BABIES ALL ALIKE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22878, 5 November 1937, Page 12

BABIES ALL ALIKE

SUGGESTED LABELLING CARE IN KARITANE HOMES AMUSING DISCUSSION ENSUES [BY TELEGRAPH —I'RKSS ASSOCIATION"] WELLINGTON, Thursday A remit from Jnvercargill, introduced by Mrs. R. M. Strang, that the clothes of babies at Karitane homea bo numbered or that some other means, such as an identification disc, be used in order that it should be quite impossible for the identity of a baby to lie mistaken, was lost at to-day's annual conference of the Plunkot Society, but its discussion caused some amusement. " Little babies to young girls arc something like little lambs; they arc all alike," said Mrs. Strang. She suggested that to prevent mixing babies in Karitane homes a system of numbering cots or clothes or rings on babies arms should be introduced. She told of the fears of a mix-up of a man who had recently become a father.- One or two new nurses might come on duty or a new sister and there could easily be a mix-up of babies if they were too busy. If they. were always busy they might not bo able to recognise the babies.

Mrs. Robert Miller (Mauriceville) said that some means of identification would be very soothing to nervous mothers.

The Hastings Triplets

Mrs. Jowctt (Wellington) said that babies' clothes and blankets were all numbered in the .Wellington Karitane Hospital. The father of the Hastings triplets, which had recently left Wellington, had assured her before the babies left tint neither he nor his wile could distinguish them. Mrs. Nathan (Auckland): Is this a preventive measure or has an accident happened and a child been mislaid ? (Laughter.) Mrs. J. Begg (Dunedin), president: To the best of my knowledge the Plunket Society has never mislaid a child. Miss Fitzgibbon, nursing adviser to the society, said that every baby in the homesVas treated as an individual, but it also had a number. Its name and number were put on its cot. Its clothes were not marked. "Jivery baby is allotted to a Karitane nurse," she said, "and she is a mother to it. I am quite sure babies could never be mixed up, I don't think it is possible for a mixnp to happen." In the case of quadruplets, twins or triplets they would be given a disc to identify them. A nurse in charge of a baby or babies took an especial interest in them. Replying to a question, Miss Fitzgibbon "said that generally speaking one nurse was in charge of one baby. Tattooing Suggested Mr. A. C. Cameron (Dunedin) said he had been told that if a disc wore put around a baby's neck it would probably strangle itself. "Put it, anywhere else round the baby's anatomy and it will be taken off when the child is bathed and then the child might be mixed up," ho said. "The only thing to do is to tattoo it." (Laughter.) Dr. M. B. M. Tweed: I can assure you that everything is done that is humanly possible in Karitane homes to prevent a mix-up; in fact, tho danger is practically infinitesimal. Dr. Tweed went on to say that in some American and other places th<> finger prints and toe prints of babies were taken to prevent a mix-up. In all his experience, however, he had neyer met a case where a mother having once handled her baby could not know it again. The remit was then put to the vote and lost.