RED CROSS WORK

Evening Star, Issue 19640, 20 August 1927, Page 10

RED CROSS WORK

PEACE TIME COUNCIL THE AIMS OF JUNIOR GLASSES The annual general meeting of the Peace Time Council of the lied Cross fcjociety and Order of St. John (Dunedin Centre) was Ire lei last evening. The llev, V. G. Bryan King presided over g good muster, which included many representatives of junior Bed Cross workers from the schools. Sir Louis Barnett delivered the principal address, and gave a lecture on cancer. Sister Kirkpatrick outlined the work of the Junior Bed Cross movement, and at the conclusion of the meeting certificates were presented to the successful pupils in her classes. The llev. V. G. Bryan King expressed pleasure at seeing so many present, in spite of the counter-attrac-tions. He explained that this was the first public meeting held by the combined organisations of the lied Cross Society and the Order of St. John. The St. John Ambulance Association had been going for thirty-eight years. Ju the first place its aim was to carry out .work such as the transport of the sick pud tho wounded by brigade nursing divisions. • Three district nurses had been appointed, and they had carried out splendid work among tho poor of Dunedin’. . At the outbreak of war there had been no organisation of this sort, so'that The St. John Ambulance had slipped into the breach, and sent comforts to the soldiers at tho trout. 'As time Avcut ou it avus found that tho work in connection with the front was too large to be undertaken alone, and » public meeting Avas held, at which 'a branch of tho St. John Association was formed. It grew until it became the Bed Cross Society, 150 branches of Avliieh avcic Avorking in Otago. Then the Avar censed, and the lied Cross Society, still in existence, carried on raaiuly Avitii the care of disabled soldiers in such places, .as..the Moutecillo Hospital, sanatoria, and mental hospitals. Following that, it Avas decided to form a peace time council of tho organisation, so as not to lose the Avork that had been done. It contained equal representatives from each body, and had many-sided actiA'ities. its aim Avas to carry ou in times of peace general Avork for the benefit of the health of the community. The speaker pointed out that the Venerable Order of St. John and the Red Cross Society had had a grid parentage, and it Avas hoped that it would grow into a strong and healthy child The first Avork which had been culled into commission Avas at the request of Sir Louis Barnett, avlio asked tho body to help him to raise funds in order to light cancer. The peace connnil had been only too pleased to assist, and a large band of Avorkers, Avhich included many AAell-known doctors, had rallied round. As a result the council had been able to hand over £8,1)00. (Applause.) The Red Cross Society in Wellington then sent news that they had a a specially-trained nurse from England, Avho, they thought, could come to Dunedin to see Avhat could be done hero.

He referred to Sister Kirkpatrick. (Applause.) Sister Kirkpatrick had come highly recommended, and had done much good Avork in the Avay of home science, health talks, hygiene,_ and she had formed junior brunches of the society. She had also taken classes at various colleges, and a apodal class had been formed at the Cayorsham Industrial School. Then, again, she assisted in tho ambulance Avork of the Girl Guides, and gave Red Cross lectures in dozens of places throughout Dunedin. He' was afraid that the lime .‘might come when they must lot Sister Kirkpatrick ’go and her attention to, their neighbors in Southland and the Oamaru district. The present meeting- avus flic first of a series of public lectures, and Avithin a short time many Avell-knoAvn medical men woud lecture on various aspects ,nf diseases, tbeir preA-ontions and cures. Tha organisation looked to Dunedin for support, and it felt that ity would not look in vain. The speaker, in asking Sir Louis Barnett to deliver his lecture, expressed his pleasure at having him with them that evening. SHI LOUIS BARNETT’S ADDRESS.

