PLUNKET SOCIETY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24773, 25 November 1941, Page 9

PLUNKET SOCIETY

DUNEDIN BRANCH The monthly meeting of the committee. of the Dunedin branch of the Plunket Society was held on Friday. Those present were: Mesdames J. McGeorge (in the chair), J. Begg, C. M. Bruce. J. R. Caiman, L. F. Cleghorn, J. B. Dawson, W. Jones, H. Mandeno, D. Reid, W. T. Smellie. W. Taverner (South Dunedin), B. Ward (Port Chalmers), W. E. Earnshaw (Roslyn), Robinson and Bauld (Wakari), Walker (Waverley), Pledger (Macandrew Bay) and Miss E. G. Jonnstone.

The matron of the Truby KingHarris Hospital reported that, during October, 21 mothers and 32 babies had been admitted, and 19 mothers and 33 babies had been discharged. Patients had been admitted from Ranfurly, Heriot, Stirling, Roxburgh. Temuka, Dunrobin, Abbotsford, Ettrick, Cromwell and Seacliff. The rest were from the city and suburbs. Three sets of twins were in residence in the mothercraft section at one time, and nine of the admissions were premature babies. Misses Betty Aubrey and Dorothy Hallum have commenced their Karitane training. On October 9 the first of the children were admitted to the pre-school centre, and so far 16 haye been enrolled and are quickly settling to their new environment. There has beeH'-'a change-over in the normal section, the eight-montlts baby returning with his mother to Christchurch, and a new nursing mother was admitted from Temuka. Mothercraft Lectures The charge nurse reported that Miss Tingey has continued the mothercraft lectures at Wakari. At the final meeting for this year Miss Hunt, matron of the Truby King-Harris Hospital, gave a most interesting talk on " Early Days of the Plunket Society." These meetings have been much appreciated and will be continued next year. A letter has been received from Mosgiel inquiring regarding lectures for Plunket aids, which will be started early in 1942. Plunket aid talks continue to be held at Waitati, Palmerston, Dunback and Seacliff. During October Dr Deem and Miss Fitzgibbon did a survey of babie? under one year of age. Dr Deem also finished her clinics to the medical students, and conducted several preschool child clinics with the nurses. Whooping cough and severe colds have lowered the attendance of the preschool child clinics. That the mothers were not losing interest was proved by the fact that in nearly every case they contacted the nurses to make fresh appointments. Thanks were due to the following voluntary drivers:— Mesdames Earnshaw. Moody, D. Reid, jun., Smellie. Templar, and Miss Theomin. Work of Nurses In the report summarising the work of the Dunedin Plunket nurses for October it was stated that there were 2080 babies and 909 older children on the list; 1329 visits had been paid to homes and 4597 visits paid to offices (2381 mothers, 1963 babies, 253 older children), and there were 127 new cases for the month. Visits paid to suburban rooms were: Mornington 13, Roslyn 8, Caversham 8, Wakari, 9. St. Clair 4, North-East Valley 8, Maori Hill 5, Anderson's Bay 8, Waverley 5, South Dunedin rooms daily, 2-4 p.m.