PLUNKET SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3714, 19 May 1925, Page 63

PLUNKET SOCIETY.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the committee of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children was held in the Plunket rooms on Friday morning. Tho following were present:—Mrs J. A. Johnstone (in the chair), Lady Ross, Mesdameg Theomin, Sidey, Curininghaine, Williams, J. C. M'George, G alia way, Barnett, Herbert, Barr, Sim, O’Neill” G. Gallaway, and F raser. « Accounts were passed for payment. The Treasurer reported the receipt of a number of subscriptions and donations. The balance sheet for the year ended March 31, 1925, was approvd. Messrs Mandeno and Fraser, architects, reported upon the progress of the new buildings in the course of erection at the Karitane-Harris Hospital. A letter was received from the Returned Soldiers’ Association thanking the members of the committee for their help on Poppy Day. Since last meeting Mesdames Johnstone and Theomin, representing the society, visited the Public Hospital on National Hospital Day at the invitation of the Hospital Board. Mrs Johnstone reported that on behalf of the Central Council and .the Dunedin branch of the Plunket Society a letter of sympathy had been sent to Mrs Massey and that a wreath had been forwarded by the Central Council on behalf of all the branches of the society. A letter was received from the Private Secretary to the Governor-General intimating that their Excellencies Sir Charles and Lady Fergusson would be pleased to become patrons of the Royal New Zealand Soceity for the Health of Women and Children. \ The Matron of the Karitano-Harris Hospital reported for the month of April : Patients in hospital on March 31-r-molherß 3, babies 19; admitted for treatment—mothers 8, babies 12; discharged—mothers 9, babies 13- in hospital on April 30 mothers 2, babies 18* largest number in hospital on any one day—mothers 3, babies 20. Two premature babies admitted during tho month are doing woll and gaining weight steadily. One mother and baby were admitted from Waiwera South, one mother and baby from the Taiori district, and six mothers and babies from Dunedin and suburbs. One baby was admitted from Mosgiel and tho remaining three from Dunedin. The number of nurses iu training is 18. Nurses Cochrane, Geeves, Fitzgibbon, Maclntyre, Armstrong, Walter, Taylor, and Isbister completed, and Nurses Newton, Blathwayt, %v all, M'Konzie, Thompson, Burke, Cooker, Harvey, Munro, and Liepst commenced a course of Plunket training during the month. The number of Karltano nurses in training is 12. Nurse Lyons finished and Nurse Constable commenced a .course of training during the month. In tho rocent examination for Plunket nurse’s certificate two candidates failed to satisfy the examiners. All Kari-

tane nurses were successful in the examination. Only parents of babies in hospital were allowed to visit the hospital during the month on account of the infantile paralysis restrictions. The prizes for the best set of baby garments made by Karitane trainees during the year were won by Nurses Duthie and Gibbons. The Plunket Nurses for North and Central Dunedin districts reported as under for the month of April : —Babies on the list, 810; breust-fed (including partly), 282; new cases for the month (babies only), 39; breast-fed (including partly), 35; advice given to expectant mothers, 9; visits paid to homes, 583; visits to Plunket rooms, Stuart street —adults 177, children 145; visits to Plunket rooms, Koslyn—adults 53, children 59; bottles of humanised milk sent out from tho Taieri Dairy, 4336. The Plunket Nurse for the South Dunedin district reported for the month of April:—Babies on the list, 450: breast-fed (including partly). 110* new the month (babies only), 18: breast-fed (including partly), 16; advice given to expectant mothers, 3; number of visits paid to homes, 318; number of visits paid to Plunket rooms, King Edward street, South Dunedin—adults 186, babies 162. The Plunket Nurse for Anderson’s Bay district and outstations reported for the month ended April 30: —Babies on the list, 241; breast-fed (including partly), 70: new cases for the month (babies only), 6; breastfed (including partly), 3: advice given v to expectant mothers, 1; number of visits paid to homes—Anderson’s Bay 61. Mosgiel 28, Port Chalmers 2, Rnvensbourne 57, St. Leonards 1, Abbotsford, Green Island, and Burnside 28. The number of visits to Plunket rooms. Stuart street, from Anderson’s Bay district was—Adults 17, babies 15; from Mosgiol—adults 54. babies 57; from Port Chalmers—adults 22, babies 20. Tho following visits were paid to outstations during the month:—Mosgiel 4 Allanton 1, Abbotsford 3. Green Island 4, Burnside 1, Port Chalmers 5, St. Leonards 1, and Ravensbourne 5. Tho Plunkot nurses reported that the general health of the babies was good.