THE PERILS OF INFANCY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18211, 3 October 1922, Page 9

THE PERILS OF INFANCY.

POST-NATAL CARE URGED.

GOOD WORK ALREADY DONE

The results achieved by the work of infant welfare inaugurated by the Plunket Society in New Zealand were given pointed emphasis at the Rotary Club luncheon yesterday by Dr. Truby Xing, in a scries of graphs which he exhibited It was shown that since, the inauguration of the society in New Zealand the number of deaths in the first year of life had decreased from 80 per *10D0 to 47. A similar return for New South Wales showed a decrease from 90 to 70 per 1000. *

Approximately 30,000 children wero born in New Zealand every year, and of these 1500 died within 12' months. But of these deaths, 1000 occurred within one month after birth, including 750 within ten days. The serious aspect of these latter figures was that, while there wero fewer deaths in the first 12 months, these within a month of birth had not decreased in the last 20 years. The statistics showed 30 per 1000 then and 30 per 1000 to-day, although the return of deaths between one month and 12 had dropped from 50 to 17.

These facts, said Dr. King, were eloquent in urging the need for better postnatal care. That was why a large portion of his present campaign was directed to the instruction o:E nurses and midwives. If he could secure their co-operation throughout New Zealand, he was confident that he could reduce the death-rate within five years, making the Dominion's annual loss of babies 1000, instead of the present figure of 1500.