TRUBY KING CENTRE

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 248, 17 July 1942, Page 3

TRUBY KING CENTRE

Visit By Mr. Nash In Toronto A letter from the New Zealand Alinister to AVashington, Air. Nash, has been received by Airs. 11. Jowett, president of the Wellington branch of Rhe Pluhket Society, telling her of his visit to a mothercraft centre in Toronto, planned on Truby King lines. The Canadian headquarters of the Alothercraft Society, are in Toronto. “While in Toronto for a day or two I spent an hour witli Airs. Barbara Robertson, who with others is doing splendid Truby King work,” Air. Nash wrote. “She has just opened a new training hospital, and among other work she has three AVest Indian girls from Jamaica taking the training courses. It was inspiring to see the enthusiasm of the staff and to find that they are doing such excellent work.”

Mr. Nash enclosed one of the, Canadian Alothercraft Society’s booklets. The first hospital of its kind on the continent is the Alothercraft Centre or hospital which is the teaching centre. It has been operating since 1931. Graduate nurses may take a four months’ course in mothercraft, and are then qualified to teaeh. “ Girls without any previous nursing experience take a 12 months’ training. These girls are primarily trained for motherhood, states the booklet, but till they marry they go out to patients in the homes as “well baby” nurses. Such nurses are qualified to undertake the care of the normal baby, premature baby and normal child. At the mothercraft advice rooms, teaching and advice on pre-natal, infant, , and pre-school care are given to every mother seeking them. Under the title, “What New Zealand Has,” the booklet points out that New Zealand has the lowest infant death rate in the world, and quotes a British Columbia doctor who said, “This is a challenge to us, and we arc 30 years behind New Zealand.” It also mentions that Girl Guides in New Zealand obtain their mothercraft badges.