OUR BABIES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143768, 17 April 1912, Page 5

OUR BABIES.

By HYGEIA. Published under tho auspices o{ the Society for tho Health of Women and Children. “It is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to main* tain an ambulance, at the bottom. THE INVERCARGILL SOCIETY. At th - beginning of the present month tho mu,! .. i, ?.tly established Society for the ILvit'; I Women and Children held its secern!,annual meeting at Invercargill. As we all sympathise with the work of the society, 1 am sure that tho following report of the meeting will be read with great pleasure and interest. THE MAYOR’S REMARKS, His Worship the Mayor (Mr. TV. A. Ott), who presided, said the work done by tho society was of national importance, and deserved the hearty support of the people of the Dominion. Since tho establishment of the society tho mortality among infante less than one year old had been decreased by half. This was an age producing everything that was best, and why should they not produce the host in the matter of human life? On behalf of the citizens of Invercargill he wished the society every .success, and paid a tribute to the excellent practical work done by Nurso O’Shea. THE ANNUAL REPORT, Mrs. Massey, president of the society, read the annual report. The influence, she said, of the society was steadily growing, both directly and indirectly, thoroughly hygienic methods regarding the care of infants were becoming more generally adopted. The committee took this opportunity of thanking the doctors for their co-operation am! assistance, and the nurse for helping mothers to carry out the doctors’ instructions. The first year of a baby’s life laid the foundation for its future health and strength, and tho mother who did not do the verv best possible for her child's welfare not only disgraced her motherhood and handicapped tile child for the battle of life, hut also injured tho State by the loss of so ranch vigour to its population. The society confidently trusted that the public would continue lo extend the interest and support it had given in the past, and would help to .spread the knowledge of its aims, objects, and the beneficial results it had already achieved. THE PLUNKKT NURSE'S REPORT. The report of Nnrso O’Shea, the Piunket nurse, was read. She pointed out that the mission of the society was towards establishing the health .and fitness of the babies of both rich and poor. The reason why so many babies became ill was that the mother failed to recognise when her child was on the downward grade. Few mothers realised the immense importance of keeping the baby well, and this could be done only by the most careful attention in all things. The aim of Hie society was to encourage and assist mothers to feed their children naturally, and failing that, to provide tho best possible substitute. Nurse O’Shea wished to thank the doctors for the courteous help thev had given her whenever she had sought it. THE AIMS OF THE SOCIETY.

Mr. W. G- Tnit spoke briefly on the aims and objects of the society. There was a good deal of misunderstanding regarding those, some people being under the impression that the society advertised and urged the adoption of humanised milk,, as a substitute for mother’s milk This was not eo. The, society endeavoured to provide that wherever possible the child should be fed naturally, and when this was not possible, then to advise the use of humanised milk as absolutely the best substitute for natural feeding. MEDICAL OPINION. Dr. Ritchie Crawford said the education of the mother was one of the main objects of the society. Speaking personally and also on behalf of his brother practitioners, ho would say that the work of the Plnnket Society was fully appreciated by the medical men of the town. ' Any philanthropic work which had for its object the amelioration of the human race—physically, mentally, and morally—must havo the support of all classes of the community. The society was doing its best to help mothers to prepare for motherhood and to advise them during motherhood._ The two matters. infant hygiene and infant feeding, were the most important departments in the study of the diseases of children. The doctor then went on to show that the physical development of the child is essentially the product of the three factors, inheritance, summndmgs, and food. He concluded a most interesting and instructive address by referring to the splendid work done by Nurse O’Shea (the Plnnket nurse) and Nurse Searell (the district nurse). OUTSIDE INTEREST. Mr. J. L. M‘o. Watson, as a member of tire Advisory Board, spoke of „ the encouragement invited by the excellent work done by the society. It was recognised not only in Invercargill and the Dominion generally, but also abroad. Scientific men at Home and in America were now most interested in tire results achieved by the society in New Zealand, He moved n sincere vote of thanks to Nurse O’Shea, whp had been most earnest in her work and successful in her efforts. The vote was carried by acclamation.