PLUNKET SOCIETY

Evening Star, Issue 18333, 21 July 1923, Page 9

PLUNKET SOCIETY

MEETING OF COMMITTEE.

SICKNESS AMONG INFANTS. Mrs Joseph M‘George at fho meeting yesterday of the committee of the Royal New 'Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children. The ]Jon. Treasurer reported that the receipts for the month included a donation of £25 from Mr P. IT Sargood, to bo used for general expenses or to bo added to the endowment fund as tho executive desired. A letter was received by the president from Mrs J. M. Ritchie intimating that she was making a, further donation of £4OO to the endowment fund for tho upkeep of the Kantane-Harris Hospital. Mrs Leslie Cleghorn was unanimously elected as member of tli3 committee of the Dunedin branch. Messrs Simpson and Hart, Weatherstone, wrote promising tho society a donation of daffodil blooms for sale in the streets, A HANDSOME GIFT. Appreciative reference was made to the recent munificent gifts made to tho Auckland branch of tho society of the sum of £5,000 by the Hon, A. M. Myers towards tho establishment of a Karitano hospital in that city, and of tho beautiful home and grounds at Mount Albert donated by Mr A. C. Caughey for this purpose. . Tho following letter was received by the president of tho Central Council from Mr Caughey;—“l have to thank you for your letter conveying to Mrs Caughey and myself an expression of (he Central Council’s appreciation of the gift of our homo at Mount Albert for the purpose of a Kantane hospital. We are indeed glad and thankful that we have been in a position to help mothers and children in this wav, and it is gratifying to know that our gift, as well as that of Mr Myers, appears to have greatly stimulated public’ interest in the work of the, society. You and your co-workers will be interested to know that the Mayor of Auckland has called a public meeting to inaugurate a campaign for funds to complete the establishment of a Karitano hospital and to linanco tho society’s district work.” MATRON’S REPORT.

The Matron of the Karitane-Harris Hospital mooned for the month ended j ul „. 30Number of patients admitted tor treatment, 21: number of patients dis charged 21; number of patients in hospital” on June 30, 17; largest number in hospital on any one day (mothers 2, babies 16), 18. Of the sixteen babies admitted, one mother and baby came from Palmerston, one • mother and twins from Dunedin, one mother and baby from Middlemarch, one baby from Lnmsdon, one baby from .Merton, two babies from Middloniarcli, one babv from Tenmkn, ono premature babv from Green Island, and fhc remaining six babies from Dunedin. The two premniure babies are making very satisfactory progress, and are gaining'weight. There are fourteen Plunket nurses m training. Nurses Mime and Burrows commenced a course of 1 tunnel training during the month. _ There are eleven Karitan.o nurses in training. Kantone \urss Biss commenced training durSg the month. There wore 120 visitors to the Jiospital during the month Gifts were received during the_ month irom Mosdamcs O’Gradv. Thenmin, Johnstone, "Miss loachim, and the Cilendming Home, NERSES’ REPORTS. The Plunket nurses for north and central districts reported Number of babies on the list, 522; number of babies breast fed (including partly), 126: number of new cases fur the month (babies only , 26' number of babies breast fed (includ i,.; partly), new cases only, 20; number n f° visits to Plunket rooms, Stuart street, 4Cd • number of visits to Pluimet room, Ivnrivn* 106; number of visits jwid to hornce* 302: advice given to expectant mothers, 3; number of bottles of humani«.,l milk sent out from the Taicri dairy, °'The Plunket nurse for South Dunedin district reported for the month ;-N umber of babies on the list 229; number ol babies breast fed (including partly). Jlc number of new cases for the month (babies only' 19- number of new cases breast fed (including partly), 16; number of visits paid to Plunket, rooms, King Edward street, 245; number of visits paid to homes, 238; advice given to expectant mothers, 3. , , , The Plunket nurse for Anderson Bay district and out-stations reported Number of babies mi the list, 125; number of bailies breast fed (including partly , 38- number of new cases for the month (babies only), 5; number of now eases breast fed (including partly), 4: number of visits paid to homes, 103; number of visits paid to Plunket rooms, _ Stuart Btreet, from Anderson Bay district, 31; number of visits paid to Plunket rooms, Mosgicl, 45; number of visits Plunket rooms. Port, Chalmers, 28. The following visits were paid to outBl«i tirons V—>Mcr?gi(:l 4, Abbotsford 5, Green Maud 5, Burnside 5, Port Chalmers 4, St Leonards 1, Kavensbournc 4. The Plunket nurses reported that, owing lo the cold and wet weather and so much sickness, the attendance at the rooms Ins been affected. There has been a. great deal of sickness among the babies; mist lit is, bronchial colds, croup, and a. mild form of influenza were prevalent. There were several cases of whooping cough.