"SAVE THE BABIES."

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13378, 20 March 1909, Page 5

"SAVE THE BABIES."

(SPECIAL TO "THE TRESS.") AUCKLAND, Mnrch 19Apropos of the growing interest that is being shown in the care and) protection of infant-*, some interesting remarks were made by the District Health Officer (Dr. Purdy) to a "Herald" representative which may be commended io the notice of parents. Dr. Purdy directed his remarks in the first ln- >*..:'.. •> to the matter of perambulators-. t i.o type generally in use in Auckland is not- a good one. -Reclining chairs,'' he said, "are necessary for babies under two years of ape. in which they can r.ot only be placed iv a comfortable l» sition, hut also bo shaded. Let anyon." try lying down ior ten minutes with eyes upturned to tlie sun and thus experience what is being done for the babies."

The District Health Officer went on to say that the close-fitting Dutch bonnets for girls and the straw hats with brims stiffly turned up for boys are most injurious to the oves of infants. They aro also, he declared, entirely unsuitable to tho climatic conditions of Auckland, where a hot sun beats down for so many months of the year. A suitable head covering would be one that shaded the eyes and protected the back ol the head down to the neck.

The habit of taking babies to the theatre next camo in for condemnation. Dr. Purely said that the close atmosphere of the auditorium had a most damaging effect upon the delicate organisation of infants. There were always to be seen in a theatre a number of babies in arms, and it was a pity the mothers' attention was not drawn to the risks which the children were running. Judging by the way some babies slept all through a performance, thero was ground for suspecting that a few drops of soothing syrup were often administered to infants before leaving home. This was a deadly practice; it worked ajainst the resisting power of brain and will. "The child who is saturated with soothing syrup when young," Dr. Purdy said, "will more easily become a prey to tho drink _emon in later years."

It was a pity, the District Health Officer added, that in spite of the attention that Dr. Truby King had paid to the subject of tho rearing of infants, nnd in spite of the strenuous nature of hi> crusade, thc wrong style of perambulator and go-cart was still in use, and in other respects proper precautions for the health of babies were beiny neglected.