Sir Louis Barnett, after expressing

thanks for the cordial reception given him, referred briefly to tho spirit of ■ community service which hud been extended enormously of late years, especially since tho war. Philanthropic and welfare societies, clubs, guilds, "orders, and leagues were multiplying year by year in bewildering and even embarrassing profusion. All were actuated by the great guikling principle of service. Amongst them all there stood out in magnificent promi- , nenco the great Red Cross movement, !■-with , its Central League at Genova , under the auspices of the League of Nations, and with its branches in every quarter of the civilised globe. The League- of Red Cross Societies was founded in, Paris in 1919 on the initiative of Henry F. Davidson (chairman of the War- Council- of the American AKed Cross). At the,time of the Great \Var and since it had been deemed wise ■fey the central authorities to co-ordinate .the activities of tho two bodies which ‘ had for so long been carrying out Red -Cross functions —viz., the'Order of St. John of Jerusalem, which dated back to . medieval times, :and the more rcA.cent Red Cross Society, and so a joint - council of. these two bodies had been to direct their work, prevent j overlapping, help in the finance, and ..generally to secure harmonious and efficient co-operation. He was going to <

assume that this brotherly alliance had been duly consummated in this dominion, and when ho spoke of Red Cross Avork ho meant the Avork of cither or both bodies. _ 1 In Avar time and in tho aftermath or war tho work of these tAvo lied Cross orders had been universally and gratefully acclaimed. Their innumerable organisations for the Avclfaro of troops in camps and in trenches, the recreations provided, the extra comforts in food and clothing and smokes, the transport and _ the nursing of the wounded and sick, the preparation of bandages and surgical dressings, tho oaro of those invalided and discharged as permanently unfit, the establishment of convalescent homes and of vocational instruction centres, the helping hand to the AvidoAvs and orphans—wll these activities, were known to the public, for it was the public Avho made those noble efforts possibly by their sympathy and generous donations to the Red Cross funds. So generous, indeed, Avero tho public contributions that Avhen tho Great War ended there was a large surplus of Red Cross funds returned to New, Zealand. Tho bulk of this returned money Avas reserved for the needs of sick or destitute ex-soldiers or their dependents, but . a portion Avas earmarked ior peace-time AV’ork, and Avas administered from Wellington by the Central lied Cross Council. At the present time the income was almost entirely dcA'otcd to the maintenance ol a team of specially-selected and trained nurses, Avho Avero sent to Bedlord College, London, an international college alllliated to the University of London for tliQ training pi Tmrses in the jugher grades of instructional and relief Avork. Here in Dunedin avc Avere fortunate in having tho services of one of these highly-trained and experienced women. He referred to Sister Kirkpatrick, who had entered upon her muni 1 old duties with that zeal and devotion Avhich would surely command success. Sister Kirkpatrick Avould speak of the wonderful success of tho junior Red Cross organisation Avhich, Avhen Jinked up as it should bo witli the Girl Guides and the Buy Scouts movement, avus, in his opinion, going to be one of the greatest possible influences, not only for the .promotion of the physical and moral welfare of our young people, but for the development of an international sympathy and understanding "which Avon Id do more than anything else to bring about tho ideal of mtei national peace and goodAvill. His task that night was to try to interest them in. the peace-time activities of the Red Cross, which lie considered of such importance to the whole community as to entitle them to the same sympathy, the same actiA'o interest, and the same <Tenornus financial support ns were accorded for the war-time efforts. In Now Zealand they all recalled "with gratitude tho splendid part taken Red Cross workers during tho great epidemic of influenza in Wib-TJ, and ever ninee then ihi* Red Cross oi ganisatiou lin'd been in readiness to help in any recurrence of similar trouble. At all large gatherings of people such as happened, for instance, at the recent visit of tho Duke and Duchess of Tork, or at sports meetings, football games, and so 'on, tliev Avnuld find representatives of the Red Cross ready ami willing to give their services in case of accident or illness. In most towns nowadavs there was an organisation oi Red Cross district nurses, who rendered inestimable and gratuitous service in the homes of tho sick and suffering. Ho had seen their devoted Avork and could vouch for its value. Ambulance transport was, in many places, run as a Red Cross service, and tho necessary special and costly cars avc re provided out'of funds raised by the Order or bt. John, and supplemented by a grant from the Hospital Board. The arrangement iu Dunedin Avhereby the ambulances were located at the I'irc llugado Station, with a trained driver ready for the road at a moment’s notice, had Avorked splendidly, ancibupeiintendeut Napier deserved the sincere gratitude of the people of Otago, not alone lor his success as the head of a fine team of fire-lighters, but foi the way lie had organised and conducted tho Bed Cross service. In addition to the ambulance transport, the Red Cross made provisions for tho supply ol stretchers and first-aid kits Avhercver necessary. , . Instruction in first-aid to tuo injured and sick and in elementary nursing Avas open to CA r eryoue at a nominal charge. Ns a result ol the instruction imparted, many a me naci been saved from the dangers ol luemorrhage, of drowning, of suffocation, and hundreds of others had been relieved of intense suffering. While first-aid knoAvledge and elementary nursing Avero easily learned, they Avere as easily forgotten, or partly forgotten, and it was Avcll to refresh the memory from time to time, to meet together, and practise the various manipulations and methods ol treatU 'bir Louis Barnett said ho would like 'now to refer to an aspect of Bed Cross influence Avhich Avas, ho - thought, capable of useful expansion—-that concerned with health propaganda. Havinc- themselves learned tho lesson, Keel Cross Avorkers should take evciy opportunity of preaching tho gospel of the simple and natural life—tho necessity first of all for healthfulness and vmor in tho pregnant mother, the wisdom of breast-feeding of tho babe, and the rearing of tho children in accordance with Plimket principles, the evils associated AA'ith septic teeth and septic tonsils, the dangers of intemperance in food as aa-011 as drink, and the harmfulness of food sAvallowed too hot, and the great virtue of those throe magnificent tonics—sunshine, fresh air and exercise. Such propaganda carried into the homes of the people, tho schools, tho factories, and the shops by lied Cross workers could be of immense assistance to the Public Health, Department of

