HEALTH OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

Otago Witness, Issue 3100, 13 August 1913, Page 57

HEALTH OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

Tho monthly meeting of the Society for the Health of Women and Children was held in the Town Hall on Friday morning; present: Mcsdamce Carr (in tne chair), Johnston, De Beer, J. C. M ‘George, Stroutts, Jackson, Jas. Allen, Gallaway. Gilkison, Sydney Allen, Arundel, Theomin, J. W. M'George, and Miss Gow. Tho matron of the Karitane-Harris Hospital reported for tho "month of July:— Number of babies admitted. 8; discharged, 11; deaths, 1; number in the hospital on July 31, 15; mothers in residence during tho month, 2; mothers in residence with baby for a day, 2; number of visitors to tho hospital. 289; letters written, 24. Of those admitted one infant was from Canterbury, one from Clinton, one from Moagiel, and the remainder from Dunedin. The ages ranged from 12 days to 11 months. Two of the babies wore removed to the Public Hospital. One (a premature) died three hours after admission. The remainder were all showing signs of improvement. Tho baby sent to tho private hospital was readmitted for a week, and went out looking very well. With the exception of those sent to the Public Hospital all the infants discharged went out very much improved in health. Nurse Skene, from Scotland, began to train ns Plunkot Nurse on July 19, and had been appointed to tho Westport branch. Nurse Cully had passed her examination as Plunkot Nurse and proceeded to take up her duties at Hawera. The Plunkot Nurses reported; —Number of new cases, 34; cases dealt with, 745; babies solely breast fed, 62; partially breast fed, 45; visits paid to homes. 564: to Phinket room, 86; expectant mothers seen. 28; letters written, 23; received, 9; bottles of humanised milk sent out, 5900. Though the winter had not been very severe or wet there nad been a great deal of sickness amongst children.

Pleasure was expressed at the increased number of nursing mothers who had availed themselves of the services of the Plunkot Nurse. It was stated that several mothers from the country who had boon staying in Dunedin for a few days had called at tnc Plunkot room for advice. The committee would bo grateful if more of the mothers in Dunedin and suburbs, whoso babies arc sufficiently well, would visit the Plunkot room, and so save the time of the Plunkot Nurses.

The secretary has been in communication with the various branches in Central Otago for the purpose of arranging for Nurse Campbell ■ to give lectures and demonstrations in each of the towns. Nurse Campbell will commence in Alexandra on Monday, August 11, and will visit Clyde, Cromwell, Bannockburn, and Naseby during the week.

A letter was received from Dr Siedeborg forwarding resolutions for consideration from a meeting of women convened by Lady Stout.—'ifte recommendations were strongly approved of, and the secretary was instructed to write to Dr Stedeberg to that effect.

It was announced that Dr Inglis, of the Otago University, had consented to act as lion, analyst to the society.

The cablegram of August 5, reported in the Dunedin newspapers, having been read, the committee expressed satisfaction at tno excellent reception given to Dr Truby King’s paper at the conference on “ Infant Life,” hold in London, and the appreciation expressed by the English newspapers of the good work done in New Zealand in reducing the death rate among infants. At the request of some of the country branches the non. secretary had written to the Government Health Department for literature dealing with the question of consumption. Papers on the subject had been received and forwarded to these branches. The Hon. Treasurer, Mrs Thcomtn, reported tnc receipt of the Mrs Jessie Blair bequest of £200; also maintenance for the Karitanc-Harris Hospital (£24 7s 6.i). and a number of annual subscriptions and donations.

Gifts to the hospital were received °f clothes, poultry, jam. etc., from the following ladies:—Mesdamrs Bernstein, Pieaco, Truiand, J. C. M’George. 1 heornin, and Denniston, and Misses Reynolds ad Scott.