PLUNKET SOCIETY

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21510, 27 June 1935, Page 3

PLUNKET SOCIETY

. Ijhievement since foundation

|OUAL MEETING HELD

(' extent to which the Plunket "rL (the Royal New Zealand S'i 1 tr for the Health of Women and VhUdren) had achieved it:? original imL' was discusseci ky Mrs Cecil j n an address at the annual eting Christchurch branch ® 6 ,. „ s - oc iety yesterday afternoon. The jayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan. M.P.), pre"'ifc Sullivan said that in every directhe society was doing its utmost see that babies had ever y chance developing into sturdy citizens. The cess ac hieved by the society in New Zealand was a tribute to the orgainfi capacity, enthusiasm, and deUon of the women of New Zealand, nwas notable that in the present finncial difficulties of the country, the Liety was so unsparing in its efforts ITraise funds, and so successful. Mr eLllivan concluded by paying a triknte to the work of Sir Truby King. Or H L. Widdowson. who seconded (he adoption of the report, drew attention to the work the society was Mo* in caring for the pre-school chili 11 was recognised some years L> that children would be in good health and make excellent progress while they were of an age to come within the care of the society, but by the time they reached school age deformities and diseases had developed. An authority in England had said that <t would be" a good thing if the school s «e were lowered to four, so that the children would come into the care of the medical and nursing organisation developed to care for infant school children. In New Zealand the society had had to step in to the breach, and its work in caring for pre-school children had impressed Dr. Wyn Irwin when he made his recent survey. Not many people realised what was being done fn this part of the society's activity and it needed to be brought to their attention. • The report and balance-sheet (already published) were adopted. Origin of Society

Mrs Wood said that an English authority had recently stated that every institution should take thought every few years and see how far it had pro- | gresed towards achieving the ends for ! w hich it was constituted. After 30 years it was fitting that the Plunket Society should do that, and see how far it had progressed towards the achievement of the ideas which had inspired Sir Truby King. It was of Interest to recall how at that time, Sir Truby King was superintendent of the Seacliff Mental Hospital His interest in the animals maintained on the farm at the institution, had led him to observe the difference in the development of calves remaining with their mothers, and those taken away, weaned and induced to take other food. . He had considered that 80 oiu or tvery 1000 babies born in New Zealand died, and saw that the remedy was in the hands of the women of the country in learning to feed and care properly for the babies. Only in the education of the parents could the infant mortality rate be lowered. He envisaged the establishment of an army of specially trained nurses, until there , should be one for every 10,000 of the population, to teach the mothers that | their highest privilege was to nurse | the babies naturally. Through this vis- | ion more than 27 years ago a band j of women had formed the Society tor the Health of Women and Children. The Present Position Now the latest figures (1933-34) showed that the infant death rate was | 33 in each 1000 births, the figures in- | eluding premature babies and those which died within the first montn after birth. Of the babies born in New Zealand 66 per cent, now came under the care of Plunket nurses, and ( of these 87 per cent, were breast fed when they came into the care of the nurses. In addition there were the six Karitane baby hospitals. The society did not take to all the credit for what had been achieved. A great debt was owed to the Health Department, _ which had , acted as a powerful ally in spreading the knowledge of hygiene in the "^mes. The most important part of the Plunket nurses' work was in keepint, heaitn ily born babies well. A hereditary disposition to disease or weakness couiu be checked only by teaching th mother how to counter it. Last year 217 premature babies had been admitted to the Karitane baby hos P*W?' Thirty years ago most of those bao ie f would have died, for then ther f. not been the knowledge n °w existing in the matrons and staffs of the baby hospitals. Besides this there was educational rnothercraftwork doneby the society, while the Karitane purses carried the knowledge into the homes where they had cases. Nature of Service One of the most spectacular features of the work, according to the comments of overseas vteitors was that the services of the P. 1 "1 1 .11 5.' were given free, and that the advic given was uniform from Auckland to Bluff. All that was asked ox mothers was that they should becom annual members of the society M . Wood thought that this was not enough -the fathers should become members also. A campaign should be started to Some persons said that the society should make a definite charge f° r services of the Plunket nurses. 1 hat would undermine the whole work, t * the society wanted to care for tn babies whether they were born m a cottage or a mansion. I>.s aim wa., give service to the mothers and children. , . „ Mrs Wood asked, In conclusion, that the work of the society should be cattied on in the same spirit of voluntary service as in the past. It na live up to the praise given.it, and t aim at achieving its ideal—that all the babies born in New Zealand, a™ not merely 66 per cent, should come under the care cf the Plunket nurses. Officers Elected The following officers and committee were elected:—Presidents Mrs J.cracroft Wilson; acting-president Mrs J. Stevenson; vice-presidents, 2. Harris, Cecil Wood, and P. Hallows Wood; active members of the com mittee. Meijdames H. D. Adand O. tJ. Alpers, K. Ballantyne. H..J. Ballin, A. r; Bloxam. A. J. Benzie, A. W. Ecaven. E. Boulton. N, Buchanan, A. J. Bun-?, J. W. Calder, E. J. Cordner, C. Chilton, C. C, Davis, F. E. Graham, D. W. J. Gould, S. P. Godfrey, M. H. Godby, P. Greenwood, J. Gunders , W. K. Lauchland, H. Mcllraith HMcintosh, N. McGillivray, A. McKillop, V. C. Mathews, W. S. Newburgh J. W. Niven. C. M. Ollivier. W ; G. Scan ncll, W. J. Sheat. J. F. Studholme, DG. Sullivan, FI. ft. Smith H I- £ Thacker, E. Wanklyn, F. Wilding, A. *• Wright, Suter. Misses Boycer and «• Muir; honorary committee, Me. R. W. Anderson, F. H. Py«e. J° h " Deans, G. M. L. Lester, and Miss Mrs Stevenson expressed the thanks f »f the branch to all the persons ana Arms that had helped it durin ? ih : t . " year, and to the honorary auditois, Messrs R. Mitchell and Sons.

By a curious effect of a ventilating Pipe in an aeroplane, an indlc A which warns a pilot that the s about to stall has been deveiopea in the United States. To ventilate me cockpit, a pipe three feet long ana Jwq inches in diameter was run tne leading edge of one wing Position beside the pilot. Af rushing through it not only ventilated . cockpit, but gave a low-pitched n .every time the machine neared stau «« speed. This noise serves as a Jwning signal, informing the P llo situation.