BONNIE BABIES

Southland Times, Issue 25303, 5 June 1935, Page 7

BONNIE BABIES

THE QUADRUPLETS. THREE MONTHS OLD. Three months old to-day, New Zealand’s most prominent babies, the Johnson quadruplets, are rapidly growing more bonnie and gaining normal weight at their temporary home, the Karitane Hospital at Anderson’s Bay, where the four tiny tots continue to be nurtured by a kindly and admiring staff (states the Dunedin Evening Star). Bruce, Kathleen, Mary and Vera are the best-known children in New Zealand. Their births were heralded by more publicity than has been given to any other baby born in New Zealand or overseas, apart from births in the Royal family. A glamour surrounds them, and they have already acquired a fame the like of which comes to few before they have distinguished themselves in middle age by service to the country or in some other sphere of public service. The quadruplets are showing their appreciation of the care bestowed on them by typically childlike manifestations of satisfaction with their quarters and meals at the Karitane Home and their steady progress in building up from premature ■ children to normal youngsters. That spontaneous demonstration of well-being and contentment —the first smile—was given not to the obstretricians, the admiring photographers and the deeply interested visitors, but to the nurses who daily attend to all those little duties that make a baby’s life happy—the right food at the regular intervals, comfortable garments to suit the varying weather, expert handling, plenty of fresh air, sunlight and sleep. Scientific methods are followed in the nursing of the quadruplets and their response to the treatment is proved by the following table of weights, giving their poundage when admitted to the hospital on March 8 and on Monday:— Bruce, 41b IJoz —81b Boz. Kathleen, 31b IHoz—7lb Boz. Mary, 31b lOJoz—7lb soz. Vera, 41b—71b 9oz.

The first born was Bruce and, a typical young man, he still takes the initiative in worldly things. He has made the greatest gain in weight, having started with j weight advantage, and he was the first of the four to wrinkle his little face in a smile.