PLUNKET SOCIETY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 17 November 1922, Page 4

PLUNKET SOCIETY

IT was left to the Plunket Society, a private organisation, which owes far more than can ever be repaid to the ardent enthusiasm of Dr. Truby King, to advise and instruct mothers as to the best methods to bo pursued in rearing babies. That knowledge was, previously, supposed to come by nature, the mere fact of motherhood was assumed to make a young woman know all that was to be known about the subject. That this assumption was ill-foumfed was indicated by the fact tiiat 20 years ago, out of the 20,655 babies born, 1712 died before reaching 12 months, or 85 per cent, of the births." In 1920, out of 29,921 babies born, the number of deaths under 12 months was 1513, a proportion of 5 per cent. It is not claimed for the Plunket Society that it is wholly responsible for tin’s gratifying decline in the infant death-rate, for the tendency has been downward for many years, but it can at least bo claimed for the So ciety that it has largely helped, not only to accelerate the decline, but to endow the babies who passed safely through the first year of life with much bettor health and a much longer expectation of life than in many cases they would otherwise have enjoyed. The greatest decline has taken place in the deathrate of babies between the ages of one month and twelve months: the first month is still, as always, the most dangerous period. This is all very good work, but money is required to carry it on, and the public is invited to cooperate wifli the local committee tomorrow afternoon, and so make the effort at the Botanical Gartlens a great success. There is a big responsibility resting on the shoulders of those who have undertaken the management of the work in Nelson, and it is only fair that they should have the financial burden lightened by hearty and generous public response.