OUR BABIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3114, 19 November 1913, Page 61

OUR BABIES.

Bt Htgeia.

Published under the auspices ol the Society for the Health of Women and Children. "It is wiser to put up a fence at th« top ol a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom.”

I have had sent to mo the August number of National Health, a journal (published in London) of State, municipal, and voluntary health administration, with the following heading:—“This organ is officially recognised by the National League for Physical Education and Improvement, the Association ot Infant Consultations and Schools for Mothers, the National Association for tiie Prevention of Infant Mortality and for the Welfare of Infancy, the Mansion House Council for Health and Housing, and the National Food Reform Association, and is supported by their influence —a fairly substantial list of societies and associations dealing with questions of health.”

The editorial deals with the Infant Mortality Conference to he held in London that month, Sind we read: ‘‘ln the medical section the subjects to bo dealt with are the necessity for special education in infant hygiene and ante-natal hygiene. Among our colonics. New Zealand has taken a foremost place in promoting health legislation, so that considerable interest will attach to the contribution from Dr Trilby King, of Dunedin, on the Now Zealand scheme for promoting the health of women and children.” In this column you have read recently “Hygeia’s” impressions of the conference, and of the need in England for more systematic teaching applied to all classes, and it is interesting to read in an article in this journal, entitled ” The Trend of Medico-Social Effort in Child Welfare Work,” by Wilbur C. Phillips, New York, of the growing demands for such organisation as our own society. He says: ‘‘ln the child-welfare movement for public health two forces have been particularly active —those embraced by the medical profession on the oife hand, and those of the so-called social workers on the other. At first the line of demarcation between these two forces wag quite distinct. Of late years it has boon growing less so. Students of sociology to-day clearly' recognise that most of the problems which social and philanthropic agencies are endeavouring to solve are health problems; while, on Ihe other hand, the fact is also beginning to be'apparent that most of the diseases which physicians and health authorities are floating and endeavouring to rectify have their origin in social causes. Reflect for a moment on the work carried oiit by such agencies as committees on the prevention of tuberculosis, milk committees, and committees for the prevention of blindness. These activities indicate how deeply the philanthropic world is delving in health problems. On the other hand, consider that, most of thi® effort, begun in a purely charitable or philanthropic spirit, has ton nil, or is finding, its way into our health departments, and that many of our leading hospital experts, recognising that they cannot even properly diagnose and prescribe without understanding the social conditions under which their patients live, are establishing bureaus of social service in the charge of non-medical workers. Consider these things. I say. and you will agree with mo, I think, that health work is fast developing beyond those limits wherein the medical practitioner has long been wont to hold uninterrupted sway. “ Slowly, but surely, a new concept is dawning in the minds of those who are working and thinking on those problems. Slowly but surely wo are coming to renl'so that even the ethical character of a '"npir has its basis in physiology; that this thing we call health is the foundation and source of civic righteousness, and that everything which tends to deprive any man or woman, youth or maid, boy or girl, of an essential to its physical growth or development is a wrong, rot only physically, but' intellectually. morallv, and spiritually, against, this and succeeding generations.” He goes on to say: ‘‘Doctors and social workers alike are beginning to recognise that, while corrective treatment of existing sickness will remain a factor for a long time to come, emphasis must be placed more and more on the development of PREVENTIVE measures. It has become axiomatic to say that it is more important to teach mothers how to keep their babies well than to cure them after they arc sick.

‘ - lt- hakes ekill and training to correct a deranged digestion. It takes simple common sense, combined with a .knowledge of what constitutes wholesome food and right living, to prescribe a regimen which will make a deranged digestion, an impossibility.

“ Teachers do not need to be scientists. The laws of health, like the laws of astronomy and mathematics, need only to bo understood, j-iropagatcd, and obeyed to secure henofu -mt results.

“ And because the physician (except where ho is directly connected with some organised social effort) bus no spare time for social teaching, the problem of dealing with the ignorance which he has pointed out as a chief cause of infant, mortality, like the problem of improving the purely physical properties of milk, has passed into other hands.” HEALTH OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN. The monthly meeting of the Society for the Health of Women and Children was held in the Town Hal! on Friday; present— Mesdames Carr (in the chair), Joachim, Theomin, Arundel, J. A. Johnston.'. He Beer, Jackson, Ansel!. Moore, S iraood, ■Sfroutts, Ross, Buckland, Callaway. Misses Stewart and M'Dongall, and Mrs J. M'Oeorge {hon secretary). The Mat ron of the TCaritane-Ha rri« Hospital reported for the month of October that the number of babies admitted was 12. dis-’ charged 11, in hospital on October 31 19. number of deaths 1. visitors to hospital 322, letters written 32 Of tbe babies admitted, one came from Oamaru, three from Central Otago, one from Moegiel. and the remainder from Dunedin. Of the,*-' discharged, all left the hospital in good health. One belonged to Christchurch, one to Centra! Otago, and the remainder to Dunedin.

Early in November a visit in tho interest* of tho society was paid to Lawrence itiid Roxburgh, At Lawrence, several of tho mothers wore visited in their own homes, and the genera] feeling expressed was that it would be of sjreat advantage if a Plunketnurse could visit regularly. At Roxburgh, an afternoon meeting was arranged for mothers, _ Some $0 were present, when some points in connection with Plunket work were discussed. The evening meeting took the form of a social, presided over by the Mayor. Much sympathy with the movement was expressed, fnj all seemed desirous of doing their part to further It Nurse Jones had begun her training as Plunket nurse for Tamapo. Nurse Stone passed her examination successfully, and proceeded to Westport to take up her antic* there. Two Kantano nurses had begun their course of training, and one had completed her course and passed the necessary examination. Gifts had been receinsd during the month from Mrs Monro, Mm rhoomin, Mies Samuel, Mr Capei, Miss Owen, Mrs J. 0. M'George, Miss Mee. and Miss Wray. The Plunket nurses’ report stated that the number of now oases was' 53, cases under care 652, soleiy breast-fed 86, partially breast-fed 77, visits to homos 608, visits tC Plunket room 83, prospective mothers 2d, letters written 14, letters received 12, bottles of humanised milk sent out 6317. Among tlie correspondence dealt with was a letter from Dr Musgrave, chairman of tho Committee for tho Investigation of Excess.ve Mortality in tho Philippine Islands, dhe attention of the committee was directed towards a report of a meeting of the Bay Town Board, where the chairman anil clerk described the drainage at the Kari-tane-Harris Hospital as being in a deplorable condition. The statements made were entirely without justification, and the committee decided upon insisting that thorough inspection be made by the health authorities and full publicity given to their report. Comment was on the fact that no complaint had been made to those in charge of the hospital before the charges "■ere made public. Interesting" letters had been received from Mrs King, from Vienna.

A vote of thanks was unanimously passed to Mre St mutts for having acted as bon. secretary during the absence of Mrs M'George. Mcsdames Moore and Gallaway, vimpiTs;deiit«, were elected to act on the executive.

The Hon. Treasurer (Mrs Th corn in) report ed hav ng received the Govern grant of £SOO for the Karitane-Harrie Kospital; also, maintenance £22 7s 6d, and several subscriptions and donations.