PLUNKET SOCIETY

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 107, 7 May 1936, Page 20

PLUNKET SOCIETY

MONTHLY REPORT

The monthly., meeting :.of the Wellington Branch of the Plunket Society was presided over by the president (Mrs. Jowe.tO-.i . , ..

Mrs. • Jowett welcomed new representatives from ' different suburban committees—Mesdames Salek and Taylor, joint presidents of Karori- Mrs Adams, president of Northland, and Mrs. Heald, hon. secretary of Hataitai The Charge Nurse (Miss Hooper) reports that on the whole all the babies were making satisfactory progress and all departments ,were working efficiently. Several visitors from overseas had been much interested. They included Dr: Dale, Chief Medical Health Officer in Melbourne, and Mrs. Leslie Gamage from London.

~r T h were recorded to Mesdames W. H. Wood and Whyte, Miss Newton and Mr. Plank for driving the nurses to their long-distance cases; to Mrs. Chalmers for a rug, and to Mrs. Richardson for a waste-paper basket The pre-natal' section had '32 new cases and 189 return visits 'to the clinic, and there were 98 new cases in the post-natal section. Visits paid by nurses to homes numbered 1104 and visits paid to Plunket rooms in the city and suburbs were:—Adults 2583, babies 2247, and children 299 The pre-school section had 338 children. .. : . - ■ ' ■■■■■. . ;.' ~-...■■

The matron of the Karitane Hospital reported that during the month 17 babies and four mothers were admitted. Three of the babies admitted were premature. Two of these were twins, 24 hours old; one weighed barely 31b and the other 21b 15oz, and were very frail, but their condition was steadily improving. The other one was six weeks premature and one day old on admission, and her condition was very satisfactory. The average length of stay in hospital was 5J weeks for babies and 12 days for mothers. Donors of flowers were sincerely thanked. .-'-[.

The secretary and treasurer reported that the committee approved of the recommendation of Miss Mclndoe-. to fi:i the vacancy on the hospital staff in place of Miss Pederson, who had resigned. Miss Mclndoe held the three certificates" and had been relieving sister at the Truby King Harris Hospital in Dunedin. '■. Miss McMillan, who has been appointed to the Plunket nursing staff,.-,would commence her duties on May. 19; ..:.■:; Annual meetings'of the Ngaio, IslandBay, Hataitai,.: Khandallah, Karori, Brooklyn, Northland, Miramar, Seatoun, Wellington South, and' Kelburri committees had;, been held, ,and the interest in the work of the society has been shown by the good attendance at these gatherings. . ..'•■• A vote of thanks'was passed to the hon. auditor, (Mr. E. W. Hunt) '.-■-. for auditing the' books of the branch. _ The following subscriptions , and donations were •/.• acknowledgedBrooklyn,.,.£lß 10s'>4d .from subscriptions, donations, collecting ims and boxes; Eastbojarrie,, garden party £28 12s 6d, subscriptions £6 13s 3d;Wadestown, subscriptions and donations £9 14s sd; Kelburn, subscriptions and donations £9 3s 9d; Seatoun, bridge party £5 6s 6d, box money £2 Is 7d subscriptions £3 0s sd; Karori, subscriptions and ;donations £24 11s ■ 9dNorthland, children's . party :£3 5s competition £.1.175, donations £2 5s ,6d, subscriptions £4 11s;-: Miramar, house-to-house canvass ;£l6 ■Is 6d; Hataitai, bring arid buy- afternoon £5 18s 6d, subscriptions,l donations, and boxes £5 4s :3d; paid to. central office subscriptions^ £2 6s; boxes in- business firms £5, box at rooms'£l~ 19s. V , Country branch '^contributions': for Karitane Hospital were:—Pahiatua > £15 10s, sale ofart union books;' Blenheim, art union books: £6• 5s and donation £7 15s: Eketahuna,: £2 " 10sFeathersqn, £10; Pukerua Bay, £1. Art Union.—The committee in charge of the art union.for £25 in aid of the Karitane Hospital is making a special drive this month for the "sale of tickets. The closing date is May 30 and the art union will be drawn . on June 16., Application for books will be gratefully received.