PLUNKET SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3823, 21 June 1927, Page 71

PLUNKET SOCIETY.

Tho ordinary monthly meeting of the committee of tho Royal Society for tho Health of Women and Children was held in the Plunket office on Friday. Present: Mesdames Johnstone (in the chair), Joseph M’George, Dove, Fraser, J. C. M'George, Watson, Cloghorn. Williams, Cunninghaine, Wilson, G. Gallaway, Barnett, Mandeno, tho Misses Reid, Burt, and the secretary. Apologies for absence were received from Mesdames J. W. Gallaway and F. H. Carr. The Secretary presented the monthly statement of the society’s finances to date, and accounts were passed for payment. The Matron Karitane-Harris Hospital reported as follows for the month ended May '31 —mothers 5. babies 24; total, 29. 30 —mothers 4, babies 21; total 25. Number of patients admitted for treatment — mothers 11, babies 25; total, 36. Number of patients discharged—mothers 10, babies 22; total, 32. Number of patients in on May 31 —mothers 5 babies 24; total, 29. largest number in on any one day—mothers 6, babies 24; total, 30. Sources of admission: —One mother and baby from Macandrew Bay; one in. ther and baby from Roxburgh; one mother and baby from Wa.ipori; one mother and baby from Outran;; one mother and baby from Oturehua; six mothers and babies from Dunedin.

Babies: —One baby from Purakanui, two babies from Middlemarch, 11 babies from Dunedin. Nursing Staff: —There are 17 Plunket nurses in training. Nurse Merton commenced her training. Karitano Nurses: —There are 12 Karitane nurses in training. Nurse Mee finished her training, and Nurse Gordon commenced. Lectures. —Lectures have been given during the month by Dr Williams. Visitors.—There were 194 visitors during the month. Gifts.—Gifts were received from Mrs E. Theomin.

Tho Plunket nurses for North and Centra] Dunedin districts reported as follows for the mouth of May:—Number of babies on the list. 791; number of babies breastfed (including partly), 257; number of new cases for the month (babies only), 40; number of new cases expectant mothers, 9; number of babies, breast-fed (including partly) (new cases), 32; number of visits paid to homes, 647: number of visits paid to Plunket rooms: —Stuart street: Mothers 195, babies 213, older children 18; total, 526. Roslyn: Mothers 147, babies 123, older children 17; total, 287. Mornington : Mothers 67, babies 63 ; total, 130. BelseyYaralla Kindergarten—Mothers 53,- babies 45. older children 16; total, 114. Outpatients Department. Public Hospital: Mothers 13, babies 12: total, 25. Number of bottles of humanised milk sent out from Taieri Dairy, 5285. — The Plunket -nurse for South Dunedin districts reported as follows for tho month of May: ; —Number of babies on the list, 488; number of babies breast-fed (including partly), 120; number of new cases for the month (babies only), 20; number ot babies breast-fed (including partly) (new cases), 20; number of new cases expectant mothers, 3; number of visits paid to homes, 280; number of visits paid to rooms, King Edward street. South Dunedin: Mothers 202, babies 186, older children 38; total, 426. The Plunket nurse for Caversham district and outstations (north line) reported

as follows for month of May:—Number of babies on the list 186, number of babies breast-fed (including partly) 48, number of new cases for the month (babies only) 0, number of babies breastfed (including partly) new cases) 8, number of visits paid to homes 170. Number of visits paid to Plunket offices, Stuart street, from Cavershani: Mothers 60, babies 47, older children 4:—total 111. Number of visits paid to Plunket office, Stuart street,from outstations:—Mother 70. babies 54, older children ’s;—total 139. The following visits w.-i paid io out-stations:—Waikouaiti 5, Pon Chalmers 4, St. Leonards 4. Ravensburne 5. , , „ The Plunket nurse for Andersons Bay district and out stations (south line) te-port-cd as follows for month of May: — Number of cases on the list 236, number of babies breast-fed (including partly) ~ 09, number of new cases for the month (babies only) 12, number of babies breastfed including partly) (new cases) 12. Number of visits paid to homes:—Anderson’s Bay 103, Mosgiel 32, Abbotsford, Green Island, and Burnside 73, Macandrew Bay 23 ;—total 231. Number of visits paid to office, Anderson’s Bav and Stuart street: Mothers 106, babies 88, older children 15;—total 209. Number of visits paid to office. Mosgiel: Mothers 51. babies 48. older children 8;— total 107. The following visits were paid to out-stations: —Mosgiel 5, Abbotsford 4, Green Island 4. Burnside 4, Macandrew Bay 4.

Mesdames Johnstone, Jos. M'George, Brown, Barnett, J. C. M'George, Cleghorn Fraser. Dove, Cunningbaine, Watson, and Miss Burt were appointed a sub-committee to organise a meeting of friends and people interested in t-he work of the society, with a view to organising a special effort to raise funds for the carrying on of the work of tlie Dusedin branch of tha society. It was arranged that a preliminary meeting of the sub-committee be hold in tho Plunket office on Wednesday. June 22 Mrs O'Neill was unnaimously granted leave of absence from the committee during her absence from Dunedin. Mrs Taverner was unanimously elected a member of committee. Sister Girvan, home sister at the Kari-tane-Harris Hospital, wrote tendering her resignation, which was accepted with regret. Eulogistic reference was made to tho service which Sister Girvan has rendered during tho five years and a-half she has been on the staff of the Karitane-Harris Hospital, and the committee was gratified to learn that Sister Girvan would still be continuing her work _ among tho babies, having accepted a position on the nursing staff of St. Mary’s Orphanage. Napier.