of their time and attention, and tbe Society would require far more nurses to enable them to keep the children under supervision up to school age.

Dr M'Donald's suggestion is a good one, and we realise that it would further benefit the family if a larger measure of hygienic supervision could be given in the case of children between three and? six years of age. Still, we must remember that it i 3 much more difficult to get people to be reasonable with regard to the upbringing of older children than it is in the case of the baby. The habit of allowing unsuitable fooiis, sweets, etc., between meals is so inveterate that it is hard to overcome, especially as grown-ups look upon such vagaries as somewhat in the nature of a joke, and speak of spoiling their children almost i with pride. How often one hears .tbe expression, "Oh, he ia a most aevoted father; he simply spoils the children." We join with Bishop Averili in paying a tribute to the devotion of the Plunket Nurses throughout the Dominion. With few exceptions they are at work early and late, and it is very difficult to prevent them from doing too much.