OUR BABIES

Otago Witness, Issue 3029, 3 April 1912, Page 69

OUR BABIES

Br Htokia.

Pnbliihed unde? £&;■ auipioes of the Society for the Health of Women vnd Children. " It is miser to put up a fenc* at the top of » precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom" " THE INVERCARGILL SOCIBJCY. At the beginning of the present month the most recently ' established Society for the Health of Women and Children held its second annual meeting at Invercargill. As we all sympathise with the work of the Society. I am sure that the following report of the meeting will be read with great pleasure and interest. THE MAYOR'S REMARKS. His Wcrshin the Mayor (Mr W. A. Ott), who presided* said the work done by the Society was of national importance, and deserved the hearty support of the people jof the Dominion. Since the establishment of the Soeietv the mortality among infants less than one year old had been decreased by half. This was an ago producing everything that was best, and why should they not nroduce the best in the matter of I human life. On behalf of the citizens of Invercargill lie wish- 1 the Society every success, and paid a tribute to the excellent practical work done by Nurse O'Shea. THE ANNUAL REPORT. Mrs Massev, president of the Society, read the annual report. The influence, she «aid. of too Society was steadily growing. both directly and indirectly. Thoroughly hveiene methods regarding the care ot infants were becoming more generally adopted. The committee took this opportunity of thanking the doctors for their co-opeiatkn and assistance, and the nurse for helping mothers to carry out the doctors' instructions. The first year of a babv's li!e laid the foundation for its future health and strength, and the mother who did not do the very best possible for her child's welfare not only disgraced her motherhood and handicapped the child tor the battle of life, but also injured the btate by the loss of so much vigour to its population. The Society confidently trusted that the public would continue to extend the interest and support it had given in the past, and would help to spread the knowledge of its aims, objects, and the beneficial results it had already achieved. THE PMJNKET NURSE'S REPORT. The report of Nurse O'Shea, the Plunket nurse was read. She pointed out that the mission of the Society was towards establishing the health and fitness of the babies of both r.ch and poor. The reason why so manv lwbies became ill was that the mother failed to recognise when her child was on the downward grade. Few mothers realised the immense importance of keeping tinbaby well, and-this could be done only by the most careful attention in all things. The aim of the Society was to encourage and assist mothers to feed I heir children naturally, and failing that, to provide the best, possible substitute. Nurse 0 Shea wished to thank the doctors for the courteous help they had given her whenever she had sought it. THE AIMS OF THE SOCIETY. Mr W. G. Tait spoke briefly on the aims and objects of the Society. There was a good deai of misunderstanding regarding these. some people being under the impression that the Society advertised and urged the adoption of humanised milk as a substitute for mother's milk. This was not so. The Society endeavoured to provide that wherever possible the child should be fed naturally, and when this was not possible, then to advise the use of humanised milk as absolutely the best substitute for natural feeding. MEDICU. OPINION'. Pr Ritchie Crawford said the education of the mother was one of the main objects of the Society. Speaking personally and also on behalf' of his brother practitioners, he would say that the work of the Plunket Society was fully appreciated by the medical men of the" town. Any philanthropic work which had for its object the amelioration of the human race -physically, mentally, and morally—must ha\e the support of all classes of the community. The Society was doing its best t<, help mothers to prepare for motherhood and to advise them durina motherhood. The two matters, infant hygiene and infant feeding, were the most important departments in the study of the diseases of children. The doctor then wtnt on to show that, the physical development <>f the child is essentially the product of the three factors, inheritance, surroundings, and food. He concluded a most Interesting and instructive address by referring to the splendid work done bv Nurso O'Shea (the Plunket nurse), and Nurse Searell (the district nurse). OPT?IDE INTEREST. Mr J L. M'G Watson, us a member of the Advisory Board, spoke of the encouragement invited by the excellent work done by the Society. It was recognised not only in Invercargill and the Dominion j generally, but also abroad. Scientific men at Home and in America were now most | interested in the results achieved by the j Society '.r. New Zealand. He moved a sincere vcip of thanks to Nurs*, O'Shea, I who had been most earnest. !.-; her work I and successful in her efforts. The. toll* was j carried by acclamation.