OUR BABIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3274, 13 December 1916, Page 54

OUR BABIES.

_J3r Htgeia.

Published under thg ausplcas cl the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health oi Women end Children.

••It is wiFer to put tip a fence at tba top »! a precipice than to 'uaititaln »a ambulance at tlio bottom."

This week we intended to deal with the remainder of the mother's letter which we partially answered last week. We think, however, that it is more- important at the present time to give our annual warning- with regard to Infantile Diarrhoea; therefore we shall postpone our references to the ditlicuity mothers experience in securing help in the household. INFANTILE DIARRIICEA.

As the sc-uson is approaching during which Summer Diarrhoea tends to . become rifo among babies, it is important to emphasise the fact that the disease generally ATTACKS INFANTS WHO HAVE BEEN IIOHE OH LESS OUT OF SOKTS FOR SOME TlilE PREVIOUSLY. Mothers should now bo on their guard, and should watch carefully for any sign of failure, such as listlc&sness, dullness, loss of appetite, fretfulnoss, etc. Indigestion due to unsuitable food and irregular feeding is the main predisposing cause of diarrhoea in babies, so that all mothers should be specially vigilant in summer. They should bo perfectly regular in feeding, and should give the children nothing unsuitable or liable to disagree. THE HOLIDAY SEASON.

Unfortunately, it is just at Christmas time and throughout the holidays—the hottest season of the year—that our New Zealand mothers become most irregular and careless in these matters. One frequently sees tiny tots being stuffed with cakes, bananas, and sweets of all kinds, and a feeling of great indignation arises at the gross ignorance, which makes- such folly possible. Travelling by rail and sea, or vif"' ing. friends, the child's power of endurance is strained to tho utmost, and many an unfortunate infant in the Dominion makes no progress from Christmas timo to mid-January on this account; hence, when the most trying days come, and Summer Diarrhoea is rife, the fatal disease knocks effectively at the houses whore the doors are already ajar. In such cases, if the disease docs gain a foothold, the unfortunate baby cannot escape unscathed. He may not die, but at best he will be thrown back for months, and more or less injured for life.

I need scarcely say that preventive measures of almost equal importance to proper food and regular feeding are the other essentials of hygiene—namely:

Pure, cool, free-flowing fresh air day and night. Suitable clothing by day and night. Plenty of outing. Regular exercise and sleei\ Regularity of the bowels and other HABITS. Cleanliness. Dummies should be got rid of at once.

The above applies to all children. It is. however, among young babies that Summer Diarrhoea plays the greatest havoc. What should mothers do to prevent its onset?

NATURAL FEEDING THE BEST PREVENTIVE.

TH]'] main preventive measure is to feed baliies as Nature _ intended. Bottle-fed babies are far more liable to get. the disease than those that are breast-fed; therefore, if possible, do not wean during January. February, or March. The mother must, of course, do all she can to make sure that her supply of milk is good and sufficient by taking plenty of exercise in tho open air, by restricting herself to good, simple food taken at regular intervals, including from one to_ two pints moro fluid than she would drink if not nursing, by having a current of pure, fresh, free-flowing air coursing through her bedroom all night long, and by regularity of all habits. The nursing mother sliould take NO alcohol in any form.

All the above-mentioned hygienic measures must bo attended to as carefully when the baby has tho inestimable benefit

of good mother's milk as when ho is bottle fed.

If it is absolutely necessary to wean your baby, do it gradually, and give properly graded Humanised Milk. Never give fullstrength Humanised Milk to start with, but begin with a weak food and gradually work up to the standard as advised in the Society's book, " Feeding and Care of Baby," page 30. A THREATENED ATTACK. If a motion appears green when passed, the mother should be on her guard at once, and should watch carefully the next motion. If it is also green, she should proceed as follow*, whether baby is breast-fed or fed : 1. Give a dose of castor oih—one or two drachms, according to a.go. The average need is an ordinary teaspoonful. 2. Give boiled water only for the next two feedings. i If baby is breast-fed, the mother must draw off the milk from her breasts at the usual feeding-times either by manipulation or by a breast-pump or a sndawatcr bottle, (S=e Expectant Mother and Baby's .First Month," page 24, and illustrations, pare 30.)

If green motions still persist, continue truing boiled water, and call in a doctor. If there are no more green motions after trie two feedings of boiled water, proceed as follows:

1. In the case of a breast-fed babv, give a few ounces of boiled water just before nursing, and allow baby to suckle for a few minutes, only. At the next feeding give less water and a longer period of suckling, and so on, the allowance of water being cautiously reduced at each feeding and the suckling extended. 2. In the case of a bottle-fed babt, boil the Humanised Milk for 20 minutes, and dilute it with boiled water. At the first feeding following the two meals of boiled water only, give one part of boiled Humanised Milk to four parts of boiled water. At the next two feedings give two parts of Human : scd Milk to three "parts of boiled water; then give three parts of Humanised Milk to two parts of boiled water for two or three feedings. If all has .gone well, there being no further green or frequent, motions, fullstrength boiled Humanised Milk may be reached at the end of another day. After that only half the milk need be boiled; then a quarter, and then the boiling may cease. Older Children. During the summer months children so frequently cat unripe or partially-decayed fruit that a constant watch should be kept for signs of Indigestion and Diarrhoea. Treat older children in the same way as babies —that is, give a .dose of castor oil and boiled water only for two or three meals. Then give boiled milk and rice water. When the attack has passed off, gradually work back to ordinary food. HEALTH OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN. MEETING OF SOCIETY. The monthly meeting of tho above society was held in tlie Plunket Rooms on Friday. Mrs Carr occupied the cha:r. 'iiie Matron of tile Karitane-llariis Hospital reported as follows: —Cases admitted, 7; cases discharged, 5; deaths, 1; mother in residence, 1; greatest number in residence at any one time, 17; number of babies in residence- on November 30, 17; number of visitors, 216; number of letters written, 24. Of tne seven cases admitted during tho month, live camo from Dunedin, one from Waipiata, and ono from Roxburgh. All the balnea had made satisfactory progress. One death occurred during the month, due to prematurity. All tho babies in residence are making satisfactory progress. The Plunket Nurses' report was as follows: —Babies on tho list, 808; number of new cases for month, 58; babies solely breast-fed, 69; babies partially breast-fed, 59; nurses' visits to homes, 696; visits paid to Plunket oftice, 316; bottles of humanised milk sent from dairy, 8358. Beyond a few cases of whooping cough and chicken pox, tho babies under oare are doing well, and are mostly normal. The Plunket Nurse visiting Mosgiel reported 11 cases on her books. The Visitiiiß Committee of the humanised milk department of the Taieri Dairy Company reported that Miss Turner (in charge of this department) suggested that, to ensure the humanised milk being- delivered to customers as fresh as possible, she and her assistant should work at night. As this would bo obviously of great advantage to tho babies, especially during the summer months, the committee decided to agree to the suggestion. Tho resignation of Miss Morgan (matron of the Karitane-llarris Hospital)-, who has been accepted for transport work, was received with very much regret Owing to illness, Miss Glendining sent in her resignation as secretary of the society. It was decided to keep the position open for Miss Glendining until she was restored to health, arrangements being made to have the work carried on in tho meantime. In connection with the proposed extension of the society's work in New Zealand, as suggested by the Minister of Public Health, and to confirm tho new rules, it was decided to call a general conference of delegates from all the branches, to be held in Wellington during February. The executive will arrange date and details. The Hon. Treasurer reported the receipt of £l9 18s 6d, maintenance for the month; also a number of donations and subscriptions.