CARE OF CHILDREN

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10511, 12 February 1920, Page 6

CARE OF CHILDREN

INTERESTING LECTURE A WELLINGTON SCHEME IN TRAIN: Mr C. Jinarajadasa lectured in tho concert chamber ot tho Town Hsill last evening on, "Child "Welfare in a Model Municipality." His lecture was illustrated bj- numerous lantern slides, which illustrated tho child-welfare schemo which, ho said, was in actual operation in Bradford, England.First of all tho lecturer described the work done by way of feeding expectant mothers, tho work in prenatal clinics, in maternity homes, and in tho care of infants. He showed pictures of school clinics, where children had their eyes attended to. Some children wero deemed to be dull, and it was only adenoids that was troubling them. There wero tho dental clinics for tho teeth, much-needed things in western countries, among the least-needed in tho East, where the cleaning of tho teeth was a practice and was done almost publicly. Tho clinics for heart , and lung diseases were interesting, inasmuch as tho children were not only attended to in the matter of health, but wero looked after as regards their education. There were special schools for them. Then there was a clinic where tlio patients exercised under tho direction of an attendant who saw that they took just such exercise as was considered good and necessary for them. 0.0 attend to certain cases the greatest surgeons of the city went and gave their services free. Provision was made for tho care of delicato children. Where normally a child would be kept at homo the city of Bradford arranged that they should study under conditions which would not intorfere with their health.

Tho lecturer showed pictures of children working in tho open air, and asked why children should not work in the open. It had been discovered that where tho vision of a child was purposely limited short-sightedness was induced. Therefore, in American schools they purposely made the windows so low that occasionally the children could look out. Other slides depicted compulsory rest for pupils and teachers, an. idea deemed by the lecturer to be a good one. tie was much in favour of bathing. In India the higher caste bathed at least three times a. day. They had to have a bath before, they took food. And here when we really became civilised wo would have not only cold water laid on, but also hot water, and in the place of the little cubicles wo had to-day iva should have conlmodious bathrooms in which bathing would be a pleasure. After the lecture Mrs A. Gray mentioned to a "Times" reporter that tho care of infants was a matter which was not being overlooked in Wellington. There, was a proposal afoot for the establishment in the Courtcnay place locality of a day nursery lor children, and on this scheme bigger things might bo built up.