our dominion. The department was trying by means of articles in the Press and by posters and placards to edlieaic the public in health matters, but ihe. personal touch and the personal explanation at tho appropriate time were, often lacking. The average person rend many instructive, things about illness of one kind or another at different Hmes—facts about tuberculosis, diphtheria, goitre, hydatid disease, cancer, and so on—but in a short time those facts became only a. confused sort of jumble and tho knoAvledgc became unreliable. It required more systematic study in order to got a permanent grip of the essentials of ca’cii elementary health knowledge. This Avas tho sort of knowledge Avhich Bed Cross Avorkers could easily obtain and which they in their Inru could pass on Avhore and Avhen it Avas needed, thus helping u> enlighten ignorance, to dispel prejudices, and bring about a ntoio genera! adoption of Hie simple laws ol health. JUNIOR BED CROSS. Sister Kirkpatrick, who gave an address ou tho junior Bed Cross Avork, stated that, although the movement started in 1914, it was not organised till 1920. In Canada and America the people Avere particularly busy rallying round tho organisation. The little children also helped them, In 1917 it Avas realised that Avidcr work should be done, and finally 8,000,000 boys and girls enrolled for service.' Out of this the Junior Hod Cross had been formed. The body dealt chiefly Avitii three aspects—namely, health, service, and friendliness. .It had been found out in America that a good aviiv of service Avas to realise the importance of health talks, and the matter of having health attended to Avas carried into all branches of school work, fn the matter of service the juniors in New Zealand ivero doing excellent Avork, and in many cases tho boys and girls earned their own money Avith Avhich to help those in need. The mailer of friendliness led to intorscliool correspondence. Colunib'a. College and a school in Washington had been corresponding thus. At the schools the Bed Cross Juniors formed their oavia committee and business units, and usually they had as their palrou somebody interested in the work. A first-aid cupboard was always installed, and Hie. children did their own dressing of wounds. Mr J. B. Grant stated that the class at the Musselburgh School avus doing very nicely, and the children Avere very ninety interested. A pleasing display of pictorial posters Avhich bad been done by school pupils Avas sboAvn on the Avails of the room. v