OUR BABIES.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13173, 4 February 1936, Page 7

OUR BABIES.

By Hygela. (Published under the auspices o>f the Royal New Zealand Society tortile health of Women and Children Plunket Society.) ‘‘lt is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain ail ambulance, at the bottom..'’ 3 INF ANTI EE DIAR R HOE A. Statistics show that the average death late from infantile diarrhoea for the whole of New Zealand varies from one-tenth to one-twentid li of the average for the rest of the civilised world, and has fallen to twothirds of what it averaged only a lew years ago—eloquent testimony to the high standard of infant care and niothercraft knowledge. However, we must not let these* reassuring statistics lull us into a sense of false security. Jn the course of the next few weeks we shall again put forth our explanations, warning, and instructions, so that they may come before those parents who have not so far realised the importance of the subject and be fresh in the minds of the mothers of this summer’s babies. As a disease affecting babies summer diorrhcea is a most serious and deadly danger. In New Zealand it occur- mainly from Christmas to the middle pr the end of March, the number of cases depending on the temperature. During a cool summer t he number of comparatively low; ii tin- summer is hot the number may ri>e very high. WHY IS THIS ? Why should summer not be the safest instead of the most dangerous time of the year for infants? The* reason, is simple. Most babies are fed on liquid food, which is specially liable to ferment in hot weather. Milk becomes infested with germs —in other wcucls. “got . ba i—and I t comes poisonous more readily than • a/ other food. I he hotter the weather trie me,r«- the- germs grow and flourish m milk, and i« we are not careful in th<> selection of* a. milkman. the cleansing of containers and 'jugs, and the place where the* milk is kept it may go bad in hot weather even before we are ready te*- use it. 'fainted pasteurised milk is even more* dangerous than unheated milk which has gone sour in the ordinary way. Therefore we must be just as careful to keep bottled city milk tool an I loosely covered (not capped and .seeded from access of air) as we Babies who die from summer- diarrhoea die because? they are poisoned mainly by germs contained in tainted in ilie acting on babiev; who have not been kept in such ;■ state of first-rate health and condition as will enable

them to resist the attacks of germs. All epidemic diseases, including summer diarrhoea, tend to attack the bodily “unfit” rather than the fit, but babies who are perfectly well may fall victims. WHY DOFS XATT RE SUNG RE OUT BABIES AND AEYES? In warm weather the young of horses, pigs, dogs, and cats are almost uniformly healthy, while calves are the victims of scouring and babies suffer or die from the same scourge under the name of “summer diarrhoea.” Why ? Calves are sacrificed because man takes the cow’s milk for himself and feeds tin? calves out of the bucket. The baby js sacrificed because the mother’s breast is denied to it. and improper food, contaminated with: germs, is substituted for the pure, perfect, blood-warm, vital stream direct from the proper source. Are ill-health and diarrhoea inevitable during summer time for calves and babies who cannot be suckled? Certainly not* In both cases the trouble arises not from tin* mere fact Mi artificial feeding in itself, but because proper care is not taken to secure suitable food, and to prevent growth of germs. For babies properly prepared humanised milk supplies by far the nearest approach, to the mother’s milk, and if kept cool and clean and given according io the directions issued by the society there is little risk of trouble. Even breast-led habit's may contract the disease l , but immediate suitable treatment, of .-uch eu* by these who have been judiciously fed by artificial means soon brings about complete recovery in the great majority of eases. On rhe oilier hand, among I .hies who lave be-on imperfectly fed .Ik risk of death is very great indeed and the lasting weakness and debility is often tin r< •■-ult. even ii the baby does not die. Ibis j.s a. point which should never he forgotten. Infantile ailments leave lasting ill-effects, even if they are not fatal. We cannot afford to e\p< >e cur babies to. the risk. THE PRUNKET NURSE rhe* Plunket nurses’ services are free to all. They are glad to see* mothers and babies at Ihe society’s rooms in tin* various districts throughout the Dominion. If you are travelling away from your .usual place of residence do not hesitate* to take* baby to see the Plunket nurse? m wlrntever -district- you happen to be. She? will Tied]) and advise* you on exactly tin* same lines as your c?,\vn Plunket nurse does. If you are out of reach of a nurse write to the nearest one? or to the nurse* with whom you have previously been. in. touch. CM course?, it the baby has more than a passing upset or you are in doubt, always consult a doe-tor. Do not lose valuable time before* getting advice