SAVING THE BABIES

Otago Daily Times, Volume 17149, Issue 17149, 31 October 1917, Page 6

SAVING THE BABIES

MOTHER AND CHILD

SOME PRACTICAL DEMONSTRi#TIONS,

Yesterday ;iftefnoon there was a continuation of flu; organised effort for the betterment of youny children,, and to impart knowledge to mothers. It may bo described as an afternoon for children, and the Burns Hull contained quite a crowd of littlo hoys and girls, with their parents and friends. The proceedings were very interesting, and it was evident from the outbursts of merriment now and again from the juvenile audienco that they were enjoying themselves.

Mr G. M. Thomson, who presided in theearlier part of the afternoon, announced Mrs Trnby King as the first to present a variety of interesting matter to the audience. He mentioned that Miss Winifred Tsitt was to have given a class demonstration, but there was no room for that. They would sec that the stage was unfortunately filled up with exhibits, and therefore Miss Isitt could give only isolated demonstrations.

Mrs' King said she thought that from what those present saw about the hall they would carry away some other ideas than they had about the requirements of babies. She asked why were they devoting a whole week to saving the babies, and why had they devoted a whole week in England to a similar purpose? Many of those present would say they were doing this because they had so many babies dying every year. There were a large number dying, and they felt that that number would not die if mothers knew more about how to treat children, and more about babies. It was in order that mothers might know how to keep these babies properly that they were meeting. Since the war had begun public attention had been drawn to the great wastage of life, and to the fact that babies were not always properly looked after. In the early stages of the war as high as 40 per cent, of the men had been deemed inefficient and unfit to go, and even a groat many of those who did pass never got into the firing line.' That made the authorities, wonder why this trouble should be, and on examination the chief cause of inability and incapacity was found to bo due to decay of the teeth. If people had not good teeth they could not , masticate their food properly, and that caused all sorts of trouble. If men were unfit in this way. girls were 'liable to be much more unfit, becaiiso they were more restricted. Mrs King commented on the shoes and stockings worn by girls, emphasising the necessity for selecting a different footwear from pointed shoes. Shoes should bo fairly straight on one side and be shaped to the feet. She also commented on the fact that the future of a country depended upon the women of the country, and the question was how best to look after them. It was hoped that from this time forward ' more attention would be paid to requirements in connection with motherhood and the care of babies. Mrs King proceeded to give some demonstrations by the aid of diagrams. Miss Thomson (matron of the KaritaneHarris Hospital) then gave practical illustrations as to the handling and bathing of an infant, with explanatory observations. Miss Isitt next occupied the attention of those present in a most interesting manner, with illustrations of play for children. She bespoke for her young charges the forbearance of the audience, pointing out that they were not actors or actresses. They could only try one or two-.of tho games common to children, and she drew attention to the way the different muscles were brought into play during the progress of the games. It was moro exciting to engage in anything than to watch others. She proceeded to lav down some'guiding principles as to a cold bath in the morning, warm, 'but not too many, clothes, assisting thn mother in small household matters, and what might with advantage take place after the child returned from school; not forgetting plenty of time for relaxation. She then introduced to the spectators parties of "little sweepers," "little gardeners," and concluded by giving examples of the games children might play with advantage and benefit; such ks hide-and-seek, skipping, wrestling (for bojs), and play witn tho ball. Before the company dispersed Mrs Carr mentioned that a competition for school girls, consisting in cutting out and putting together baby clothes, was contemplated. After the competition it could be decided whether the clothes should be handed over to the Karitane-Harris Hospital. LECTURE BY DR TRUBY KING. RELATIVE FOOD VALUES. Burns Hall was well filled in the eyening to hear what Dr Truby King had to say on. the subject of "Relative Food Values." It was certainly a very interesting discourse, and had its humorous side in the lecturer's sarcastic method of denouncing certain highly-priced foods on the market. These ho ridiculed on account of the very small nutritive qualities they possessed. He commenced by a reference to the edibles displayed upon the stage, consisting of meat and vegetables in a raw and prepared; state. These, he explained, had been cheerfully supplied for the purpose of the lecture. Ho proceeded to explain the relationship between vegetable and animal mattor, and with regard to the pig *this had been reduced to an absolute nicety. The essential point in the economics of pig farming -was that you never let the pig grow beyond 1501b in weight. After that the return for the food it consumed would become less and less, and finally be nothing at all. Five pounds weight of barley would make one pound of pork while the pig was between 201b and 1501b. It Was generally tru6 that, with regard to animal structures, about three parts out of four were water pure and simple. With barley 90 per cent, would be dry, so that it was not a question of the relationship between 51b and lib that had to be dealt with, but the relationship of 151b to lib. After eome further preliminary remarks, Dr King dealt with the components of all food material, which he said was composed of three essen.tial nutriments—sugars and starches, fat or oils, and flesh-forming material. The main part fat played was to keep up heat under the vicissitudes of temperature. In cow'e mil'i the proportion of fat was rather less than 5 per cent. In flesh-forming material the porportion in the human being was loz for every lOOoz of milk. . In the calf it was The human being took six months to double its weight, whereas the calf doubled it in a couple of months. It was absurd to think that the milk of one animal.could be used for the nourishing of another animal unless the proportions were adjusted. Ho proceeded to explain tho part the circulation of tho blood took in keeping us immune from tho action of poisons in the body. The healthy human body was a poison factory, and we were only "protected from the poison by the action of the organs given us for purifying the blood. Our hearts were capable of pumping very much harder than under the ordinary exigencies of life, and so it was with the kidneys. We had a pair, but could just manage with one. But did that justify us in placing upon a little child when these structures were being built two or threonines the work for which the Creator designed them? That must impair the fitness of the individual. Supposing they struggled' through childhood, it must be expected that they would break down towards middle life, because the organs had been overstrained. Dr King went on to consider foods from the point of view of their constituents, and explained his remarks by moans of a- diagram or chart. Tho cucumber contained only three parts of solid material in every 100 parts, and the turnip 6 per oent. The solid material in milk was 12a per cent. In the potato the percentage of solid -dry material was about 20 in 100. Steak was threefourths, or 75 per cent, pure water, and milk was half as eolid as it. Half a pint of milk was equal to about five ounces of beef steak. Then, as to the relationship between milk and eggs, a pint of milk was equal in nutriment to nearly five eggs, and a quarter of a pint of milk of more food value than one egg. Broad had about threefifths of solid dry material, and about twofifths of water, and cheese was represented at a little over 60, per cent, of solid material. One pound of cheese was worth about 31b of meat. The lecturer here explained that they must not orxpect him to be too minute with regard to his figures. Taking the animals living on the vegetable world, what would 'they give back in food? The shrinkage was terrible. They would sec the result was most disappointing. But, if taken at tho right time, they ■would , return .1 small fraction of what we gave them. How was this going to pan out from a family point of view? He demonstrated that a family might live on regetables for a, year, whereas an equal quantity of meat would only keep them for six months. They irright sny: Wp will givo trp animal fo'xl altogether; hit tliafc would not do ]i: would not be good for them to live en vegetables alono, t though thiry could do it for a considerable i time. Thn cheapest aird most economical j way would bo to Ihro na wheat, with a little I linsped oil thrown in. :ind tha.t agrtw with children. Tf they boiled wheat for aixrui six hours it was quHo (rood, azid thoy ooald live cm it. as a largo proportion of j diet. Snnposing thpv lived upon thii.. it ■would take about ljlb a day to ko»irp them, and tho whe.it was worth about jjd p.« r i ]b. The whole food w-«ild cost less than ' 2d a day. It wooki take about Sib of

