PLUNKET NURSES' SERVICES FREE.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2854, 19 August 1916, Page 5

PLUNKET NURSES' SERVICES FREE.

THE SOCIETY'S BOOK.. 111 society's book,'entitled "Feeding aud Care 'of Baby," can be obtained from the matron, Kariiane-Harris Hospital, the Plunket nurses, aud the honorary secretaries of the societies. Price, Is. 3d. Ai the book has now been registered to go by magazine post, the postage is only lid., including the war stamp. "Feeding ■ and Care of Baby" can also be obtained from the leading booksellers throughout the Dominion. NEW GOVERNMENT BOOK FOR MOTHERS. Toe new book, "The Expectant Mother and Baby's First Month," prepared by the society and»issned by the Public Health Department, free of charge, can bo obtained on application (including l}d. for postage) from the matron, Karitane-Harris Hospital, the Plunket nurses, the honorary secretaries of the branches, and the registrars in the principal towns. The society is specially anxious that every prospective mother should receive a copy of this little hook long bofore the birth of her baby, and we feel sure that if this /is done very great benefit will accrue to mother and child, and -much trouble and sickness will bo prevented. Readers will do a good service if they draw the attention, of any of their frionds, who would be benefited by the hook, to the fact that itj may be had on application. ' FRESH, COOL, MOVING AIR. Last week T gave a summary of Dr. Freeman's presidential address, delivered before the annual meeting of the American doctors specially .interested in the welfare of children (the American Pediatric Society), and showed that he insisted on the parmount importance of fresh air day and night for tho rearing of strong, healthy .babies. - .. The matter is so extremely important that I may repeat a short passage from last week's article: — / What the rising generation must have, if it is to grow up Btrong and fit, and if our 40 percent, of rejects is to lw prevented in future, is to eusuro in every homo, especially in the bedrooms—,(l) Freshness of the air; (2) coolness of the air; (3) movement of the air. • In other words, warmth, breathladen moisture, and stillness of air must ho banished from our bedrooms, unless we arc prepared to allow our children to grow up a race of weaklings. Dr. Frederic S. Lee, of New York, who. in the disousson followed Dr. Freeman, and added his testimony in the same direction, said: The harmfulness of living in confined air is found in certain physical rather than chemical features'—the air is too warm, too moist, or too still. We all have sat in crowded assemblies, we all have experienced the hot, humid, still days of a very warm summer. We all know the effects of such on our sensations. In what respect i s hot, humid, still air harmful? Dr. Loo attached great importance to tho fact (noted rminy years ago by Hermans) that when the' air becomes brearth-laden, damp, and warm, tho temperature of. the human being rises in an injurious way, becanse under these conditions tho insensible sweat or perspiration, which we are always giving off from our bodies, has.no chance of evaporating. Evaporation of perspiration is not only Nature's device for' regulating tho body temperature, but is also: stimulating and invigorating, and tends to the purification " of the blood by encouraging further free action of the skin. A breath-laden, damp, warm air opposes these bonnficent provisions of Nature for keeping the body pure and healthy. Dr. Loo's conclusions may be summed up as follows: — ; General Summary. By way of a general summary, it may* bo said that, when an existing external temperaturo is fairly comfortable to the individual, an elevation of it, especially when such elevation is accompanied by an increase of humidity, is deleterious. The deleterious effects are nioro pronounced when tho air is stagnant. All experimentation and observation,go

to demonstrate that a moderately dry I and cool air in motion constitutes the j most physiologically helpful aerial envelope of the body. "In. those days j we near much of 'freoh' air and its j merits. AVo have fresh-air babies. All are commendable; but, while giving to I our funds, opening our schools, and 1 pitting our babies out of doors, let j us clearly understand what constitutes fresh air. Tho freshness of so-called 'fresh' nir Ties not in ;aore .oxygen, less carh'on dioxide, less organic matter J of respiratory origin, and tho hypothetical presence of a. stimulating ozone, but rather in a low temperature, a low humidity, and mo- j tion. j