HEALTH OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN

Evening Star, Issue 19004, 28 July 1925, Page 9

HEALTH OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN

ROYAL NEW ZEALAND SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT OF DUNEDIN BRANCH The report, of the work accomplished by tho Dunedin branch of the Royal Now Zealand Society for tho Health of Women and Children during tho past year will bo submitted to the annual meeting to bo held in tho Town Hall on Friday afternoon next. The report refers to tho losses sustained bv the society by tho death of Mrs R. W. Gibbs, who was a member of tho central council and of the■ local branch while resident in Dunedin; Miss F. Wimneris, who was a warm supporter of tho Plunket Society; and the Rev. Dr Cameron, Chancellor of Otago University, who took a keen interest in the activities of tho society. The infantile mortality rate for Dunedin was again the lowest of the lour main cities—viz., 3.3 per cent. —a reduction of 1 per cent, on tho rate recorded for the previous year. Tho death rate for the whole of New Zealand was 4 per cent. The society is proud to record that in Dunedin —the birthplace of the Plunket Society—■ there have bec’n during the last three years no deaths from gastro-enteritis and diarrluea' among children up to two years of age. At the close of the financial year the mayor (Mr H. Livingstone Taploy) called a public meeting in order to organise a campaign to provide tbe funds so urgently required for carrying on and extending tbe work of the Kari-tane-Harris Hospital and of the Plunket nurses in the Dunedin district. An enthusiastic and energetic Men’s Committee nas set up, with Mr Peter Barr as chairman. The city and suburban areas were mapped out for a house-to-house collection. A AVomen’s Committee was appointed to canvass the suburban districts, the business area being undertaken by the Men's Committee. Tho campaign was eminently successful, the sum of £S,SSS 2s being realised, of which £3,00U will he devoted, to tho endowment fund; while the £2,000 generously donated by Mrs Horatio Massey and Miss AJassey will he reserved for the purchase of the block of land adjoining the Karitanc-llarris Hospital, on which tho new nurses’ quarters and lecture hall are being erected. As a further result of the collection, tho membership of the society has been considerably increased. The society is greatly indebted to the mayor and to the members of the Citizens’ Committee and to all who assisted in carrying tho campaign to such a succosslul conclusion. A special vote of thanks is duo to Mr G. A. Lewin, who acted as lion, treasurer for the appeal, and to Air B. S. AVilson, who carried out the arduous duties of secretary.

Sister Hitchcock, having been appointed as matron of the Auckland Karitane Hospital, resigned her position as senior sister at the KaritaneHarris Hospital in June. 1924. _ Sister Norris was appointed as senior sister in Sister .Hitchcock's place. _ .Sister Caldwell resigned as nursery sister to enter the Wellington Hospital for general training in February, 1925. Sister O’Neill was appointed nursery sister in Sister Caldwell’s place. Sister Girvan, as home sister, is much appreciated. She has done excellent work during tho year.

From April 1, 1924, to March 31. 1925. the total number admitted and resident in the hospital for treatment was 373—243 babies and 130 mothers. The largest number in residence at anv one time was twenty-one babies and three mothers; total, 24. Tho average length of time under treatment in the hospital was twenty-three days for 23(5 babies. The other seven were kept longer in residence, being normal babies of members of the staff. There were thirty-one mothers and babies in the bpspital for twenty-four hours; the time in rcsidoneo for_ the remaining seventy-two averaged nine days. Seven mothers with their babies were resident for longer periods. Of the 243 babies admitted thirty were premature._ Of these eighteen were nursed in the institution by their mothers as premature babies, being admitted because of their immature condition and because both mother and child needed skilled nursing treatment. MEDICAL OFFICER’S REPORT.

