OUR BABIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3414, 20 August 1919, Page 58

OUR BABIES.

By Hyoeu

Published utidar trie auspices (I '.he Royal hew Zealand Sielety t«' tht Health ot Women and Children. "It It wltar to put up a unee at '.ha tap ct a prgclßlcs than to maintain ao amauiaiieo a» li.e uottsm." THE RED CROSS AND INFANT WELFARE, (Continued.) Last week we dealt with the proposed co-operation of the British Red Cross in Infant Welfare work. This week we shall show how the movement is likely to become world-wide. A committee- of representatives of the Rod Cross Societies of France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, and the United States was formed, with Mr Henry P. Davison (United States) as chairman. On February 21, 1919, Mir Davison submitted the following memorandum from Paris, which explains matters very clearly. MEMORANDUM BY MR HENRY P. DAVISON. The International Red Cross Committee at Geneva has called a convention of the Red Cross /organisations of the world to meet at Geneva 30 days after the dsclaration of peace. This call was issued at the request of the Red Cross Societies of the United States, France, Great Britain, Italy, and Japan, whose representatives have constituted themselves as a " Committee of Red Cross Societies" " to formulate and to propose to the Red Cross Societies of the world an extended programme of Red Cross activities in the interest of humanity." The Governments of the five countries represented in this nucleus of a committee have from the outset been fully informed of the proposal to hold such a world conference: they regard it as important, and each has separately manifested its desire that a plan embodying the purposes of this oommittoo . be prepared for submission to such conference. THE MOTIVE OF THE PLAN. The world is appalled at the widespread human suffering which has followed in the wake of the war. Problems l of food and reconstruction are of such magnitude that they must, of course, be dealt with and financed by Governments. But in addition, there is a vast field for supplementary and emergency effort on the part of voluntary national relief organisations. _ The original Geneva Convention was designed primarily to guarantee neutrality to those actually engaged in the care of sick and wounded combatants. This war has shown, however, that the battlefield of modern warfare extends into every home of the nations involved. Out of this fact has grown the necessity that the Red Cross should in time of war extend its ministrations to homeless refugees as well as to civilians in their homes behind the lines. The International Red Cross at Geneva has from the very beginning done an important work. Throughout the present war its high principles ot both neutrality and helpfulness have been maintained. Its position of pre-eminence as the great neutral agency should bo upheld, and it is tha belief that its ideals for extending relief in tim© of war can be applied with equal vigour and effectiveness in time of peace. The experience of the war has developed an advanced practice in caring for the welfare of motherhood and childhood. It has likewise demonstrated novel and most pro-' musing possibilities in the oare and treatment of tuberculosis and other diseases. It is accordingly of unusual importance at this moment in the world's history that representatives of the various peoples should meet in conference; compare information and experience, and l determine how voluntary effort in cv#-ry country may best exert itself in the service of humanity. It is peculiarly fitting that suoh a world conference shorild meet under the ajg-is of the Red Gross, for the Rsd Cross has shown itself to be an instrument of peculiar flexibility and adaptability with which to promote efforts for the relief of suffering humanity. The Red Cross emblem signifies, next to human sympathy, above all else, neutrality —neutrality as between nations, as between races, as between religions, as between classes. While, in its organised form in each country, it enjoys intimate re-, lations with its own Government, yet it preserves its voluntary and democratic character. It is expected that out of this world gathering ihere will emerge an international organisation through which the peoples of the world may co-operate in stimulating and developing activities in the respective countries for the betterment of mankind. Such activities would foster tha study of human disease, ■promote sound measures for public health ana sanitation, the welfare of children' ar,d mothers, the education and training of nurses, and the oare and prevention of tuberculosis, venereal disease," malaria, ;!and other chronic or infectious diseases, vand would provide measures for handling- 5 problems of world relief in emergencies*, such as fire, famine, and pesti? PLAN OF PROCEDURE. It is the plan of the "Committee of Red Cross Societies" to proceed immediately to the definite formation of the plan to bo submitted to the world Red Cross Congress, and for that purpose it will* establish working headquarters at Cannes, France. To that point will bo invited the worlds leading experts in public health, tuberculosis, hygiene and sanitation, and child welfare. It is expected that the past experience of the nations will be carefully canvassed with a view to the formulation of programmes of action which can be laid before the Congress at Geneva, Following that event, these programmes would be communicated to the Red Societies of all the nations, and the societies would each in its own way stimulate the carrying out of those programmes among the respective peoples. . It is proposed that, following the World Congress, there will be_ established _ at Geneva a, permanent working organisation. Such organisation will comprise experts who will keep in touch with the developments throughout the world in the various lines in which the Red Cross is interested/ Immediately developments should have been realised in any part of the either in research or practice, full information would be communicated to the central organisation at Geneva, and there scrutinised. This information and expert advioe concerning

