THE CARE OF BABIES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19762, 13 April 1926, Page 10

THE CARE OF BABIES.

PLUNKET SOCIETY REPRESENTATION. AX IMPROVED DISPLAY. One of the many interesting bays in the New Zealand Secondary Industries Pavilion is that of the Plunket Society, where valuable lessons to mothers are taught daily. Great interest has been taken in the bay by all visiting mothers, and the two nurses in attendance are busy answering questions, giving advice, and distributing pamphlets all day long. Since the Exhibition opened there have been many changes in and additions to the display, and the bay is improved greatly. Every effort has been made to keep the objects and slogans of the society before the public, and there is no doubt that the work amongst Exhibition visitors has been productive of excellent results, as well as giving greatly desired publicity to the movement. STATISTICAL INFORMATION. The most prominent additions are the two large charts that hang from the roof in the centre of the open portion of the bay. One of these proves by statistical comparison the low death rate amongst infants in Dunedin; the other shows the average annual infantile mortality in the Dominion. This is set down at 2200 children, and no fewer than 800 deaths take place in the first month. As one of the great aims of the society is the care of the newly-born infant, as well as correct pre-natal and post-natal nursing, the chart is valuable in showing the field that lies waiting for the .society, despite the excellent results obtained in the past by the Karitane hospitals. Dunedin’s death rate figures are given from 1907, the year of opening the Karitane Hospital. , , Another interesting exhibit is a model of the proposed Karitane home in Wellington. This is cleverly constructed, and should prove of interest to visitors from the capital city. Near it is a set of photographs taken at the Plunket Rest Rooms in Gore. ; DIET FOR INFANTS. The most recent addition to the bay i, a breakfast table, divided into four sections and containing the concct food for babies from nine to 12 months, 12 to 15 months, 15 to 18 months, and 18 months to two years. Many visiting mothers have profited by examining this self-explanatory exhibit, and as the food is not artificial, it is possible to gam an ideal not only of the substance but of the correct and most suitable method of preparation. Between nine and 12 months the diet contains barley and oat jelly, orange juice, carrot juice, and. of course, milk, amongst other foods. There are also two bones for the infant to exercise its gums. Vegetable broth and twice-baked bread are features of the second group, while brown bread and toast, an apple, and a baked potato are to be found in the t.r.rd group, spinach, oatcake, and egg are in- ] chided in the fourth section of this novel exhibit.

THE HIGHLANDERS’ BAND.

PROGRAMME EAST EVENING. After the darkness lad fallen last evening the weather was as warm end mild as in the middle of the summer, and conditions for the concert of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders’ Band in the Grand Court could not have been bettered. Doubtless this was responsible for the unusually iarge Monday ’ evenigg audiggcc that filled the central

portion of the court long before the first item commenced. The band was under the baton of Mr F. J, Ricketts, and every item on a long and interesting programme was well received, encores being the order of the evening. The concert opened with the march “Great Big David,” after which the programme was departed from to suit the conditions of the evening. “The Hungarian Rhapsody” was played, together with the magnificent overture, "William Tell,” these making up the first half of the programme. Selections by the pipers and Highland dancing by members of the band were followed by “The Lark’s Festival,” a piccolo solo, perfectly played by Bandsman F. W. Taylor. Then came a Scot tish suite by the combined pipes and band, and the descriptive piece “In a Persian Market” concluded the pro gramme.