The report of the honorary medical officer states that the most striking feature of tho year just completed has been the large number of babies and mothers requiring admission to the institution. In previous years there have boon rush periods, while recently the demand upon the accommodation has been steady and continuous. It is quite evident that there is need for tbe extra space that will shortly bo available. It is due to tho matron and her assistants that special attention should be drawn to the devotion and unremitting care they have shown during the last two months while they were shorthanded owing to illness among tho staff. The admissions of premature babies have also been more numerous during the year, and tho results of treatment have been most satisfactory in all instances. This is_ particularly gratifying, in that it is evidence of one direction in which deaths during the vulnerable-first mouth are being successfully combated.

NURSES’ REPORT. The nurses’ report states that during the year the health of the babies has been most satisfactory. In addition to the usual epidemics (measles and whooping cough), infantile paralysis appeared, the last mentioned being the cause of a considerably diminished attendance at the Plunket rooms. The summer months were remarkably freo < from acute cases of diarrhoea and other grave digestive disorders. There is no doubt that mothers in general arc realising more and more that early treatment soon eliminates these disorders. The majority of mothers promptly give castor oil and boiled water pending the arrival of the doctor or Plunket nurse. The notices se»it to mothers by tho Plunket nurses offering their services on receipt of tho birth notification lists meet with a ready welcome, particularly in the case of mothers with their first baby. During the first month, when the mother is not feeling too strong, she is often glad to share her responsibility with a Plunket nurse. TAIERI SUB-BRANCH. The report of the Taieri sub-branch states that there has been increased interest in the work of the society during tho year, owing to the work of the committee, who undertook the canvass of the district in answer to the mayor’s special appeal for funds for tho society. The canvass resulted in £57 being' collected, and the_ membership of the society being increased. Plunket Nurse Ewart’s report shows the advance made in the work, and we wish to thank her for her hearty cooperation with the committee in this respect. Forty-five visits were paid to Mosgiel by the Plunket nurse during the year. There, were ninety-six babies in f.lie district under the nurse’s care during the year, of whom thirty-five were new cases. One hundred and seventy visits were paid to homes by tho nurse, and 478 adults and 454 babies visited the Plunket rooms in Mosgiel on the nurse’s visiting day. CENTRAL COUNCIL. The eighth annual report of the central council records another year of steady progress. Since the financial year closed on _ March 31 last the society has sustained an almost irreparable loss by the death of the Right Hon. W. F. Massey, P.C., Prime Minister of New Zealand, who for many years was one of tho society’s staunchest and most sympathetic friends. The society’s statistics show gratifying all-round progress, the most satisfactory feature being that in the cum-

ber of new cases under the Plunket! nurses' care there has been a further decided increase in the percentage of babies who have been nurtured in the natural way. Last year 79 per cent., of the new cases were either wholly or partially breast-fed; during the year ended March 31, 1925, there were 13,487 new cases, of whom 11,094 were either wholly or partially breast-fed, a percentage of 82.25. During the year ended March 31, 1925, there wore 37,803 babies under the care of the Plunket nurses. 01 this number 13,487 were new cases, of whom 11,094 were either wholly or partially breast-fed. The number of visits paid to homes by the Plunket nurses Iras 147,151, and' 330,343 mothers and babies visited the Plunket rooms during the year. The council is pleased to record that there has at last been a substantial falling off in the death rate of infants under one month; in 1924 it was just under 24 per 1,000 births. The average rate for the previous five years was about 29 per 1,000. This gives much encouragement for the_ future. The council regards the improvement as mainly due to the enlightened action of the Hon. Downie Stewart, ALP., Minister of Internal Affairs, in_ causing the Plunket nurses to he supplied with the names and addresses of the mothers of infants within a few days of childbirth. The total expenditure of all the brandies for the year ended March 31. 1925, was £53.579 11s Bd. This amount includes the cost of running the four Karitane Hospitals at Dunedin. Christchurch, Wanganui, and Auckland, the Plunket Alotliercraft Home at Wellington, and also the head office expenses and propagandist work. The Auckland Karitane Hospital and Mothorcraft Home has been established only six months.