INFANT WELFARE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 144, 19 June 1926, Page 13

INFANT WELFARE.

PLUNKET NURSING IN PALESTINE. SUCCESSFUL ESTABLISHMENT. The wide appeal of infant welfare work is shown by the striking success of the infant welfare centres on Plunket lines established in Palestine. As a result of the Eistern garden fair held in the Town Halj' in August, 1921, a substantial sum was secured for the initiation of the schetf'e. It \yas at first decided to send only/one nurse, but as the funds were augmented by contributions from the three Southern cities, and also in Gisbornf and Masterton, the society was in a position to train and equip" two nurses pd to maintain the centre for a period of three years. The first New Z&land Welfare centre was opened at Jaffa 1 in April, 1922, under Nurses Ashberry aid Hyams. The occasion was a notablesone in the history of the city and widespread attention. The great befits conferred began to operate almost" immediately. Prior to the establishment of the centre the death rate among iabies under one year old exceeded thirty per cent. Of the five hundred chili-en of all denominations attended bj the nurses of the centre during thejirst year of its existence, only three di|d, and these had been brought to the centre too late to receive the full advantage; of its methods. The local population ippreciated the work of the New Zealand Plunket Centre so much that they i established another centre, which is attended by the doctor and nurses of thejNew Zealand Centre. Nurse Hyams married and was replaced by Nurse Fisher. There are also voluntary helpers and t local women's committee, and the whole scheme is under the Women's International Zionist Organisation, which deals with welfare work for women and children in Palestine. Nature of the Work. The equipment of the rooms is similar in every way to that which obtains in New Zealand, and-the same methods prevail. All the children are breast fe_ and no milk tot supplement is given under six months of age. Massage is used, and with very beneficial results. The number of attendances is rapidly increasing. The; monthly reports rendered by the head nurse at Jaffa to the Auckland societyjshow a steady increase in the attendances and a growing appreciation of the value of the centre. The hon. physician sttends every consultation. The nurses also attend the homes at frequent intervals. The reports state that the number average annual attendances on doctors days were about 5000 for advice, and treatment about 4000, and the number of home visits exceeded 3000. The example ?set by New Zealand has been widely followed. In 1924 a group of French women established an Infant Welfare Centre at Haifa. The methods of Sir Truby King have been applied in this centre to .r the fullest extent with the necessary adaptation to local conditions. The system of milk distribution is carefully organised—the formulas are made by the nurses in a special milk kitchen. The; milk is daily submitted to a bacteriological examination and is sold to the mothers in sealed glass bottles and for prices which vary according to their means. Last year a second centre was established at Haifa and. paid for by tlie local population. Further Extensions. Further infant welfare centres have also been established at Jerusalem and Tiberias and various colonies by the American Hadassab and Zionist Medical Unit, which has also organised the medical work of Palestine on a modern basis and has established hospitals, clinics and training schools for nurses. There has thus been secured for the inhabitants the benefits of the best medical knowledge and experience in the cure and prevention of disease. Nearer home, New Zealand's example has been followed. Sydney is establishing an infant welfare centre at Tel Aviv. In all, Palestine' now boasts sixteen infant welfare centres. As it is a small country of the size of Wales, this is sufficient at present. . The question no\y is not to start new centres but to maintain those already in existence and in particular the pioneer New Zealand centre which has done such magnificent work in saving the lives of the babies of the Holy Land. Many tributes have been paid to the New Zealand-Centre by visitors to Palestine. Citizens of the Dominion are naturally proud of the success that has attended "the establishment of the centre and of the ready acceptance by the mothers of Palestine of the methods initiated-in New Zealand by Sir Truby King. lit is gratifying to note that a typically New Zealand institution has made so wide an appeal, and that its application to the conditions of Palestine has been attended with such successful results.