OUR BABIES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 14012, 17 September 1909, Page 4

OUR BABIES.

TilK IIIMANISKI) .Mll.K 1 OOI) FAD.

( l'o the lvhtoi ) hi. 1 clave sp.iie io iii t <>i in ll_\gt a ib.it Hi \ It iiei s ,inu stall m« uio ui\. pni«cti.\ gi-uuiiu, ai.d 1.0 hoax ...hcm'l is nileii'l. I liisides, tin i, putation ol tin iaiaii.iki Jl<i,i i. i i sii liciellt guaiallUc tltat a lettei on •i. .i at. i.ii£iui taut ■- .I njret woithi not |iiiii!i~h( l iiiu 1 it not bon,, li'ie •'liygi'ia'' cannot lelute in\ siateiii ut s, theietoie sinks tv ,i .iv-< .uel .1 ii i He, „ fin h </l com si in ,i],,'i,s 1., i "i 1. 1 ll.c (piesuon. Slit al-o l.il.ts \ ipuon to the iiiionuiKiiis initials » \ J. ' Are the\ lnoi . ,ii,op >,i „ tint "ll\geia" oi "A.H .-" At an\ , i c, they aie the initials ol ni\ name. (. i ich name, it -'Hvgei.i'' |i.v 11.1 1. ulai 1\ , . lit, 1 yic \ou li.im . .Mi 1....1..1 T. i,ipl\, .itso 1113 addicts. ' Jl\«^<ia" .1 s Humanised milk is ad.iptt d to He digestne power of a baby. b\ mn. \ ing the excess ot tuid, ett .No\. . > li take humanised milk No II . > i.-h i-> the one inosj iiimir-.il'< 11-.. J. ..' 1 i< lommc uded toi bibles o\ ( | iruu .1 >'ltl , I. id. ' 1 l>p llll'k lot hi li\ |s( called tiitii cream) ldoz . milk .io/. . lime »\ ter IJo^, Migar of n.iln 1 Jo/. , boiled \\ uer !.V 1/,, Ih< while iii^niii ills ; 11 into jug. and the jiijj, ti.> n pl.x 1 ' a s.iik e|),m oi ii.iuii n.nii tlk )uI'l should be luattd i.v.ii <t ilmihi.

11 e!cr ]iluced lil the jug ngi tiis 1

'I grt c Fahr." 'J he muse th.it u..w re a pi.iitual den. on >li<iUo/i lici io ) eji.iii- the al.o\«. allowed tht il.tii '>i.M ti i to nrisii i oi it Kit) d(,,ui > . hen 1 diew h"i attention to this, >h< '■nd. "A tow di glees m excess dni uoi I. .itttr ' (111 JilstKe 1 in 11-l state it \\.i-. not the Plunket iniise ,a pi.sent .'■atuned in New Plymouth ) 1 h..\( .-^eiit s )ine time in h,>M'ita!> .'ho n

,i (lis)iensai v. and one thing impressed i•! I.i :i oriMiii: noon. jji<\ nrj.li 1 wlnh iheie was to be t\.Ut A lev digriis i I teinpciatiirc in excess did matter, i s did a tew grains ol M i\chiiiui Hut 'ii letiirn to the liiMii.iiii-i d null Hum > th" i urd txt raited troni ,il,om kipe' Does it e\apor.ite with thf g<Tile heating to I") degrees.' \g.nn. it is noi necessary to boil the i, ilk to leidi-e all the nutrn. ent out of it \t a Medical Congress held in .\e,\ i oi X not loiig ago. one ciiinii lit doi tor I'ecliired ''that to be useful for uniform .'Utriment milk must not he cliangt 1 i:i it nhvsical. chemical or n nt iiti\ ■ Mi.ilitits. " As to the doct'ir I con-u'i-id about my baby "ponnng troni tie < )unt'-y of mv dreams ami h\stei v ,tl i n.iginings." I would like "Il\";eia" to i :iow that he is one ot the 'et -t i - ent medical nu n in T.iranaki. 'j 1 ! iim.i use 1 milk l.as heco.re mi, li ;> i rit uid |>ro\ed such a f,iil>iii- tr» so , any babies here, that one of the < - . iii'sm-hw heard when consulting abo'H '■abv is: "Oh, you have been following ;he h>t( v st fad also. " menniiig of cour tht> 1-iimainsed milk. The lMunket urse here can. unless 1 am greatK-iis-inlornied, give the addresses ot iiothers who, besides myseli, ha 1 , c . io\el the humanised milk a failure. ' was led to understand that oi'e of ■he it.isons the Koeietv tor the Piouio-

