Modern Public Health Programme

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 276, 22 November 1935, Page 2

Modern Public Health Programme

WOMEN AS A FACTOR ADDRESS BY MISS E. LAMBIE, DIRECTOR OF NURSING In a thoughtful address at annual reunion of tho Manawatu branch of tho Registered Nurses’ Association last evening, Miss E. Lambic, Director of Nursing, spoke on ‘‘Women as a Factor in a Modern Public Health Programme.” Quoting Cabot, Miss Lambio said “the great hope of modem medicine is the prevention of disease,” and this was the keynote of her remarks. The speaker stressed the fact that cue nursing service aimed at the prevention of sickness and disease, and went on to point out that social reformers had used women as the instrument throughout the ages. Christ had appointed the deaconesses to visit homes to-teach prevention of disease. St. Vincent do Paul had founded the Sisters of Charity to visit iu the homes, and in those early days it was the religious orders that controlled the nursing service. As there was no opportunity of doing work in tho homes of the people it had been necessary to have women trained, who then visited the homes in order to bring about improved conditions. Modern public health had developed from sanitary hygiene to personal hygione, the speaker continued. Thus the need for a specially prepared worker to carry tho gospel into tho home. So had grown tho demand for tho modern public health nurse with special training. In tho last few years had come the realisation that all medical treatment, even in hospitals, must be associated with health education and a preventive outlook. New Zealand had not yet realised that in the hospital service • the greatest benefits were preventive measures as well as curative. Persons needed to bo receptive regarding tho teaching of preventive measures as tho majority of iliuesses were preventable. 1 There was. need for all women, and not only professional women, to have this preventive outlook. Because of their close association with tho home and youth — a paramount factor in tho home—women were the greatest influence and means of spreading public education. It was necessary for the child, while its mind was receptive to teaching, to have these new ideas inculcated.

Miss. Lambie "laid tribute to the great work women had done in a voluntary capacity, particularly in the Plunket Society, in materially assisting to spread knowledge. The Plunket nurses had done a great deal but thanks were due to those women who gavo servico to the public in various committees, and societies. Then when it had become necessary for the appointment of a new Professor of Obstetrics £20,000 had been gathered in for the endowment of a chair of Obstetrics because the women had realised they must get the best for tho teaching of maternal welfare. There were other .organisations such as tho Pod Crosfj Society and St, John Ambulance contributing great service in the time of disaster, and country women’s organisations such as the Women's Institutes and Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union influencing women’s

opinion materially. It was felt at times there was a lack of understanding between tho professional and lay women, but to attain tho best for the country tliero was need for mutual understanding and realisation of the part each must play. Miss Lambie likened the public health fight to a modern army. Tho professional women were the advance guard of highly trained personnel supported by workers of ail kinds. The women’s organisations wero making possible a good programme in New Zealand of public health work. A gathering such as that beiug held was of definite value in the contacts made and in gaining an understanding of the points of view.

“There is no merit in just belonging to anything,” quoted tho speaker, “tho merit comes entirely through whatever personal effort we give to make the organisation function. An organisation is not an entity—it has no life and no meaning in itself. It is simply a line of functional individuals. When one individual fails to fuuction the whole is affected. The • greatest possible idea that can be put across in relation to any organisation is tho idea of personal responsibility for co-opera-tive action.”

The day was not far distant, Mis: Lambie said, when thero would be plenty of need for wiso co-operativo action for thero was a big job ahead in this country for public health nursing. What changes were before us no .one could- foresee but iu emergencies cooperation was essential; for when big jobs were 1o be done unitod effort would do them. Nor could .we sec what these changes would mean to each of us as individuals, but insofar- os we aspired to greater, achievement by so much did we need the support of a strong national organisation. Public health work was. like any other human undertaking in that we get little personal benefit by giving -it. Paradoxically enough, we got most from it when wo put something into it—thus the •value of a combined meeting with its exchange of ideas. The health of its. people was the principal asset of a nation —-the end crowned the work, said Miss Lambie in conclusion, no one was of use without perfect health.