HEALTH OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

Otago Witness, Issue 3085, 30 April 1913, Page 5

HEALTH OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

ANNUAL MEETING

The annual mooting of the Society for the Health of Women and Children was held in the Burns Hall on-April 22. r lhc ehaa was occupied by Mr G. Joachim, and, no doubt, owing tne the announcement that, in connection with the meeting, Dr taloup would deliver an address on ‘ Bacteria, ’ there was a crowded house, quite a number of people being turned away. The sixth annual report of the committee, which dealt exhaustively with the operations of the society will be published in full in “ Our Babies” column, the first instalment appearing in another column this week.

The Chairman said he considered it a great honour to be asked to preside at the annual meeting of this society, for he know of no institution in the dominion doing better work. —(Applause.) If ho had to state in one word the cause of the greatness of the British Empire be should say that simple word of four letters “ Home. Wherever an Englishman had to live there he endeavoured to make his home, and for that homo he would toil, for that home ho would fight, and for that home, if need be, be would die. It was his sacred ideal, and so long as ho retained that sacred ideal, so long would the greatness of the Empire be maintained. —(Applause.) What was it thac made the sacrcdncss of home but the mother anti the family? And that was where tho greatness of the society’s work came in. It was trying to teach mothers the nobleness of their place in the State, and tho importance of bringing into the world healthy babies, and of rearing them to bo strong and useful children.—(Applause.) The influence of the society was gradually changing tho conception of what parentage really meant, and wo hoped to see the day when it would be felt to be as great an honour to be a mother in New Zealand as it was of old to be a mother in Israel. —(Applause.) It was the fashion for some women to despise the duties of a wife and mother, and to say they wanted a wider sphere. He should have thought thac the two whole kingdoms where woman might roi"ii supreme if she chose —the kingdom of the home and the kingdom of the heart —were enough.—(Applause.) Let it not be thought thac ho wished for a moment to disparage those tv ho had chosen to strike out for themselves, and earn their own livelihood —all honour to them, they wore most useful members of tho community, and ho know not how the community would do without them, but might the day never come when the British woman would place anything before the honour of being a mother. —(Applause.) As he travelled about tho country a good deal, ho often talked with medical men about tho society, and ho found that a misconception existed in the minds of many as to what the work the society really was. They looked Stpon its work as curative and therefore in opposition to the medical profession, but it could not be too strongly emphasised that its work was preventive, not curative. It had indeed a hospital at Anderson’s Bay where it treated sick babies, and did its utmost to restore them to health, but tho primary object of this hospital was to train, the Plunkot nurses, and to fit them for going out into the world to impress upon cho mothers tho simple rules of health for themselves and their babies. So simple were these rules that their very simplicity often proved a stumbling-block, for tho whole teaching was just the importance of plain food, proper exercise, and above all piency of fresh air, so that tho mother might be able to nurse her baby.—(Applause.)

Mr C. H. Statham, M.P., moved tho adoption of the report and balance sheet. Ho said that all who had read the report must have read it not only with feelings of pleasure but with feelings of pride. '1 here was tho fact that in Dunedin we had tho lowest rate of infantile mortality in tho whole world.—(Applause.) That was something they should be proud of, and it was a reasonable inference to make that it was duo in no small measure to the efforts of the society.—(Applause.) In St. Petersburg the rate was 250 per 1000, whereas in Duned;n it was only 45 per 1000. Next to Dunedin came Sweden, where tho rate was 67 per 1000. He was also proud to say that Dunedin Ic’d tho way iji New Zealand.. In Auckland the rate was 63 per 1000, Wellington 73 per 1000. and Christchurch 63. Tho society, however, was not parochial in its ideas, and it would not bo satisfied until it had reduced tho rate throughout tho dominion.—(Applause.) The chief aim of tho society was to improve the health of the community. While it made a great deal of tho’importance of saving the babies, its principal aim was tc see that those babies grow up healthy men and women and a credit to their race.—(Applause.) He was pleased also to notice that tho inspector of licensed houses was working hand in hand with the society, so that it was hardly possible for a repetition to take place of tho horrors with which they used to be shocked eomo years ago. —(Applause.) He appealed for more help for the society. It was a good work tnat was being carried on—that of helping the mothers and saving tho babies. He also referred to the handsome gifts to the society of several citizens, and