potatoes, and that would cost 9d a day. As they went up, however, things became dearer and dearer, and the more they cost the worse I hey became. Take floor. The cost of wheat or oats was about a halfpenny per pound; whereas flour would cost' Id per pound. A considerable quantity of wheat meal should be used in plaeo of refined flour. In oats we had 10 per cent, of fat, and they were a better balanced food than wheat. Then the nlxt stago, outside home, was that the ba-ker supplied bread, and by the time that stage was reached it cost over 2d a pound. But it was nearly half water by that time, so it had risen to 4d a pound. Supposing they wanted something thrust upon them by advertisement. Here the lecturer proceeded to enumerate certain expensive articles of food, the use of which he deprecated. Speaking of iced cakes, he said the nicer they looked the worso they were. Ho touched upon the use of cocoa, tea, and coffee, which he described as diabolical, though ho liked coffee. Ho advocated living an active life, and, before concluding, touched upon the stupendous importance of close attention to the teeth, remarking that there were over five million of decayed teeth in this country at the present time. It was appalling that this should be allowed to exist.

In connection with Baby Week, the members of St. Joseph's Patriotic and Red Cross Guild will occupy their usual stand —the Government Life Insurance eornei, Dowling street, on Friday next, on the occasion of the stredt collection in aid of the " Save the Baby" Fund. The stand will be in charge of the president of the guild (Mrs A. H. Stone), who will bo glad to receive the assistance of active workers, and the support of friends generally.

AN APPEAL TO MOSGIEL MOTHERS. TO THE EDITOB. Sip.,—This being Baby Week affords the opportunity for an appeal to the residents of Mosgiel and surrounding districts for a generous support to the canvass for funds organised by the Saturday Helpers' Association, kindly undertaken in Mosgiel by the Mayoress (Mrs Quelch). Some tune ago there was a movement to make a presentation to myself in recognition of the work I had done amongst the mothers and babies of the district. . I sincerely thank those who appreciated the work done, but I felt that the present is no time for private presentations. I would greatly esteem, the honour if those interested would devote the money to contributing to the support, of a Plunket nurse in the district, and, if they would make their own town the envy of the dominion, by every woman becoming a member of the Royal Society for the Health of Women and Children, and by.each one "doing her bit" to insure to every child born in the district its birthright oh good health. Let us become a corporation of mothers determined that for the future we will not have to face the shame of so many of our sons being unfit to serve our country in her hour of need. Glorying in the splendid record of "our sons, sorrowing in the anguish of the mothers who will never welcome back those they sent forth to battle, us give to those growing up in their places the chance to make a race worth dying for. In leaving the district, let me thank the mothers for their loyalty to the teaching of the work for the babies. It has been the happiest part of 11 years of my life, and I feel very keenly parting with the splendid mothers and beautiful (in the true sense of •the word) babies.—l am, etc., A. Artjndel.