SAVING THE BABIES.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 March 1921, Page 4

SAVING THE BABIES.

PLUNKET SOCIETY’S WORK. NEW PLYMOUTH BRANCH. The monthly meeting of the New Plymouth Plunket Society was held on March 14. Present: Mesdames C. H. Burgess, (in the chair), Millar, Jenkin, L B. Webster, and the honorary secretary (Mrs. Stuart Russell). Apologies were received from Mesdames W. Weston, Duff and McHardy. Nurse Petersen reported for the month of February: Number of babies on list (old cases), 132; new, 8; visits paid to homes (old cases), 149, new, 25; visits received at office (adultsbabies, 161; advice to expectant mothers, 6; milk prepared in homes, 7; letters received and answered, 12. One demonstration in preparation of humanised milk, and one address to mothers of the W.C.T.U had been given. An application was received from Nurse Castle (now at Rotorua) for the position of second nurse in New Plymouth. The present committee felt that as a new committee will be taking office from next meeting* it would be wise to leave the matter of a second nurse in abeyance, for as a result of the detailed report which Nurse Petersen sent in last month it was considered that one nurse could do the work, unless branches were opened at Waitara and other places outside the New Plymouth district. The secretary was instructed to write and inform Nurse Castle that the matter would be handed on to the new committee for their decision. It was decided that the annual meeting be held in Kawaroa Parß bungalow on Wednesday, April 6, at 2.30 p.m., and that all members (anyone subscribing 5s or more per annum to the society is a member) and friends be invited to be present.' and to be the guests of the committee to tea after the business of the meeting is finished. As the annual reports and balance-sheets will be read, and new officers elected, the committee hopes that all interested in Plunket work, both men and women, will attend.

The nurse asked that in future all milk demonstrations be 'held on the second Wednesday in each month. This was granted, and the committee would like ail mothers to know that they are welcome to come to the demonstrations, whether they are members of the society or not.

It was decided that the Plunket rooms be closed frdm Friday, March 25, to Monday, March inclusive, for the Easter holidays. An appeal was made to the committee by the secretary for clothing, either old or new, to help cases of distress with which the nurse had come in contact on her rounds, and also for help for the family which had *been burned out recently, where there are six children, who all need clothing for the coming winter. The committee resolved to help in these cases, and to send parcels to the Plunket nurse for her distribution.