IMPROVING THE RACE.

Shannon News, 17 May 1929, Page 2

IMPROVING THE RACE.

PLUNKEjT SOCIETY'S SHARE. REMARKABLE SAVING OF YOUNG LIVES. OLDER CHILDREN TO BE KEPT IN VIEW. "If this finest country in the world is going to have the finest people in the future, it depends on the mothers of to-day." This was the moral pointed out to a meeting in the Century Hall on Wednesday by Dr. Derrick, Director of Child Welfare under the Health Department, who gave an informative address dealing with the history and methods of the Society for the Health, of Women and Children, otherwise known as the Plunket Society.

The meeting, which was held under the auspices of the Levin branch of the Plunket Society, was a very successful one, being attended by about a hundred ladies, as well as several gentlemen interested in the Society's work. The president of the branch, Mrs T. Hobson, was in the chair, and she extended a hearty welcome to the - Director, and in the course of her remarks said she believed that he would be a worthy successor to Sir Truby King, the gifted founder of the organisation. Dr. Derrick, in acknowledging the President's introduction, modestly disclaimed any equality of eminence with the noted pioneer of infant welfare in this country. lis added that he was pleased to know that Mrs Hobson had been associated with the movement from its inception. 9

HOW THE SOCIETY CAME INTO

BEING.

The origin of the work now carried on by the Society was described by the Director, who told how Sir (then Dr.) Truby King, when in charge of the Seacliff Mental Hospital, near Dunedin, had experimented in the rearing and care of plants and animals and had come to the conclusion that the physiological laws underlaying plant and animal growth were in no way different from those with which he had to deal in dieting his patients. Dr. King made a trip to Japan, with his wife, about 1904, when that country was at war with Russia. He found that, although the Japanese were a small race physically, they were a virile people and in infancy were breastfed. About the same time, an English medical man called attention tu the large percentage of men in his country who were unable to stand up to the rigours of military training. Dr Truby King wanted to do something to stop the threatened deterioration of the white races. The • first thing to/be done in New Zealand was to ta'ke some steps to -re-introduce, if pos sible, the practice of breast-feeding, which had tended to become the exception instead of the rule. A wave of scepticism had been passing over the world regarding the possibility of breast-feeding the infants; but Dr. Truby King did not believe that the women were unable to continue nourishing their babies in that way.' He started his movement in Dunedin, with the aid of a nurse from a mental hospital. The Society was established at Duendin, and, very shortly after it started, the Karitane Hospital as it now existed was founded at Anderson's Bay. Dr. Truby King had had a certain number of babies under treatment at his home, "Karitane," at Puketeraki, and proved that the principles for which he was contending were sound and that under prppe.v care the infants soon became what Nature intended —well-fed, healthy, happy children. The system was not introduced without having to encoun ter a certain amount of opposition and criticism. The lecturer mentioned that Lionel Terry, who was at one time under the care of Dr. Truby King as a patient in the Seacliff Asylum, commenced making rhymes about the Doctor's work, one of which was as follows:—

"Hark the herald angels sing, 'Glory to our Truby King; He has humanised the cow — She will feed the babies now.' "

REDUCTION OF INFANT MORTALITY.

The difficulties to be met and overcome, Dr. Derrick continued, had been very great indeed; but Lord and Lady Plunked became thoroughly convinced that the movement was on right lines. Lady Plunket did all she could to advance the work, and for that reason the organisation came to be called, for short, the Plunket Society. From 22 to 25 years ago the death-rate among New Zealand babies under one year of age was 80 per thousand; last year it was 36 per thousand. It might be retorted that the infantile death-rate had been falling throughout the world—and he would grant that; but if the figures for the different countries were examined, it would be found that the New Zealand rate was a long way lowqr than tlialt of any other country. The next lowest was that of Australia, with 58, while those of other countries, such as Englan)d and the European States were considerably higher. For the period from the end of the first month till the end of the first year—a period during which mothers in New Zealand had charge of their own babies —the death rate of infants had fallen from 50 to 11 per thousand. This remarkable result had been achieved mainly through the work of the mothers themselves. The movement started with one Plunket nurse 22 years ago, and to-day there were 120 of such nurses. No nurses could have done this work without the earnest co-operation of the mothers. The neo-natal death-rate— that relating | to the first month of life—had not come down to anything like the same extent as the general infantile rate,

the figures in this case having fallen from 30 to only 25. NEEDS OF THE YOUNGEST.

