OUR BABIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3335, 13 February 1918, Page 53

OUR BABIES.

By Hyqeia.

Publlahod under the auspices at the Royal New Zealand Society tor the Health ol Women and Children. "It I* wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulanoe at the bottom."

HEALTH LESSONS FOR CHILDREN. FIFTH LESSON. "I should like you to tell me once again tho five chief needs .for good health." (Get the. children to repeat them, marking off each on a finger.) A. AIR. Breathe pure, fresh, clean, cool air by day and night. B. BATHING—PIenty of -water for cleanliness. C. CLOTHING.—Loose, light, comfortable clothing—neither too much nor too little. D. DlET.—Proper food. Plain, .simple food taken at regular intervals. Solid food must be thoroughly chewed.'. Water should bo taken after a meal, not with it. . ' E. EXERCISE AND REST.—A. large amount of exercise in the open air and sunshine is necessary for good health. Boys and girle, as well as babies, need rest and plenty of sound sleep. In the previous lessons I have told you. a little about tho importance of pure Air, suita-blo Clothing, regular Bathing, and proper Diet. We now come t<b E, Exercise, the most neglected, though one of the most important, ofrall our needs. EXERCISE. We must bavo plenty _of regular - daily exercise in the open air if we are to keep really strong and healthy. The daily cold bath followed! by active exercise, described in the Third Lesson, forms a good beginning for the day; but growing boys and girls should have very much more exercise than that. You have your physical exercises at school every day. They are most impo/tant, and you should always do them heartily and vigorously. Take as much outdoor exercise every day as you can. Use every minute of playtime to the best advantage by getting the most exercise for your bodies, in the. time. Never waste your playtime in trying to learn lessons, or in reading books, or in aimlessly dawdling round tho playground.. Remember that playtime is given 'to y,bu for active romping and having a jolly time. This makes your mind more fjt for its school work. Out-door games of all kinds are great sources of health and happiness. . Don't neglect simple games, such as tig, prisoner's basfe, hop-scotch, skipping games, ring games, and many others. These can be started without any dielay as soon as you get out of school.for a short spell. It is a great mistake to give up such good old British games simply because you prefer tennis or cricket or football. No healthy boy or girl should ever be at a loss to fill, in a spare five or 10 minutes in active phty. * Swimming is tho best and healthiest of all recreations, for either boys or girls; but of course it needs time and special opportunities. Next to swimming comes a run or good walk. REST. • Boys and girls need rest' and plenty of sound sleep. Never study late into the evening. Stop all lessons at least half-an-hour before going to bed. From six to eight years half the time should ,be spent in bed; from nine to 12, about il hours' sleep is enough, and from' 13 to 16 about 10 hours'. > p Home lessons should never be allowed to break in on the hours sacred to sleep. Lost sleep brings loss of health and loss of memory. The best way to make sure of sound sleep is to have a game or romp or skip just before bedtime. l GOING TO THE FICTTJEES. Tho less any boy or girl goes to the "pictures" the better Evenings spent at home are far better than evenings spent at tho "pictures," if you want to become strohg,-.happy, capable men.and women. The best thing for all of us is to be helpful and unselfish, and to take our full share in the "fife and work of our homes. . . i :•■' CONCLUSION.

If the simple lessons we have been going over in the last five articles were thoroughly realised and inculcated into every boy and girl Tin tho Dominion, so that the practice of. tho simple rules became a part of their daily lives, wo should have a much stronger, healthier, and happier community, and in the future there would ba&rfew "unfits" either for military service or*©Wil work.

HEALTH OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

ROYAL NEW ZEALAND SOCIETY. Tho monthly meeting of the committee was4ield in the Plunket Rooms on" the Bth. Present: Mrs, Carr (in the chair), Lady Allen, Mesdam<?s Jcs. M'George, J. M. Gallaway, Theomin, J. A. Johnstone, Isaacs, John Ross, Gibbs, Miss Gow, and the secrotary. Accounts were passed for payment. The Matron of the Karitanc-Harris Hospital reported for the month of December: Admitted during the month—mothers 4, babies 11; discharged during the month—mothers 3, babies 13; deaths, nil; mothers in residence 4; of tho mothers and babies admitted during December one came from Milton, 'one from Lower Hutt, one from Seacliff, one from Waimatc, two from Mataura, and the remainder from Dunedin. Gifts were recoived and acknowledged from Mesdames Theomin and da Cros and from the- Wellington committee. All the mothers and 'babies discharged . wore making excellent progress. Number of nurses in training on December 31:— PlunUet nurses. 6; Karitane nurses, 11. Plunket Nurse Stephenson finished her six months' coarse of training, and Karitane- Nurse,,. Worthy her 12 months' course. Nurse Walton commenced her three months' course of training, and Nurse Fennessy her 12 months' course. Tho following nurses sat for and passed their examination on the 12th of December, 1917:—Plunket Nurses H. Thomson, Stephenson. and Morgan ; Karitane Nurses Worthy, Anand Lewis. Admitted during the month of January:—Mothers 4, babies 10; discharged—mothers 4, babies 13; deaths, nil; mothers in residence, 5; number in on January 31 —mother 1, babies 13: of the mothers and .babies admitted during tho

month, ono camo from Central Otago, one from Lumsden, and the remainder from Dunedin. Gifts were received from Mesdames Allan and Theomin. Ali the mothers and babies discharged were making excellent progress. Nurses in training on January 31:—Plunket nurses, 8; Karitano nurses 11. Plunket Nurse Morgan finished her six months' course of training during the month. Nurses Patterson and Smith commenced a three months' course, and Nurse Johnstone a six months' course. Karitane Nurses Andrews and Lewis finished their 12 months course of training on January 31. ■ All babies in hospital are making excellent progress. Central and North District Plunket nurses report for December: —Babies on tho list, 705; new babies, 21. Visits paid to., Plunket Rooms—adults, 134; babies, 100; visits oaid to h0me5,.404. The nurses report very few cases of siokness among the bab:es visited. Report for January: —Babies on the list, 735; new babies, 31; visits to office, Stuart street—adults, 158; babies, 109; visits to homes, 429. / South Dunedin Plunket nurse's report for December: —Babies on the list, 371; new babies, 19; visits paid to Plunket Rooms — adults, 94; babies, 88; visits to homes, 317. For January:—Babies on the list, 380; new babies, 25; visits paid to homes, 300 r ; to Plunket Rooms—adults, 130; babies, 109. .' The Hon. Treasurer reported the maintenance for the month £6O, also tho receipt of a donation of £25 towards the endowment fund from a grateful mother. The resignation of Mrs W. G. Morrell as a member of the committee was accepted with regret.