INFANT WELFARE

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21510, 27 June 1935, Page 8

INFANT WELFARE

# 1 CONDITIONS IN COOK j ISLANDS ADDRESS TO I'LUXIvET SOCIETY An account ol infant welfare work in the Cook Islands was given by Colonel F. W. W. Dawson, assistant medical officer of health, in an addross at Ihe annual meeting of the Christchurch branch of the Plunket Socici.v yesterday afternoon. Colonel Dawson visited Rarotonga and remained there in medical charge of the island for seme weeks after the hurricane at the beginning oc this year. "RaiotoiT'a ib one of the cleaner.' island.; I have ever been on," said Colonel Dawson. "Every house is supplied with a pipe water supply coming fr< m an upland source, the pressure is good, and the water _is of good quality, except that it is liable to become clouded daring floods. Ihey all have ablution places with a concrete f;oor, water laid on, and a super-structure either of matting or corrugated iron. Method of Procedure "Each of the villages has its infant welfare committee. This consists of the Maori women ot the village. They fi r e trained by the matron of the hospital to take up child welfare work. I used to visit each village once a month. The meetings were usually held in the fruit packing .sheds. The Maori members of the committee were arrayed in white overalls, with tnc badge of the association embroidered on "the pocket, busily engaged in weighing the children, examining thorn, their hair, and iheir skins and recording all details and rioting any do frets. Suitable advice was given to those who could be dealt with on the spot, a small quantity of drugs and dressings being left with the welfare committee, and the others were instructed to come to hospital for treatment. "Most of the children are breast fed. and naturally do very well. For those whom the natural supply is net available there is a certain amount ->2 cow's milk. Goat's milk is also available. and there are several excellent coconut milk recipes which can be used to supplement diets, or to take the place of cream. In addition, the Plunket Society's product'- nro us -d but there is always the difficulty cf finance. 1 need hardly say that we have plenty of orange juice. "On examining the school children, i with the dental surgeon, I found that the mouths of the children who v/ore brought up purely on the native diet were better than those who had nipplementcd it with European articles, mostly out of n tin."