it would then be immediately transmitted to the lied Cross Societies of the world. It is not the thought that the international organisation at Geneva would itself carry out the adopted, or that the 'Red Cross Societies of the individual countries would themselves necessarily conduct operations along the respective lines indicated. It- is the plan, however, that the international oi'ganisation at Geneva will thereafter continue to formulate and propose lined of Red Cross effort in the interest of humanity. These programmes will forthwith be communicated to the individual Red Cross Societies. Efforts would be made by. the international organisation to stiriiulate the development in each country of an active and efficient Red Cross organisation in keeping with the newly-conceived possibilities of tiie Red Cross movement. Eueh national Red Cross Society, in the light of information from the international organisation, or on the basis of its own experience or desires, will stimulate among the people of its own country effective measures to accomplish the results aimed at. THE MEANIJTG'OF THE PLAN AS A WHOLE. The conception involves not merely efforts to relievo human suffering, but to prevent it —not alone the suffering of one people, but an attempt to arouse all peoples to a sense of their responsibility for the welfare of their fellow-beings throughout the world. In brief, the plan contemplates the formation of what will be in effect an association in the interest of all humanity. It is a programme both ideal and practical—ideal, in that its supreme aim is humanitarian; practical, in that it seeks means and measures to meet the tragio crises which are daily recurrent in the lives of all mankind. Surely the operation of such a plan would develop a new fraternity and sympathy among the peoples. By so doing an important contribution will havo been made toward the success of the League of Nations', and this present plan should be viewed as a vital factor in the larger undertaking. The League of Nations aims to hold all peoples together in an effort to avoid war and to ensure freedom; this particular plan aims at devising a procedure whereby all peoples may 00-operate actively in promoting the health and happiness of one another. Next week wo shall give a few notes of what took place at the conference at Cannes, and the resolutions arrived at by the delegates.

HEALTH OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

The monthly meeting of the Committee of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children was held on Friday; present—Mrs Johnstone (in the chair), Lady Allen, Mesdames Joseph M'George, Moore, Theomin, Chamtaloup, John lloss, Ansell Hodson, Isaacs, Gibbs, Arundel, Cupningham, James Begg, Misses F. and N. Reid, M'Dougall, Joachim, Staffcaptain Park, and the secretary. Mrs Johnstone referred to the loss the society had recently sustained by the death of Mrs Carr, who was the first horn secretary, and afterwards for many years president, and paid a warm tribute to the earnest and dininterested labours of the deceased lady. She had left a noble example of devotion to duty and self-sacrifice. The committee placed on record its "Profound sorrow and deep regret at -the lamented dsath of their late president, Mrs F. H. Carr, who, since the formation of the society, had been one of its most able leaders, and had devoted herself wholeheartedly to the cause of the mothers and, babies." It was proposed that a suitable memorial to Mrs Carr's memory be decided upon later. The Hon. Treasurer reported the maintenance for the month £25 6s; also the receipt of a number of subscriptions and donations. The Matron of the Karitane-Harris Hospital reported for the month of July:— Admitted during- the month —mothers 1, babies 6; discharged during the month —■ mothers 1, babies 8; death 1; number of babies in residence on July 31, 9. The death reported was due to malnutrition and prematurity. The baby -was in hospital,six days. Plunket nurses in training, 4; Karitane nurses in training, 10. Nurse A. Martin commenced a course of Plunket training during the month, and Karitane Nurse Gilchrist completed 12 months' course of training. Cifts were received with thanks. from Lady Allen, Mesdames W. A. Moore, Speight, Theomip, Hudson, and Messrs John Edmond and Son. All babies discharged were in splendid condition,_ and all those in hospital are making satisfactory progress. The Plunket nurses for north and central districts reported for the month ended 31st' July as under:—Babies on the list, 715; solely breast fed, 65; partly breast fed. 44; new cases for.month (babies only), 17; visits paid to homos, 370; visits to Plunket rooms, Stuart street —babies 62, adults 102. The Plunket nurse for South Dunedin district reported for the month of July:— Babies on list, 310; wholly breast fed, 36; partly breast fed, 28; new cases for month (babies only), 10; visits paid to homes, 212; visits to Plunket rooms —babies 121, adults 130. The Plunket nurses roport that during the month of July savere colds were very prevalent amon.er the babies. There were several cases of chickenpox and scarlet fever in the north district. Mosgiel was visited five times and Port Chalmers five times during the month of July. Mrs W. A. Moore handed in an additional £l4 7s, bringing the amount raised at the "Venard" function on July 24 up to £165-13s. The committee expressed pleasure at heating that the. " Archerfield" College girlfl had promised to endow a cot at the Kari-tane-Harris Hospital. The committee passed a vote of thanks to Mrs J. A. Johnstone for acting as president during Mrs v Carr's illness, and unanimously elected her to the vacant position.