VALUABLE WORK

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 45, 21 February 1917, Page 3

VALUABLE WORK

HEALTH OF WOMEN AND

CHILDREN

CONFERENCE IN WELLINGTON

ADDRESS BY DR. TRUBY KING.

A general conference of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children opened in the Accountants' Chambers yesterday after- j noon. ' Mrs. A lgar. Williams (president) oocupied the chair, and there was a full attendance of delegates, .whose names, have been already published. j In opening the proceedings, the President said she thought the society had a greater mission to perform than before thfe war She hoped, that the result of their deliberations would be of use not only to the Dominion, but to the whole Empire. The Mayor (Mr. J. p. Luke), in the course of a brief address, congratulated Lady Allen, one of the delegates, on the honour, recently conferred on her husband. The work of the society, he said, was unique in its capacity to do good for the Dominion and for the moral and physical uplifting of its people. He congratulated the society on behalf of the citizens of Wellington for the work it had carried out for good during the year that had passed. New Zealand now stood almost in the forefront of the nations as far as its low death rate of children was concerned, and to that they owed a great debt of gratitude to Dr. Truby King, whom they revered and honoured. He went'on to say that the infantile death rate in Wellington was greater than' that in ' the other three centres, and it devolved upon thepeoplo of Wellington to see that that disability was removed. That had been put down to some extent to the milk,supply, and in this respect he urged the necessity of establishing, a municipal milk depot, and expressed his intention of establishing such a depot as soon as money was available. (Applause.) Dr. Truby King, referring to the infantile mortality of. Wellington, said that there was no place in New Zealand where the work of the Plunket Society was better carried out. He was sure they were pleased to hear what the Mayor had to say on the'subject. The reform of the milk supply.was one of the most difficult problems in the world, and all honour to the man who would tackle it. The Mayor was up against a difficult problem, and he was sure the Mayor would get their entire 1 sympathy and support.' (Applause.) ■

RECORD OF PROGRESS. Turning to the subject of the Plunket Society, Dr.. Truby King said that almost ten years had passed since the founding of the Plunket. Society, and the natural question to ask themselves was, what sort of progress has been made in the first decade of their existence? It must bo borne in mind that when 1-the society was started there was no precedent to go on. The project was an entirely new one; it was purely a pioneering venture. At first the movement not only met with scant sympathy, but they had to contend against much ridicule and active opposition. Now all this was changed, and the risk was rather that they should be killed by success. This great meeting of delegates, coming together from all parts of the North and South Islands, showed that the society had its roots deep in the soil of New Zealand, and that its branches covered the whole country. Indeed, the progress made in the short space of ten years had beer, beyond the wildest dreams of any of them. Equally clear was the evidence as to the spread and influence of the seed they had sown which came to them from all parts of the world. Year by year the task of Mr. Jenkins, the society's indefatigable foreign correspondent, grew more and more arduous and extensive. Throughout the United States and Canada the Keenest interest was manifested in what they were doing, in what and how they were-teaching, in what effect, their mission was having on the mothers and children of the Dominion, and, prospectively, on the national health and efficiency 6f the race. Three years ago the Central Government Bureau at Washington issued a pamphlet of eighteen closely printed pages, telling everything essential as to the origin and.nature of the Plunket Society, printing tin extenso is aims, objects, and rules, and showingthe methods and practical results of its.work; while the high rate of, infant mortality throughout the United States was contrasted with the low rate in New Zealand, the American rate, averaging three times as high as ours. .

DEEMED WORTHY OF ADOPTION.

The conclusions arrived at by the American authorities as. to the merits and features of the Plunket's Society's ."work deemed specially worthy of adoption throughout the United States were summarised iri their bulletin as follows :—

"(1) The recognition that not only in cities , but in country districts provision should be made for' instructing mothers in the ca.re of babies; for teaching young girls practical home making, including baby hygiene and feeding; for giving proper hospital, care to sick babies,, and for maintaining conferences for mothers.

"(2) Recognition of the need' of-co-operation between volunteer, and public health' , authorities in' reducing infant' mortality.

"(3) Recognition of. the value of organising supervision of infant welfare work; the employment of nurses whose services are chiefly educational, and the publication of pamphlets and other literature on hygiene and the caro of babies and children, containing advice vouched for by the best medical authorities and expressed in direct simple language." ■

This appreciation of the society's work was in keeping with fehe^ generous recognition accorded by tho American physicians who attended the great London Infant Welfare Congress,' held the previous year, the congress which he had the privilege of attending as representative for the Dominion.

The same spirit was reflected more recently in a letter sent by the. New Zealand Commissioner at the Panama Exhibition for everything that could be sent to him, .bearing on. the'society's work, because he found it so well known and highly appreciated in America, and because there was so great. a demand for the fullest and latest information.

In the concluding portion of his address Dr. Truby King-made, an .eloquent appeal on behalf of children up to five years.of.age, which he regarded as the most important period of development. In this connection ho stated that; when he was ■ in ■ Wanganui he v/as shown ■ a copy of a will in which the testator had left a beautiful estate, for the pur- ' pose of a baby hospital. The will began : "Believing the care of children in the] first five- years of their age to be one of the most important problems of tho age, I hereby .bequeath," etc. That was the point ;• the first five years were the most important period. Mistakes made during that period were absolutely irreparable. Dr. King was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for a most interesting address, and the conference then adjourned until 10 o'clock this morning.