OUR BABIES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 115, 20 May 1918, Page 6

OUR BABIES.

By Hygeia.

Published under the auspices ot the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children.

"It is wiser to put up a fence at f.be top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom."

LETTERS OF A GRANDMOTHER.

(Continued.) "September 4, 1908. "I am pleased to tell you that little Auuie is still keeping well and getting on satisfactorily. You would 'hardly knot* "her for the same child, you saw in Dunediii. She is never still long together; she plays and romps about, and sings and dances. She lives regularly, goes to bed at the appointed time, rising and taking her meals ■*t appointed hours. She bleeps well, and will now take anything that is going, and enjoys her food. She likes bftr bath," and, if the weather is such cannot go for a run directly after, Lizzie romps about with her until she gets warm. She is warmly but lightly clad, her under garment* being of silk and wool. She went with bare feet until May, when I spoke to you about that, and you said she could wear warm socks and good boots during the coldest weather. She is now living in iC—ii. She .ican walk down town past the station and back without complaining of being tired (poor wee mite ■ whe n she first came down she could not walk at all); she trots and jump* nearly all the way. I often wonder she is not tired out. She is now thre«> years and three monthfa old. We had her weighed yesterday, and her weight was 34alb. I am very much pleased to hear of the success of the BabyHome in Dunedin, and trust the So cietyi will long continue the giood work "

"December 21, 1908-

"I thought I would send a line to let you know how little Annie 33 getting in. 'She is keeping in • splendid health, and still gaining in weight. 'She take? her cold bath, and quite enjoys it. Sh«» will now take any food that is placed before her, and is scarcely ever still Sometimes I think she is too activebut she ut in splendid health." "February 7, 1909. "T am sure that you will be pleased to hear that little Annie is. keepinj? splendid. She still has her cold bath and run round after it." "July 11, 1909. "Little Annie is still in splendid health. "We had her Friday last, and her weight lfe 39£1 d." "November 5, 1909. "1 am writing a line to tell you how well little Annie is keeping. She is simply in splendid health. Slie takes Iter cold bath, and it seems almost incredible that she can be the same child you did so much, for two years ago. I trust this Society may long continue tht» good work among the little ones.' "January 7, 1910 "Annie is still in health.' "May 1. IM*\ hear that little Annie is still in splen"*l am sure you will be~"pleased to did health; she will be five years oI«* this month. I was telling my so n r thought it tvouM >be advisable not if sond her to school until she is sevep li not "troubling you too much. I Should like your opinion on the matter. t should have written before to let yov know how the little thing is getting on, but have been ill myself." EARLY SCHOOLING HARMFUL.

In reply to the above, the grand- j mother was advised to have the little girl kept away from school until she was seven years of age. Those who doubt the soundness of this advico may be convinced by the following extract from a masterly article by T. 0. Horsfall on "Health and Education/' which appeared in the Contemporary Review for March, 1906: "I now come to the power of the school to cause bad health or to prevent good health; and again I must ! use German statistic*. The German < child normally begins to go to school when it has completed its sixth year, j In nearly all Germa n towns the ele'Bientary schools are now under 'the j charge of school doctors, one of whose duties it is to examine every child' before it begins to go to school. If a j child of six is in such a condition of ■ health fSat the doctor believes that ' it will suffer from beginning school life he defers its entry into a school for a ypar. The number of children who are i thus caused to 'begin school life only on the completion of £heir seventh year 1 is considerable. In some places as many as 10 per cent, of the children *re thus treated. There are, ther*- , fore, a good onany delicate children ! who spend their seventh year at home, | and a much larger number of .more robust children who spend their seventh year in Dr Schmid-Monard found that going' to school almost stopped the increase of weight in girl* for a year, and much diminished thei* increase an height, and that the mow robust boys in Halle who spent their seventh year in school on an average increased 21 per cent, less in weight and 43 per cent. less in height than the jnore delicate boys who passed tbeir seventh year at home." "September 26, 1910. "I -was pleased to receive the letter of the 18th September, and thank the Society for the kind interest taken in little Annie's welfare. I am glad to tell you ishe is- in splendid health. We had her weighed this morning, and she weighs 3st, and her height is 3ft 9in. She has hard, plain food —not too much meat, —boiled eggs, and plenty of new milk to drink. She has n«» pieces between .meals: her teeth ar«> sound and white,' and she masticate*hev. food well. Three months ago she started to suck her thumb. We thought her doing so prevented her_ j enjoying her food as she otherwise would hav e .done. Her father pro--1 mised her a bicycle IT she left it off, which she did in a few days. She,got her bicycle, and enjoys riding aooGt on it. We are sure she enjoys her food better again now she has gifven up sucking her thumb." In response to a telegram of inquiry the following message was received from the grandmother: -'-•■' " "February 7, 1911. "Your wire just to hand. I should have -written' before, but have b«»en •laid ' tap with ■ pleurisy anl bronchitis, and am only, just getting hetter. lam pleased to tell you little Annie is in splendid health. Sh e still takes her cold bath every \ morning, and gets plenty '6f fresh' air and 'exercise—irfact, shfr could not he better. They are away at The Bluff just now. I expect them back next Monday, when we will hay e her weighed, and I -will let you know .what her weight is now. . "E.-S.—Annie, will be six years old in •May. I have advised them not to send her .to school until she is seven." . "February 14,. 1911. 'Little Annie returned home on Monday, She .is: in splendid health, and weiglis 3st ILb." Three stone one pound is the average weight for a- girl of six years. Annie will "be six some months hence.