OUR BABIES

Hawera Star, Volume L, 10 January 1931, Page 15

OUR BABIES

LBy Hygeia.j

Published under the auspices of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children (Plunket Society).

INFANTILE DIARRHOEA

Year after year the Plunket Society, has published articles emphasising, the important points in this matter—.points with which all parents should he familiar Year after year the Plunket nurses lay stress on the same fundamentals—the supreme importance of natural feeding in the prevention of this scourge; the simple essentials tor keenino- baby pretty well “germ-proof; the necessity for extra scrupulous cleanliness and care in the keeping of milk and all things pertaining to the feeding of the baby ill the summer months; the significance of early signs of trouble and the importance of prompt treatment; also practical advice as to the best simple or emergency treatment. , Statistics show that the average death rate from infantile diarrhoea for the whole of Yew Zealand varies from one-tenth to one-twentieth of the average' for the rest of the. civilised world” and has fallen to two-tliirds. of what it averaged only a few years ago .eloquent testimony to the high standard of infant care and mothercraft knowledge. BE PREPARED.

However, we must not let these reassuring .statistics lull us into a sense ■of false security. In the course of, the next few weeks we shall again put forth our explanation, warning and instructions, so that they may come before those parents who have not so far realised the importance of the subject, and be fresh in the minds of the mothers of this summer’s babies.

As. a disease affecting babies .summer diarrhoea is al most .serious and deadly danger. In New Zealand is occurs mainly from Christmas to the middle or end of March, the number of cases depending on the temperature. During a, cool summer the number is comparatively low; if the summer is hot the number may- rise very high.

WHY IS THIS ?

Wliv should summer not be the safest instead of the most dangerous, time of the year for infants? The reason is simple. Most babies are fed on liquid food, which is specially liable to ferment in hot weather. Milk becomes infested with germs in other words, goes bad and becomes poisonous, more readily than any other food. The hotter the weather the more the. germs grow and flourish m milk, and if we are not careful in the selection of a milkman, the. cleansing of billies and jugs, and the place where the milk is kept it may go bad in hot weather even before we are ready to use it. Tainted pasteurised milk is even niore dangerous than indicated milk v inch has gone sour in the ordinary way. Therefore we must be just as careful to keep bottled city milk cool and loosely covered (not capped and sealed from access of air) as we are with ordinaiy dairyman’s milk. Rabies who die from summer diarrhoea. die because they are. poisoned—mainly by germs contained in tainted milk acting on babies who have, not been kept in such a state of first-rate health and condition as will enable them to resist the attacks of germs. All epidemic diseases, including bodily “unfit” rather than the “fit”; but babies who are perfectly well may fall victims.

WHY DOES NATURE SINGLE! OUT BABIES AND CALVES.

In warm weather tlie young horses, pigs, dogs, and cuts, are almost uniformly healthy, while calves are the victims of “scouring,” and babies still suffer or die from the same scourge under the name of “summer diarrhoea. Why? Calves are sacrificed because man takes the cow’s milk for himself and feeds, the calf out of the bucket. The baby is sacrificed because tlie mother’s breast is denied to it, and improper food, contaminated with germs' is substituted for the pure, perfect, blood-warm, vital stream direot from tlie proper source.

ARE! ILL-HEALTH AND DIARRHOEA, INEVITABLE.

Certainly not! In both cases the trouble arises not from the mere fact of artificial feeding, in itself, but because proper care is not taken to- secure suitable food and to prevent the growth of germs. For babies properly prepared humanised milk supplies by far the nearest approach to the mother’s milk, and if kept cool and clean and given according to the directions issued by the Society there is little risk of trouble. Even breast fed babies may contract the disease, but immediate suitable treatment of such, or of those who have been judiciously fed on artificial means, brings about complete recovery in the great majority of cases. On the other hand, among bnbieis who have been improperly fed the risk of death is very great indeed, and lasting weakness and debility is often the result, even if the baby does aiot die. This is a point which should never be forgotten. Infantile ailments leave lasting ill-effects, even if they are aiot fatal. We cannot afford to expose our babies to the risk.

THE PLUNKET NURSES

The Plunket nurses’ services are free to all. They are glad to see mothers and babies at the Society’s rooms in the various districts throughout thei Dominion. If you are travelling or away from your usual place of residence, do not hesitate to take baby to see the Plunket nurse in whatever district you happen to| be. She will help you and advise you on exactly the same lines as your own Plunket nurse does. If you are out ofi reach of a nurse, write to the nearest one, or to the nurse with whom you have previously been in touch. Of course, if baby has more than a passing upset, or you are in any doubt, always consult a doctor — do not lose valuable time before getting advice.

PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

Do not miss the next two articles to be published in this column. We shall ■deal further with the prevention and simple treatment of dairrhoea,