For Women

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 45, 23 February 1942, Page 2

For Women

HEALTH OF GIRLS

Cheching Eifecl Of Voluntary War Work

A health scheme which may have i interesting results is being carried : out by the medical officer attached ' to the Women's National Service , Corps in Auckland. The doctor is • giving the women and girls—who number 550 odd—an opportunity of • keeping a monthly check-up of their • weight and of reporting anv illnesses which they have had during : the month. Concern at the lack of proper guidance regarding the health of the girls many of whom were workinc long hours, prompted the doctor to take this practical interest in their welfare. l "There is no doubt that many girls are doing too much work," she laid in an interview. "They have fulltime jobs during the day, and then y v WC £ k e eve "% for the m J' In 1 . addition to that, their £?J™£f have been cancelled in many cases. "There is also the worry factor. Most girls are anxious about their f £ ends 2 nd relatives overseas and that is harmful to their health borne girls simply cannot stand up to the strain, and that is whv we ar f<J^! epm S a check on their health, ine scheme has onlv iust started," the doctor continued. "We are weighing the girls monthly, and JL .Z^J I*™1 *™ been jll during the : month they can then be referred to . u r ,.* own doct or. This precaution should prevent any of the girls from I slipping in health without anyone knowing about it. I

Rest May Be Necessary "It is better for a girl to take a couple of weeks off, to rest, than go on until she finds it necessary to have severa months off. Unfortunately the girls are loath to take time of? from their work, for th*>y feel they can't be spared at this tune. Employers, also," commented the doctor, dislike their girls going off unless it seems really urgent. Many of them appear to think that as ions as a girl looks all right and can -w-alk around, there can't be anything wrong with her. . fe i

But, as I said before, it should be realised that a short time off in j*e beginning may save months

The doctor said that she hoped to educate the girls to tell when they were ill. Lectures were given by her from time to time on correct diet, hygiene, what to do in an epidemic and the methods of combating epidemics. 6

I "I find the girls very eager to co-operate '* she said. "They appreciate the fact that we are doing this to help them and they are ideal to work with, because they are welldisciplined and know that if thev are told to take a rest from their work, either their daily work or their war i effort, they must do so, even though they may not want to."

General Health in Wartime . The doctor went on to stress the importance of the public health in H^ ime -^ Sh . e "palled that they had discovered in England that' it was not humanly possible to work 12 hours a day every day in the week The doctor expressed concern that many people with minor ailments' carried on without seeing a Sr becau ,se they were afraid they would have to take leave and consequently be put off pay. Many business girls, living alonef did not Pay.sufficient attention to their health, said the doctor, since, in addition to working hard they did not eat proper meals, but took something hastily in the morning and again when they came home at

, c ll .^ lll be some time before anv definite statistics can be given as to the results of this scheme," said the doctor, in conclusion. "But it may furnish interesting evidence about the health of New Zealand