HEALTH OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN

Otago Witness, Issue 3040, 19 June 1912, Page 67

HEALTH OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN

The monthly meeting of the Society for the' 1 Health of Women and Children was held in the Town Hall on the 14th. Present— Dr King (general president), Mrs King (in the chair), Mesdames Joachim; Buckland, J. C. M'Geprge J. M George, Gallawav, 8. Allen, Arundel, M Master, Theomin. J. Robs Riteh.e, Harrxß, Ansell. J. Allen, Ramsay, Edmond, Misses Gow, Stewart, and M'Dougall. „ -. , The Matron of Kantano Harris Hospital reported:-Mothers admitted *^g.^ oq F with their infants, 2; babies admitted, b, babies discharged, 2; babies w««™f «.A n hospital, 8, and one mother; one bab> diea. being in for only a few hours ■ ■ The Plunket nurses «^ r^ — ISJ2 paid, 588; cases. 286; new cases, to office, 146. Mr Ringland has presented the Plunket room with a fino set of eoales. Messrs Johnstone and Haslett had donated three silver cruets. . , A number of extracts were read from .otters received from mothers showing appreciation for the work the society is doing. Miss M'George, acting hon. secretary-of tile New Zealand Branch tf the *f*Wf Education Society, who is shortly to take up work as the New Zealand travelling representative of-the eugenics cause, sooko briefly of the value of the work being done bv the Society for the Health of Women and Children, especially in the direction ot carinir for and saving the lives of infants of good heredity. She emphasised the fact that the efforts of eugenists in aiding those conditions that -make for • good hereditj would times without number be rendered, valueless were it not for the hfe-saving work of the society. Eugenics being .ho study of agencies under social control* tmw may'improve or impair the racial qualities of future generations, it was essential to the effective working of the eugenics cause that it work in unison with other societies also seeking the welfare of the race. What promises to be one of the greatest advances in the work of the society is the appointment of Mr W. Jen-kins as honorary aub&ct Mr' Jenkins'"said:" "If your society thinks it advisable to add another honorary official I would be pleased to fill the position of foreign correspondent (outside Australasia) for the coming- year. I am willing to forward a quantity of the new book and other publications to societies m other parts cf the world at my own expense. 1 took some conies of ' Feeding and Care of Baby,'etc., on out tour last year, and I had many regrets that I had not taken more, as I found that the interest in the health of women and children was worldwide, and I was more than pleased to find that'Ounedin possessed the most progressive society in the world—although the Vienna Society ran it very close, while France nationally was fully alive. Both before and since his appointment Mr Jenkins lias supplied most interesting and helpful liteiature with yegjard to what is being done in the Old World and m The following motion was carried: " Trftit the Legislature be again asked to prohibit the importation and sale of longtube foedors, and that its attention be drawn to the "following report of the evidence of Dr Purdio (Chief Health Officer for Tasmania) before the Pure Foods Commission, sitting at Hobart." Feeding bottles for infants on Dr Purdie's recommendation had figured prominently in the regulation. The sale of all feeding bottles which had long tubes had been prohibited, owing to the danger arising from the failure of the responsible persons to keep them clean. Since the regulation no bottles of that kind ha<J, been sold in the State. He had been told by one large importer that a large stock had been imported, but, owing to the new regulation, in force before their arrival, they had been sent to New Zealand, where no such regulation existed. So far as he was aware the only other country where such a regulation was in force was France. Their sale was dealt with, under the regulation controlling the sale of prohibited articles. From tho Mercury, Hobart, May 8, 1912: "Writing to the president of the local society, Dr Purdie, referring to the mattex of long-tube feeders, concludes as follows: ' It came out in Evidence that since the sale has been stopped in Tasmania one importer has countermanded an order, and had the supply sent direct to New Zealand. Queensland has since adopted the prohibition. The other four States will probably follow, so New Zealand should come into line, otherwise you will probably find a line of cheap-tubed feeding bottles will continue to be dumped into New Zealand.' "

Dr Truby King attended the meeting as general president of the society, and explained what had been arranged by the Government in connection with the extension of the society's health mission throughout the Dominion in conjunction with the Public Health Department. In the course of the next few months, starting about the end of June, a series of limelight lectures will bo given to parents and others interested, in every centre of population, numbering from a few hundreds upwards. To make this possible, within the comparatively 6hort time at disposal, the Central Council is asking the hearty co-operation of the existing committees in the other

pentres, so that meetings may be arranged ahead, and thus no time be lost. To give effect to this it is contemplated the society's present organisations now established at Auckland, Wellington, New Plymouth, Napier, Christchurch,- T'imaru, Dunedin, and Invereargill will each assist in the establishment of permanent committees and branches, which will work in conjunction with the Public Health Department.