icii of Henlth in Women and Chil-

'len had in recommending the hui'i.iuised milk for babies, and in estahlish-

ng I'luuket nurses in various distiut-. »>as to help mothers to do without the 'octoi 's services continually (thxtoi-' •ees are high and become a he,n \ item •n the household expenditure), jet "'Hygeia" takes exception to my not doing so earlier. It is dishonest and ntsleading to encourage mothers to iely on the society's instructions as to 'ceding, etc., and then he told we hould have consulted a doctor as well. For the future, if mothers w ill only do ihat at the outset of their babies' illness, they will Mud that" nine out ot ten medical men will not recommend a liet of humanised milk. Also, to carry • nit the society's instructions, see what paiaphernalia is needed: Lnainel milk measure- 3s 6d, thermometer -s tid, .cales anything over 3s. a conical dipper and sugar measure— l do not know their price, as I hate not bet n able to procure them here. It is so cn-,y n> .Jiovidc all these appliances .ii-d span 10 expesiit I—when1 — when you Ji.im oti.t i people s money to imy tin m wi.ii. "Hygeia" asks, "What does a tooßsh. lying letter (elegant expies^ioiis tn.l.» !/ .such as this represent-" And all i>ecause four words were omitted in my statement regarding the child's weight. Whether the error occuricd m copying. )r a typographical error, 1 cannot sa\ , jut my oiiginal note, which 1 him here, is written as follows --"After two months of sensible tceding on uiterilised milk, and other raw foods u-h as oyster*, eggs, and truit, n .. .ir.by has gained from U lbs. to 1.5 U<L ai weight. ' "Hygeia" being ~,0 clever, it is strange that "errata" ot certain passages in her notes- on "Our Habics' needed publishing. At the last ge, .(.•.;•! meeting of the local Plunket So.-ivi.\ tie Plunket nurse stated "that onl .1 .Id fed on humanised milk gained on ,in average 3 lbs. in weight ciu 1 nth ' Ido not misdoubt the l'luu k< t nurse's statement, neithei do I < ,i\. ■. "t«)o'.i-h" and • lying, ' but it wouii!

,c interesting to see th.it dnld at I months old, atter, say. a tweht moMti i 'ini'r on humanised mil;.. It wo i!( a . igh at that late what an hmi.i, healthy child does at ten ,mmi> - Id - Aot, as to the ad\ i>,ibdii \ i I biti t . i vi s'vling babies. The ,oiiet\ s miss, i , e'eeording to "il^geia. " and its w lio!, tiy through pamphhts, papei-, 1 1< , s : "Save the babies!" at any cost ■i.vi the babies!" lint I ask. "Wli.i" lout the mothers':' Do the;, not i, . 'ire saving.-'' "Oh, yes." I kuov. le society says, "expectant lioihe 1^ 'ioul'l take plenty ot exercise, plenl' i tiesh air, etc., etc." Hut does th< "< tet\ give thovo mothers any ])r:u 1 -al help to en.ibl" them to (airy <-i:'

lis ;i(lii(c/ We'll take an eximip't ■r instance ot the a\erage mothei (noi " any means an exception, but the . .le. among hundreds, aye thousand -''if h.i^ n e-t likely tour or five ehi!

■! en. the eldest about stven, th' '..•uiigct no moie than 18 mouth-, an , dail*. expecting another. She has t .iili, clean, hake, sew ,iii<l c->ok i.ir tl i 1 ole tamily, cannot atfo;d (o ke ■ hi, her husband's wages n«\cr e\i e< | h per week. Out ot that lent .ibsoib i" or 10s. Then there are the litt.t •extras' that in list he prmided lm ■'c "new baby." midwife's lee (<[ -.st thiee guineas), and ii a doctor ; '(e--.ary arether three guine.i.. ■ i agiile the state of mind this i.ioth. , . im lor n.onths o\ er peeii!ii«is m.'tis, in ti.Miig to lrake "hold en is ' et ' and sa\ ing th« absolutely uece si i•• "extias" cut cf "0- ]ier week 1 'i hen imagine her up in G a.m • ■.i.ikl.ist ready, her husband o jf \,, ,<;fk. she lia> peiluips oi;e or ivi <1 ild en to prejiaie lor s< heol at aii<. r, ttl.ev all need to he w,is!ied and t'n,v<

the voung^st after all is hut » iribv

i:i ninny instanc-s c:inu<U walk She likes to keep her house a. id . hddM\ dean and tidy. Then there's (.'incei to cook, and not a little energy is <\ jiended in providing a suhstanti.il n< i 1 'nit of a minimum outlay. To en-ibh 1 cr to cope n-ith all her inultil';irioit*duties she must keep on the to. go. >:;• from «orning till night. Then il s)( has a fretful child or sickness m tin family she still hns to po through tl< night. AH this tends to weaken her nervous system, and what use is it to preach to or advise such a n oll'c-<i-liking at least two miles in the sun sh i ne every day ? Then when the "new baby" arrives, after fourteen days whether the mother lias made good ;u ogress or not, the nurse leaves, and " poor little "mother " has to "battle

