SAVING THE BABIES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 138, 5 March 1908, Page 3

SAVING THE BABIES.

MORE SUGGESTIONS'BY DR. EURDY: ; .VBT TELEGUAX-n—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) Auckland,-March. 4. -, In a letter; to..;the;City-. Council, Dr., J. S.. Purdy, District;-Health< Officer;, -makes'i'some interesting' references' to "the' question-, of'in-' fant lifo protection, and outlines a schemo jwliich.'ho thinks"niight witli advantage bo put into operation- in Auckland. " I sketched out a , proposal sonic t-imo ago," ho. says, " that -there'--bo two' lady inspectors, preferably qualified and rogist-ercd women medical practitioners, whose duty it, (would bo to -visit ■ all infants ,within- ono' month of birth, and giyo instruction to mothers-if required or render aid. ■I have suggested to the Hospital and Charitablo Aid Boards that sets of coupons should tbo supplied to any mother who desires to ;obtain .meals freo beforo or after the birth ,'of her child, such coup,cms .to ,be distributed on request by any accredited represeiitativo of a voluntary organisation, such as an iu'ifant lifo protection' society,' or any- religious 'denomination, or tho officials of tho Salvation Army, tho right being reserved afterwards, should it bo considered necessary, that investigation be mado as to tho reason for thb mother not obtaining. -suppoH from her husband,if she,has.one.. ,

• " Threo lady 'in " Auckland, Drs. Constanco Frcst, Woodward Horsley, and 'Eleanor Baker, havo all offered to give consultations free two afternoons a week to poor mothers- 1 requiring; advice/' Should 1 you approve of tho schemo of assisting the Infant Lifo' Protection Society, by supplying 'direct to tho infants humanised milk ready prepared in "proper bottles, I will endeavour !to get ,the , Hospitalarid Charitable.:.-' Aid Board to" adopt'the sch'eriio on the lines' of my coupon suggestion. In the.'o-i;ent of, .the City Council agreeing to appoint 'two lady inspectors on condition that the . .other local authorities concerned contribute to their cost ■ pro rata, I have littlo doubt, that the present activity which 1 has beenl shown on-tliis question will do much to reduce our infantile death rato.

: "At tho s'amo, time, neither milk depots' nor tho .-free feeding of infants will dissipate .parental ignorance, nor do.' they inculcate thoso. elements, qf ...reliance,- resource,' and moral xharactericn'which 'of- the' home,' and consequently .'the' rearing '.of; ohildren, so closely'depend." ,'. . !