SAVING THE YOUNG.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 107, 7 May 1909, Page 6

SAVING THE YOUNG.

Looking back on the first, twelve months of its activity, the new Society for the Promotion of the Health of Women and Children may very justifiably have a glow of satisfaction. The Plunket nurse attended 210 babies, and by arranging for the rational feeding of them, and advising the mothers, a little army of prospective citizens was strengthened for the onward march. Before the advent of this life-saving organisation, kind-hearted ladies had given much time and energy to lessening the sad rate of infant mortality and securing robustness for weakly children, but the improved organisation under the new regime has naturally widened the range of achievement. For this hdpgy result much of the credit is due to Lady Plunkefc and Dr. Truby King. They have both been untiring in their efforts ■to prove "that babies should be regarded' as babies and treated sensibly as babies, with limited powers of digestion. They gave much good advice, and dombined action with instruction. Lady Plunkefc. has practically toured New Zealand in her eagerness to bring comfort to babies and mothers alike. Her high position ■here made many calls upon her, but she insisted in finding time for a noble work, and thus ensuring grateful remembrance for her name throughout the country. The Plunket Nurse is now an institution in the principal towns of New Zealand. The forces of the enthusiastic life-savers are intelligently co-ordinated, and ignorance and thoughtlessness cannot stand long against them. Mothers may be at first suspicious of the "new-fangled"' methods of changing a puny infant into a chubby child, but the Plunket Nurse speedily proves that she is the "fairy godmother," and is soon thankfully recognised as a benefactor. The admirable band of helpers is growing in numbers and power for good, but there are places in the army for volunteers, there is space in the treasury chest for funds. The society does not noticeably worry the public for subscriptions, but would be grateful for additional funds to carry on the war against ignorance and safeguard the "citizen material." The Government grants a subsidy of £ for £ on private contributions, suid the Government gets good yaluo for its money in this whole-

sale salvation of prospective taxpayers. ■It is well to mention one sentence in the annual report — "The greatest difficulty the society has to contend with is the poverty of the milk supply." It is ■not surprising, therefore, that the society "trusts that the excellent suggestions of Dr. Frengley will bear fruity in the form of municipal control."