Jong" the best way s]ie can I have jcii ,uch a mother come in Irom the >A<isli-tul> almost fainting iiom o\e,work and wory, with tcii'pei .ilure au-l (>iilm>( >iilm> very lunch higher than they ought to he, and giving her intant thi '•t.'jsl; she could not afford to wail iiiitil she had calmed down, indeed, as t was, she was hemoaiiing the turn ••wasted" in having to sit down, he-ide-seeling as if the child was sii'kln:g away her lites blood. How (an mv sane person say that that i ither's milk was good and piopi i o icir a clnhr, health-, in bod\ mid nnifl J See the tax on that mother'

■(-iistittition hoth mentally and phy i cnlly' Can it be wondered that slio l,« an old woninn at thirty, and her ieuard a nreiuature grave ? Could it b( '•> petted that her ehildien would g ow •i;> \ igorous and strong and fit iC 'n • oiet parents of a future gem •• >' i>n - I he ahme. as I said jueviouslv, is • i t "i exceptional caso, hut a vast' m.ijc ri

I'hen we have parents suttciing irom tu'.eiculosih. Statistics show th< nuine;> are increasing. How i.m it he -t.unped out? J{\ saving the hah-.cs-\'o! a tliousand times No' J?ather h .

(he rare die out than rim- up ,i ■ < of Mich suffering huniaiiit\. Last Muto wore born in Hie dominion iln i.instlv \oun<j; domestic X) Dti'i ]|(,ii illicit imuto children! Think nl tini'lhiro ol thoso cliildicii oti.i»:-<d !••- OlltCMst-.! Did tllC S<)( II t\ (II OIK lPi'MiiOfr ot the «.ociet\. >lo .iip\tlnn t i.v.irds hcttciin^ t\v condii nl the-t 'l< \C'ii hundied - I donl>t 1 ()i pr-i-Illlis, tllO^f^ kllxl (li'n'l t >'Hlt I (ill I' )'f nd ,1 )< < tin i- in fun IK <•! i)i 1 uilli 1 ' ( .)! >\ <■ ".oriel \. cnijili.iMsin^ tli< i.iit (I .1 |«>or wonnin. willi ;m 111tnMc.il ( •' l.iisli.ind. learinn ht-r loin t( ci.< h rliiM • \ l)ic,i>( h>edin<x Vi lk J li.nl mk li

m oil" iiiici ¥ tis-« hnruointin. in Wclliim- ■ -,i Ili-i Ihisliiukl. wlicn mil mi ill. l !.<• .ilh;i,-v .Iniiik. One <ln\

1 lII I U|) Will) IWO lldll'l- Ill'l (>« P iii'l -i nut lift .lbout tuiii- liieiitli 1 - oil' ..■i.| t«.| Ijrjth lioi.i lu-i l.ir . Is k!,. -.\.i-, imt olio lut •■fiisitni- in <\|m>mi )n i l>i>sni)]. which to mi\ it inil'lU Wfi not <'\tm clean). On in\ iiiqun niy; uh, l'H' xonii^cr oih» liolon^eil to, I divliHlTl'll It llC'lojlJt'Ml til I)<M' '■(-'•Ol (I • ! uinJitcr Her i-lilcst it .i|ipi':.u><l lint l> en (oiiiincil Hi<> previous ih\ inn! w.i' iitj ill; nixl it >\<>s to rnnMc her bo«--dikI ilan^litor to give her •whole rare ill nurtiing her bister that the mother

had saddled heisell with hoi giand1 luld. Ihinking 1 could 111 a small way lender some assistance, I visited then dwelling the next d.\\ . and ot all the sights ot dirt and degiadation 1 saw theie. 1 hope never to see agnin On . no» a bid — but ji lnakeshllt oi straw and lags, lay a gul j.ist over li) \eais 1 1 age, very weak and ill looking, and tugging at her hi east a puny bit ol lii' in.i in ty . which gave forth a wail like i .'iv \oiing kitl Sitting neai v. .is a thubbv little bo\ ot about two vcais 1 uli eiig his lists into hi - 1 \ 1 . ai.d I.o >v and .mam p.ilhe. v al!\ totiiini. 1 ; the 111-

