WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 312, 27 May 1911, Page 7

WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

ANNUAL MEETING OF SOCIETY FOR PROMOTION OF HEALTH. The second annual meeting of the society for the Health of Women and Children was held in the Town Hall yesterday afternoon. Despite the inclement weather, about twenty ladies attended, showing the interest that is taken in the work of the society. Mrs. Doekrill (president) occupied the chair. .ANNUAL REPORT. The annual repevt \was presented as follows: Since the first annual meeting held in April, 1910, Nurse McCarthy continued to carry on the work until her resignation at the beginning of August. Unfortunately, a nurse was not available to take her place for some time, and the society's work suffered in conso-' queiice. However, Mrs. Murray, ot Dunedin (who was the first Plunket nurse in the colony, and who has now retired from active Plunket work), volunteered to come here and fill the vacancy until another nurse could be procured. Our committee feels under the greatest obligation to Mrs. Murray for the splendid work she accomplished in raising the society in the estimation of the public to a position it had never occupied before, and it was a matter of great regret that Mrs, Murray had to return to her home. Previously to Mrs. Murray's advent here, it was erroneously considered that the Plunket nurse's work was only to make humanised milk, and it might not be out of place here to say that not only do they advise the mother upon the case and feeding of her infant, but also upon the general hygiene of the home, especially with regard to vcntliation, clothing, bathing, cleanliness, the selection, preparation and care of food, and especially the safeguarding of milk for infant feeding, and the ordinary simple rules for healthy living. No stone is left unturned to sheet home the fact that natural feeding under proper hygienic conditions is by far the best for both mother and child, and since the society started it has been a matter of general remark that there has been a great increase in tile numbers of naturallv-fed babies. In very many cases the Plunket nurses and others interested have succeeded in inducing mothers to continue nursing of weaning their babies, and the great secret of Mrs. Murray's success was thai she carried out these duties with such admirable tact and ability. We have been fortunate in being able to secure the services of Nurse Morgan, who conies from Christchurch, and after ten years' service there has earned the highest reputation from the success ol her work, and is giving the greatest satisfaction since her arrival here. The committee found that it was impossible for the nurse to daily cover the rounds without the aid of a bicycle, so one was purchased for her use, at a reasonable price. During the month of March, Dr. Truby King, in passing through New Plymouth, gave a lecture on the subject of "Health and Fitness." The lecture was well attended and highly appreciated. The thanks of the society are due to the Licensed Victuallers' Association

Victuallers' Association stating that the/ association had agreed to grant free board and lodging to the Plunket nurse for the coming year. The president remarked that without the valuable assistance given by the Licensed Victuallers' Association the society would not have been able to carry on. It was unanimously resolved that this society tender its sincere thanks to the Licensed Victuallers' Association for their substantial assistance for the past two years, and for their generous consent to entertain the Plunket nurse for another year.