ALEXANDRA PLUNKET SOCIETY.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 1330, 19 April 1922, Page 5

ALEXANDRA PLUNKET SOCIETY.

ANNUAL MEETING

The annual meeting ol the Alexandra branch of the Plauket Society was held in the ante-room ol the ball on Tuesday, llth April, Mrs VJ. Black (President| in the chair. Tie secretary, Mrs W. A. Bodkin, submitted the annual repott for the local brancßy~Whicb haviug already been published, was taken as read, and the president in moving the adoption of same referred in eulogistic terms to the woik of Nurse Hendry, the Plunket Nurse for Otago Central, and to the energetic services of Mrs Bodkin, local secretary. The secretary submitted Nurse Hendry's report for the whole Piun-

ket diatriet of Otago Central for the year ending 31st Marob, 1922. That report is as follows : New Cases: 24*. Babies 123 ; boys 51; girls 69; mothers 66; expectant mothers 55. Babies under two years under supervision, 184; babies under nine months under supervision, 98; babies wholly breast fed, 66; babies supplemented with humanised milk, 7; babies fed* wholly on humanised milk, 21; bahies fed otherwise, 4; expectant mothers under supervision, 8. Visits paid to homes, 2040. Places visited r Alexandra, Earnscleugh Gallo way, Omakau, Ophir, Matakanui, Chatto Creek, Springvale, Cromwell, Bannockburn, Lowburn, ' Eipponvale, Lindis, Clyde, soiburgh, Millers Flat,)Ettricls, Dumb&non, Coal Greek, Island fclock, Edxbargh East. There has been. Very little "sickness among the babies daring the year. Whooping cough and chicken-pox in mild form were prevalent throughout the district daring the winter months, and gastric influenza also in a mild form among mothers and older children during the last two months. Probably owing to the mildness of the summer, did to ' the fact that most of the mothers now know the value of elimination and starvation in the early stages, there have been very few cases of diarrhoea and duly one ease of " summer diarrhoea." Four Babies died daring the year:— Two at Karitane Hospital from prematurity ; 1 at Lindis from prematurity; 1 at Lowburn from asphyxiation.

- Although, I consider it has been a most satisfactory year. We caqgpt expect such good resubs where we visit every baby in the district as where we work only with those in favour of our system. Nevertheless, I have found that although some of the babies are not

guod samples of Plunket babies, most iof the mothers are really trying to fol- • low oar method's 'especially in regard to feeding, regularity, and fresh air. The dummy too is almost a thing of the past. „As far as I know, there are not more than a dozen used in the whole* district.—There are' only 4 babies under nine months in the district not risked all in Alexandra. A good number of the Public Works people hare left the district andgone to Beaumont and Ardgour. I still keep in touch with them. I am finding the New Zealand Emulsion very useful as the milk supply is very poor. It would be much more convenient if some of -ife could be sold by the pound, as two pounds is too much for nursing motfiers. It has been suggested that I call your attention to the fact that although the price of milk, butter, cheese, etc., has been reduced there has - been- no reduction "*in the price of sugar of milk. I am indebted to several ladies for their kindness to me during my visits to the outdistricts in this district, —Mrs Bringans and Mrs Attfield in Clyde, and Mrs Hans at Chatto Greek; also Mr Dunsmuir. Shamrock Hotel,»Ophir, for supplying dinner free of charge throughoat the year arid to Mr Bagiey for the use of his sitting room for the test feedings, etc. '

I hope that in a short time the district will be divided, as I am sure the work could be carried out much more satisfactorily if N the babies could be visited oftener. ,

FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

ELECTION OF OVFWE-BEA)IERS The ioWowYng office-bearers lor the locvl branch, were dented ; President, Mrs IV. B/ao/c Secretary—Mrs NY. A. Bodkin Management Committee Mes-d-imaa Terry. Anderson, Murphy, M'Lean and J. D. Thomson. Men's Advisory Committee Messrs \V. Daucan, W. BUek, J. R Marks, C. E. Richards and W. A. Bodkin. * It was decided that the collectors Bttrt their annual visit about the 2Ubiu.it. * V

Considering the public nature of the work of the society, the secretary was authorised to approach the Borough Council and the Vincent County Council in regard to these public bodies making a donation towards the fund to help pay theNsdary of the visiting uurse. The frieudiy societies of the district were ulso to he written to asking lor their unaucva\ support to the work of the nurse The meeting terminated with the usual courtesy «o the chair.

1 Balance on hand beginning £ s. d. year 19 2 1 L0 Collections per Mesdames O'Kane & Bodkin 2 5 0 „ Murphy and Thomson 5 3 0 „ M'Lean and Standring 2 0 0 „ Black and Anderson... 7 7 6 ., M'Lean and Anderson 1 1 0 Miss Govan, Galloway 2 2 6 Mrs M-Knight, Ophir ... 3 2 6 Mrs Talbot, Springrale 1 0 0 Mrs Bringans, Clyde 5 6 0 Mr* M'Ginnis. EarnscleugU 2 4 7 Mrs Black, Cnatto Greek ... 3 8 6 Discount off Croft's Account 6 Proceeds of Social Totar'^1" It 16 6 £69 0 5 EXPENDITURE £ s. J. Payment to Central Commit - tee; share of Nurse's Salary - 10 0 0 Printing and Adrertising ...\ 17 6 S. R. Croft ... ... 1 2 6 John Edmond (scales) .^. 9 12 0 A. M-Kellar 7 6 Minute Book and Postages I 6 t Balance in Post Office 16 4 6 Cash on hand 11 11 £69 IV 5