...I'd. win. h 1 gaiheiid w.»s hi 1 lirstl» .11 Attending l.er wa - a gnl not in .. ii 11 101 1 I h.lll st \ . 11' <1 11 11 in n1 of ill r 1 I the babe I had ccii th • pitsious lav I i t;i'|si(| >,)ine 1 oiistt 1 vat lo'i whin I iii.|'iiiid what ( inplox mi nt thi i hii-liands Mile al. as thi i.nt was t'ie\

11.1 li num. 11 .I- d ' Ml i-n a-ke.i the mother (senior) 1) she had no boss out 1 noii<_tt to 1 i-nth I rill) hilp \ cs — she „ in 1 0.11 ,I^l d l.i'.u-d t'■. ot 'it r I". h'H tia \ Win hoth 111 tie 111 I•l —t I lal S» hool toi ti\i vi.iis' And I hesi ai c to lie tht paitnts ol a li.t.i.t /tiuiatlon! Truly a geneiatnm ol pin it \ and I,o'ilen. ss ' \\ i wi h> 11 tlm t1 \ ot

Mir the Malm s' '" ll m.i 1. 11 ht I - tt r tor humanity's sak' add ll.t sot lal pil. it \ nt . .11 lvi 111 1 .1 1 il t ha', niot her had fun ied i a( h oi'i ol hi 1 lo,n- |. 1v < liildi (11 uln 11 I !.• \ .' 1. 1 I' 'li t -

II tht !->(» it l\ ior pio not 111/ (I . lie. ill h ill wolii' Ji .in i t ' 'h'l 111 has lln wt Hale ol lnothi is an 1 h.■ 1. it .'X ai hi art. let thiiii send 1 1 .. ml w.uiH'n who will he a real lit l)i ami 11 >i a In ml - ranee, to expectant ino'biis -oniit.in> yi< \ ions to hi 1 a< coin hinelit and t' 1 sta\ a 1 !'asonabie time .It"w,i i- It Will lelie\e the mothers '.111, d ot 0" mouetarv e\|ii'ii-e oi a midwile. and also gi\e her an oppui t unit \ 01 paitak111 r ol tin iiesh an a-id -ui.sl.ine i' eomniendi d as so ik i ess. ,, N [„,- ht 1s( It and babe Awl if l.;id\ Plunket will onl\ font. line th< .e'lnll iMe e\.'lliph ol M'lls.hle dl-s. loi ht I . M .i-.d 111 Ih. 111 -hi r own ihildi'i 1 . .mn.'^t her own ( hiss, she will olltei 11.11 ).'!'! b. -i ■ lit on futuie mankind We wire i vei si.Mfs ot an example .nt>\ al o taii/hl to imitate those 0111 supi 1 nis ]i ■• g. neratious past om i' i »V» V " ' ' '"s h ' not eopml the evainplc ' et !)\ the air tocia(\ ot en. asing t'ii'l bodii"- ill wlialebone and stet 1 and aM.I-ii'Ms feeding their hiibies. we moth<is ol tie piosent <\.w would not bf o ''"!i< iciated :is we an We dephx cr! . in ,1 1 ■ of immorality and 1 1 lie . 1 p. ',i!i\ among quite imin-, peop'.;. and the outrages on vsotinn ai. 1 fh.l.. "n A* e\er\ sitting of the 1 , iniit'al >ou;t •!• some ])l.'cc or otlur wt hue at lea-t. one ca.se Dots tne \eats han! lalxcn with two 01 thiee ilojginj;s tend to diminish sut h outrages' No. it does not. But it makes high-mind-d - . s.ljle people lev oil .■'. <!■' •l.uiu.ii' tie-itnient of l-ci-.,iis who ll ouiil' 1"' fault ol th< 11 own >> <1""■ - '""■ sin .vied and 1 eared in an minima! .if.no -here horn an iunnotal st xk A\eie onl\ the Government to adopt and vi hold m\ niethed. 1 would eiisiue the puntv t>t the tuture race, and 1 d. m ten \eais the whole of the Uutish Kmpiie ol prostitution, illegitimaev ar.d outlaw's vii women and children And t'uit witho-n adding one more prisoner to our gains bein" The natural ic-ult world be ti • diminishing ol infantile nioitalit>. .1 healthy babies would be hurtl liol.l health> parents.— l am, *tc , 11* . V . J