HEALTH OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 23, 22 October 1907, Page 3

HEALTH OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

LECTURE BY DR. TRTJI3Y KING. The Concert Chamber of the Town Hall was fdled with*- ladies yesterday afternoon, when Dr. Trnhy King gave an address dealing with tho health of women and infants, her Excellency Lady Flunkot presided, and the Hon. Kathleen Plunkct was also present. Lady riunkct said:—'l feel it is really unnecessary for mo to introduce Doctor Truby King to you all, as the splendid fight be is making in defence of the babies of New Zealand must, he well known to nearly everyone present. But I am very proud to have an opportunity to-day of publicly supporting him in his determination to make people/ realise that every infant brought into tho world has a - rijgiit •■ to live and a right to bo properly fed and cared for. Every woman in Now Zealand, directly or indirectly, has a responsibility towards tho children of tho Dominion. And it is not only to the mothers that Dr. Truby King ,looks for support, for every woman and girl should be willing to join the Society for tho Promotion of Health of Women and Children. By they will not only educate themselves but will be benefiting the coming generation." (Applause.) PARENTS AND INFANTS. Dr. Truby King, after referring, apropos of Her Excellency's presence, to tho boon which tho women of India owed to Lady Duffcrin for the improvement of their condition, said that societies similar to the one it was proposed to form here had been formed in Dunedin and Christclnirch, the only difference being in the choice ,of name. The Christclnirch Society was called a Society for the Preservation of Infant Life, but the, essential object was a society for promoting tho health and whole well-being of women and children, and by that means increasing tho well-being of the whole community. They believed that it was possible to•'dp" a■ groat deal in that respect, especially .'in regard to training and education. The first thing to have in view was that tho mother should be fitted to be a mother to hor child. That implied that she must have been well trained, and given a rational education which did not put an excessive strain upon .the nervous system. "There were certain conventions which struck at the woman's physical well-being, and directly affected the child. However imperfect kc might bo individually, the design of our bodies was perfect, and any'distortion of or interference with the natural functions of one. part involved'an interference with the functions of.the wholo body, including the brain itself. Ho referred to the iil-offccts if distorting the feet. If a woman did not take a reasonable amount of exercise while suclcling her child, that was bad for the child. '

/ CRAMMING. • ' -. ; .■'.'' Dr. King denounced'the'irrational system of cramming girls with mathematics and other subjects that often wore entirely contrary to the natural aptitudes of women. Such " education " 'was most destructive to the integrity of the nervous system, and it was useless to the girls. The head teacher of the Duncdin Girls' High School'had stated publicly that girls came to her from the primary schools obviously stunted and dwarfed by studying to pass examinations which would be useless to them in their after life. They not only warped tho nervous system, but they warped the capacity of the woman for motherhood. This had been proved over and over. It was not that, they should give Up higher education for girls, but they should introduce a higher education than .-that which was so-called. . FIT AND UNFIT FOODS! If it was quite impossible for a woman to nurture her child in tho natural manner, it should bo given what came nearest to the natural nutriment: That was supplied by means- of humanised -milk; Tho brain and nervous system underwent rcoro growth in tho first twelve months of life than in all the years that followed. ' AVas it not of supreme importance that they should receive constituents then which,would make for their best development?. .-. '. With regard.to humanised milk, it was a common- mistake 'to give it too strong for. a start. He showed ■ a'number of photograph's of .emaciated babies who had. been admitted to the Karitano- homo, after being fed by wrong methods, and other thriving babies yrhich wore given humanised milk. Referring to. restrictive clothing, the doctor said i;e did not ijhink that women really know when they'were restricting the. body's mbycnients. The Almighty had provided for the.support of every part of our body, and even a cliild'f garments should be,loose —not what a woman loose,' but ■what a man meant, if women were rational and careful in bringing up. their ; babies, tho death-rate , among children might go down to' one-third, and that would mean the saving of 1500 babies year in Now Zealand. c . MOTIONS. ; Mrs. Atkinson moved: —" That this meeting heartily thanks Dr.Truby King for his lucid speech., and calls upon the Wellington Society for the Protection of Women and Children to take up work along the lines he has indicated for the promotion of the health of women and children." Mrs. Fell seconded tho motion, which was carried. '■_.■■■■ , •: Mrs. Hislop urged the advisablcness of teaching girls physiology and sociology. She owned to having experienced a great deal of tribulation before she knew how to bathe and dress her baby, and she was glad to call in the aid of her husband. (Laughter.) She thought that there was now a reaction in progress towards' t*ie proper feeding of infants. Mrs. Hislop then proposed a hearty votq ri thanks to Lady Plunkct for her presence, and for being instrumental in calling the mooting together. Mrs. Evans seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. Afterwards a number of new members ..joined tho Society for the Promotion of the Health of Women and Children.