GISBORNE HEALTH CAMP

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19315, 4 May 1937, Page 4

GISBORNE HEALTH CAMP

CHILDREN RETURN HOME BENEFITS DERIVED MENTAL AND PHYSICAL "The Gisborne health camp broke up on Saturday and 19 happy children, looking fit and well, went to their homes," states the report of the medical officer of health, Dr. Ellen Heycock. "The camp committee is very pleased with the progress made by the children, and this progress, both mental and physical, was well demonstrated by the children on Thursday evening during the farewell concert which" they gave to the committee members and staff at the camp. Bright, -sparkling eyes, clear complexions, chubby cheeks, and a spontaneity of manner and evident zest of the joy of living bore witness to the success of the routine life' they have, followed during the past six weeks.

"Concrete evidence of their progress is shown on the individual height and weight charts. Each child has shown a gain in weight ranging from 21b to 101 b for the girls and 21b to 61b for the boys. The average gain for the girls is 5.21 b in weight and 3-16 in. in height. The average gain for the boys is 4.81 b in weight and l-16in. in height.. ' »«*<

"These results • conform with those ot other health camps. ' ' '• Aim of the Cimip i

"The aim of this camp was not to fatten the. children, but to familiarise them with a daily routine of living embracing the ideals of fresh air, personal hygiene, well-balanced meals, adequate rest, supervised physical exercises, voluntary games, and school lessons, with the idea that they will endeavour to put into practice in their own homes the routine they learned at the cainp. "In the early days of the camp it was difficult to get tho children to relax—they did not know how to rest —but this was gradually learned and towards the end most of the children were sleeping for some part of the rest period. It is noteworthy that those children showing the greater gain in weight are those who lelaxed and slept during these periods. Mothers have asked t*he camp matron for the secret of their child's improvement —but there, is none. The day commenced for each child with a drink of milk in bed at 6.30 a.m. At 6.45 a.m. they got up, washed and dressed, and opened up their beds to air. Routine of the Children "Breathing exercises in the open air tiien followed. After that beds were made, the dormitories tidied, and hands washed before breakfast. Then came breakfast, consisting of porridge to which uncooked bran was added and eaten, with brown sugar and milk, bread and butter with honey or Marmite. After a week or two all the children were eating brown bread for preference. Raisins were a favourite at breakfast time., Each child finished with a piece of scrunch (over toasted,bread); Then a cup—or more—of milk. Breakfast'was followed by toothbrush drill —using a salt' and water solution—and a visit to the lavatory.

"Then came school lessons under the direction of Miss E. B. Reeve from 9 a.m. till 10.15 a.m.. At 10.20 a.m. each child had a cup of cocoa made with milk. Eroni 10.30 a.m. till 11.45 a.m. each child rested—lying on rugs on the lawn under the trees when the weather permitted, or on other days inside on their beds; then a visit to the bathroom and hands were washed before dinner. Meals for the Children

'Dinner consisted of meat and vegetables. Roast mutton or beef, sometimes a stew of beef steak and kidneys with onions, carrots, etc. Once, a week they had stewed liver with vegetables, occasionally there was steamed fish. Vegetables consisted of silver-beet, spinach, marrow, parsnips, carrots, onions and tomatoes. For sweets they had steamed fruit pudding if the day was cold —baked milk pudding with stewed fruit—apples or peaches; bread and butter custard with raisins— junket and fruit. Dinner was followed by toothbrush drill.

"Then school lessons from 1.15 p.m. till 2.30 p.m., and an afternoon rest period from 2.30 p.m. till 3.30 p.m. No reading or sewing was allowed during these rest periods. Then came the daily ration of ice cream, which was most appreciated by the children, and regarded most favourably on account of its definite food value. This was followed by a free period for games or knitting. As the result of a gift from one of the parents each child was provided with needles and wool and the making of peggy squares soon became the fashion. A pretty pink and blue cot cover was mado and was given to a needy case. "Each child had a warm bath every night, the younger children before tea and the older ones afterwards. "Tea at 5 o'clock would consist of lettuce and tomato salad with a dressing made with eggs. Sometimes there wero baked apples with dates in them, and on cold nights scrambled eggs or soup. Bread and butter with marmite or peanut butter and honey, dates, and crunch, and n cup of cocoa completed the meal. A fter tea there were games for awhile, and then bed, with lights out at 7.30 p.m.

"'Special attention was given to each child by all members of the staff, who endeavoured to create a home atmosphere in place of an institutional regime. The children said their grace before and after meals and combined prayers were said nightly, and thus the day came to an end. What the Charts Show

Of the 20 children in the camp 13 of them, nine girls and four boys, were drawn from the Gisborne district and seven, four boys and three girls, came from the Coast. After sixweeks in camp the average gain in weight of the girls was 5.81 b and the average gain in height 3-lfiin. The highest individual gain in weight was 101 b, and the lowest 21b. In the latter case tho child, a girl, put on 61b in the first three weeks, but became ill and lost 41b in weight. The highest individual gain in height was Jin. In regard to the boys' charts, Dr. Hcycoek said that compared with the girls of that age the boys did not put on weight as readily as those of the female sex and that was tho reason for the drop in the averages. Tho average gain in weight for the boys was 4.11 b. and in height M6in. The weight of the boy showing most progress increased 61b and his height Jin. The lowest individual gain in woight was 21b.

Several of the children did not show large increases and had the camp been carrying on they would havo remained for an additional term. Ail-

ments retarded the progress of a few of the children and though their Weights and heights did.not show large increases the term in the camp placed their diets under capable supervision and their general health showed definite signs of improvement. In the case of one girl her record showed her to have spent almost six weeks last year in the Otaki health camp, during which time her gain in weight had been 3.51 b. She was at homo for 10 months and her gain in weight between the time of .her discharge from Otaki and her admission to the Gisborne camp was only .lib. In six weeks at the Gisborne camp (lie girl's weight increased 6lb and she added Jin, to her height. ..... The best chart in the 20 was that of a Gisborne girl, who, though thero was no alteration in her height, increased her weight by 101 b. In the first two weeks she put on 51b, there was no change for the next two weeks, and then she "began to progress steadily.