mentioned the libci'ality of Mr W olf Harris, to whom they were indebted for the home at Anderson’s Bay.— (Applause.) _Dr Barnett seconded the motion. Pie had been associated with the work from its beginning, and he had always been impressed with tne magnitude and with the success of the great humanitarian enterprise the society had taken in hand. —(Applause.) It seemed to him that the success -of this movement for the betterment of the health of the people could be fairly attributed to three chief factors —(1) The intense work and organisation of its founder, Dr King—(applause),—(2) the helpful co-operation of Mrs King—(applause) —and the other officials and members of the committee who had worked so strenuously to carry on the society’s functions, and (3) the fact that the methods of the society were broad, upon the simple, natural laws of health.— (Applause.) Beop'e were beginning to realise more and more every day that in the course of their often boasted civilisation they had been led away from the simple life into paths of greater luxury and ease and neglect of the ordinary essentials of health, which had brought about punishment, because nature always punished any transgression of its laws. T'hc motion was carried. On the motion of Mr G. R. Ritchie, seconded by Mr T. K. Sidey, M.P., the election of office-bearers resulted as follows: —President, Mrs F. H. Carr; vice-presi-dents —Mesdamcs Joachim, Gallaway, W. A. Moore, James Allen, John Hess; committee —Mesdamcs Sydney Allen, Arundel, Ansell, Buckland, Do Beer, Gi'kison, J. A. Johnstone, Jackson, K. S. Ramsay, K. Ross, J. dVI. Ritchie, Wilson, J. C. M’Georgo, Professor Boys Smith, Adjutant Tweed, Misses Gow, ivl'Dougall, and Stewart; hon. gynaecologist, Dr F. C. Batchelar; hon. surgeon, Dr L. T. Barnett; hon. dental surgeon, Dr Pickerill; hon. bacteriologist, Dr Champtaloup; hon. physicians (KaritaneHarris Hospital)—Drs Sydney Allen, F. S. Batchelor, R. Ritchie, E. H. Williams; hon. solicitor. Mr J. B. Callan. jun.; hon. treasurer. Mis D. E. Theomin; special secretary to Central Council, Mrs T. K. Sidey; hon. foreign correspondent, Mr W. Jenkins; lion, secretary, Mrs Joseph M‘George. hi their speeches, t'ae mover and seconder made special reference to the services last year of Mr Callan, as lion, solicitor, Mr Israel, as hon. auditor, and Mr Jenkins, as foreign correspondent, and Mrs Edmond, as hon. secretary for the past throe years—a position she is now relinquishing on the eve cf a trip to the Home Country. Before the close of the meeting a pleasing little ceremony took place in the form of a presentation to Dr King. The Chairman said that Dr King had been appointed to represent Aie dominion in the great conference on infant mortality to be Held in England, and he would Ire leaving next week to attend it. They would miss him in every way, but they felt that the man who hud done so much for the work in New Zealand was the lit and proper person to bring before duo conference the result of his experience here.— (Applause.) No one could look at the diagram in the report, giving the percentages of the death rates of infants in different countries, and the declining death rate in Dunedin, showing a reduction of 50 per cent, in the five years during 'whidi the society bad been at work, without being much impressed by blip result, —(applause)— and those who knew the inner workings of the society well knew how much of this work was duo to t'ae incessant and untiring efforts of Dr King and his able lieutenant, Mrs King.—(Applause.) He was sure they would all join in appreciating the work and in wishing Dr King and his dear wife, not forgetting their daughter Mary, who was herself the raison d’etre of the society's existence, a very happy and successful journey. and that t\iey might return much refreshed in body and spirit—(applause)—and, might they hope, bring with them Miss Beswiek, whose loyal and sympathetic help had been so much to them and to the society.—(A pp la use.) Addressing Dr King, the Chairman said: Dr King, we, the members of rho society, ask your acceptance of a small cheque to buy something which may bo useful to you .Hid your w.fe, and be a slight memento of our loving admiration and esteem. We know indeed that anyduing like a testimonial could never be at all adequate, and would, moreover, bo distasteful to you. the, work of the society being to you its own exceeding great reward. We therefore made no appeal to the public, but contributions have been confined to members and limited to one shilling each. The Chairman handed a cheque to T)r King, a proceeding which evoked the heartiest applause. Dr King, on coming forward to reply, was welcomed with enthusiasm. He expressed the appreciation of Mrs King and himoelf of the kindness at all times shown to them in Dunedin. The proceedings of that evening would form an additional tie, and lie was sure they would always boar in mind t'ue' meeting in which they hud been delighted to take part in that night. He could not sufficiently thank their friends for the great kindness shown to Mrs King end himself. Referring to the value of Dr Champtaloup’s lecture, be said it was a great privilege to tins cirv to have someone associated with its University who was able to put before the public the latest scientific investigations, •••nd hi- own investigations.—(Applause.) It was a privilege, too. to have a demonstration in this city which he did not believe could bo given

at this time in any other city in the Southern Hemisphere—(applause)—and, though he was going Homo, he did not anticipate that ho would meet with anything which would exceed in interest and importance what he had, seen i*aat night.—(Applause.) Dr King concluded an interesting speech by moving a vote of thanks to Dr«C'hamptaloup for his magnificent lecture. The vote was seconded by acclamation, and the meeting closed.