With regard to tthe reduction as a whole, the figures went to show that the effect had been brought about by some agency which did not operate in other countries; in no country had there been anything like the dramatic fall exhibited in this Dominion. That factor was simply the Plunket Society. That being so, what was the position with respect to the future? Had they reached a stage in which nothing more could be done, and could they maintain the present position. The speaker did not know that they could hope for any great benefit in the period from the end of one month to the end of a year; but they did hope that something would be done to bring down the rate of 25 per thousand in that period. There were several ways in Avhich it could be done. Undoubtedly something would be done in the near future to save some of the premature babies in the first week or two of life. In addition it was hoped that, by such means as increased antenatal care, the Society would be able to reduce the neo-natal death rate. , CASUALTIES A-MONG MOTHERS.

Drl Derrick added that there . had been talk, in the last four or five years, of the high maternal mortality rate. In some countries this was only half tihe New Zealand rate, while the neonatal rate was also lower. This suggested that the two were in some way (connected. „ The countries and Holland had produced remarkable results in lowering these rates. Though New Zealand's general infantile death rate was much loAver than the rate in those countries, it was in the second period that the Dominion'3 figures welre so much better ;than theirs. The Society hoped, by antenatal >is.ve, to eliminate the catastrophes that happened in childbirth, and so save both mother and baby; they felt it their duty to do something, and as speedily as they could, to assist in solving that problem. AFTER CARE OF THE CHILD.

Coming to another aspect of the Sor .ciety's work, the Director said that many people had the idea that when a child was from 12 to 15 months old he was no longer under the Plunket rule and had leave to do pretty well as he liked. The work of the society, however, was not confined to the first year of life. The rules for the guidance of mothers had been founded on physiological principles; they were not a hard and fast set of rules, but were applied common sense. The Society wanted to be able to do something to look after the children right up to the time when they went to school. If he had the money, he could help to solve the problem just aa quickly as the staff could be trained. It was hoped to get the necessary money; the work might not be accomplished in six months or six years, but he hoped that it would be done in less time than had elapsed since the establishment cf the Society. At headquarters it was realised that this problem had to be solved, and it was a question of money and staff. They hoped to be able to follow the babies up to school age and hand them on in a much more fit condition than was the case to-day. Three' or four million pounds were being spent j&nnually on education in the schools of the Dominion, and it was common sense to endeavour to ensure that the material used in the educational machine was the best possible. The nurse, as far as possible followed these children up, but there was a physical limit to the work that she could do, and the ideal aimed at would mean a considerable increase in the nursing staff, but it would be done. PUBLIC SUPPORT ESSENTIAL.

It was sometimes asked why the Society must come to the public so often for funds, instead of making a charge to the mothers. Practical experience, however, had shown, not only here but in America and England, that whenever an attempt was made to charge for this kind of work, it simply melted away. The people would not pay, at so much a visit, to have this work done for them. Furthermore, if an attempt was made to charge for it, there were people even in New Zealand who could not afford to pay. The people who needed the service most would be the most inclined to stay away, and the babies would suffer. It must be regarded as puti of the educational work of the country; if the Government thought otherwise, it would not give the subsidy that it did. The Government Subsidised the salaries of the nurses and gave subsidies to the Karitane hospitals; but the subsidies only amounted to about two-fifths cf the total expenditure, and the remainder had tj be raised in some way.

FUNDAMENTAL PEINCIPLES. After giving some particulars of the work of the Karitane hospitals, Dr. Derrick said that the Plunket movement was designed to help the mothers as well as the babies, and his ideal was to see all the mothers sq living this healthy life, and so skilled in the knowledge of, child welfare, that there would be no need for a Plunket Society at all. He did not expect to live to see that state of things, but he thought that it mighfeome some day. It was desired to educate the mother? in the matters of proper diet—the use pf wholemeal bread, milk, eggs and fruit—also in the advantages of fresh air both in and out of the houses, and of general exereise. The last-named was often spoken of as recreation, which meant re-creation, giving Nature a chance of building up anew, which she did even more during sleep than in a period of exercise. Fresh air must be available, and not merely with the windows open half an inch. If the climate of Levin .was what he had been told, people sleep on their verandahs or in sleeping-porches. Fresh air was one of the few things in life -that could be got for nothing.- The mothers must be trained to look after their babies not only in the first year, but in the second and third and later vears of life. The future of tho race belonged to the babies, and if this

country and the Empire were to continue their beneficent work, it depended on the society and the mothers to train the children in the right way, so that they would know the laws of health and be able to apply them and to appreciate the things of life at their true value. If the children were trained on these lines, the future could be left to them with absolute confidence. No questions were forthcoming, and, en the motion of Mrs L. J. Hunter, the Director was accoided by acclamation a very hearty vote of thanks for his able and interesting address. 'Before the gathering dispersed, a nice afternoon tea was served by the local committee of the Plunket Society- ' ' '