OUR BABIES.

Marlborough Express, Volume LI, Issue 155, 3 July 1917, Page 3

OUR BABIES.

By Hygeia,

Published uuuer Uio auspices of llio Society for the Health of Women and Children.

"It is wiser to put up a fence at she tog of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom."

THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AUCKLAND BRANCH.

At the annual meeting of the Auckland branch oi: the Plunket Society tributes were paid to the beneficence of its mission by several speakers. The following extracts, which should be interesting to our readers, are taken from the Auckland Star:—

THANKS OF THE COMMUNITY

Mr Gunsun, speaking as Mayor of Auckland, said he was pleased to be able to identify himself with this splendid Society. It has "been a truism that infant life was the future of the nation; but some truisms had been somewhat overlooked in the past, and he was pleased to see that it was not so with the Plunket Society. In the last uO years .the place of women had changed, and to-day they stood on a plane which enabled them to do much valuable work. It was quite time, too, that something was done to- promote and protect the health of women and children. The operations of the Society made not only for immediate, but for distant, results for the benefit of our race. The speaker went on to congratulate the local Society and its popular and energetic secretary (Mrs G. Bloomfield) upon the noble work carried on. He was astounded at the great work of the three local nurses, and on behalf of the citizens he wished to bear testimony to the appreciation of that achievement. He concluded by wishing the Society God-speed in its work of the future. BISHOP AVEHILL'S APPRECIATION. Bishop Averill congratulated the Society upon its excellent report, the expansion of its work, and the increased confidence the public had in the Society. Twenty years ago he was distressed that so little was done by the Government or the community for mothers and children; but since those days things weie altered, he was thankful to say. Ib was cruel to realise that the real true mothers seemed to receive so little sympathy from the * ■Government and the authorities. "What New Zealand wanted w.sis a large population, and it was the Plunket Society which was doing a work that was helping to bring about this result. It was in reality doing a splendid humanitarian and patriotic work for the people. Another great asset to any country wad the happiness of its people? This

depended upon the home and the health of the women and children. It was evident that the Plunket Society was thus beneficently contributing to the happiness of the homes It was terrible chut children should start out in the race of life with the handicap of ill-health, owing to the ignorance of the mothers; it was just here that the Society stepped in. What more noble work could any Society be doing? That was why it was • meeting with such generous public support. Then, too, the Society's unobtrusive war-work, mentioned in^ the report, struck a happy npte. The acknowledgments of gifts of baby clothing by widows of heroes of North Sea battles were touching, and would appeal to all as showing how such assistance was appreciated.

THE PLUZsKET NURSES

His Lordship Bishop Averill, commenting upon the rapid growth of the Society, said that, with the increase in the work, there was a real danger of overloading the nurses, who, he understood, numbered three. As tar as he could gather, there were no "strikos" amongst the nurses and there was also no suggestion of the "go-slow" policy with them. There was no nurses' union to urge claims for better pay and shorter hours. He wished, however, to stress the need for helping the nurses as mucli as possible, and one way in which the recipients of their assistance could render help to the nurses themselves and to th.i good eaus.e was by attending upon the nurses' for help instead of always expecting the nurses to call on them. (Applause.) "I do not know how the nurses get about and visit patients in this largo district," added Dr Averill, "but 1 think they should get a free pass on the tramways, and, if not, then the com-, iriunity should send them round in motor-cars in order to save them in the good work they are accomplishing." (Vigorous applause.) PLUNKET SOCIETY'S SCOPE EXTENSION Ob* WORK ADVOCATED. Dr . Elizabeth McDonald (medical inspector of schools in she Auckland district) threw out a suggestion that may in the near, future be worthy of full consideration, - and possibly of eventual adoption. After referring to, the early, feeding and care of babies as or basic importance, Dr McDonald said that, from the expert, enee of the school children Under her notice, she felt something further might also be done. She would like to see the scope of the Plunket Society extended to cover ail child life up to school age. If the Society could by voluntary meansbridge what was at present a gap it would be doing a great service. The doctor went on to refer to the hundreds of cases of wrongly-fed and undeveloped children she' had seen, and she believed 7 that this malnutrition showed 'the need for the sphere of the Plunket Society being enlarged in the way she had pointed out. A lot of the trouble and ills of children occurred just when they, escaped babyhood, about three years' and up to six years. Once a child attained the third year there always seeivo-d a difficulty of setting its food. Dr McDonald said she thought there was too much choice of .food for babie:. in New Zealand.—The speaker was warmly thanked. MEMO BY HYGEIA. The Society has never placed a limit to the age of the children under its supervision, and we have always strqngly impressed on the Plunket Nurses that they-should not only give attention to the immediate needs of the mothers and babies, but they s-.hould also take interest in the. growth and development of older children, especially , with regard to Fueh primary fundamental requirements as fresh air, exercise, regular meals (no "pieces" between), regular habits, the ■ state of the teeth, symptoms of adenoids. proper clothing . and footgear, etc. However, our readers wilt readily realise that it is impossible lor the Plunket Nurses to keep in constant touch with their charges -up to five or six years of age. The more pressing needs of the little babies take up most^of their time and attention, and the Society would require far more nurses to enable them to keep Athe children under supervision up to school age.

Dr McDonald's suggestion is a good one, and we.realise that it would further benefit the family if a large measure of hygienic supervision could be given in the case of children between three and six years of age. Still, we must remember that it^is much moro difficult' to get people to be reasonable with regard to the upbr'nging of older- children than it is in the case of the baby. The habit of allowing unsuitable food, sweets, etc., between meals is so inveterate that it is hard "to overcome, especially as grow-ups look upon such vagaries as somewhat in the nature of a joke, and speak of spoiling their, children almost with p:;ide. How often one hears the expression, "Oh, he is a most devoted father; he s'mply spoils the children.

We join with Bishop Averill in

paying a tribute to the devotion of the Piunket Nurses throughout the I>ominion. With few exceptions they are at work oariy and late, and-it is very difficult to prevent' them from doing too much.