OUR BABIES

Waikato Independent, Volume XXIII, Issue 3056, 12 May 1923, Page 2

OUR BABIES

(By “Hygeia.”)

(Published under the auspices of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children).

“It is wiser to put up a fence at tlie top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom. ”

PLUNKET WORK IN PALESTINE Perhaps few of our readers know that the Jews in New Zealand sent two nurses (specially trained in the care of babies) to Palestine. The question naturally arose as to where the nurses should be trained — many people holding that they should in* New Zealanders, sent from New Zealand. Eventually it was decided to send nurses from London who had been trained at the Mot he re raft Training Centre at Earl’s Court, which was founded by Dr Trnby King, and is run on New Zealand lines. The reasons for this step were: — (1) The nurses chosen had been in touch with the large Jewish population in London and knew something of the Yiddish language. (2) Palestine is nearer London, and tlu* expenses of transit are therefore much smaller. Two nurses left England for Palestine just over a year ago, and naturally

f an? interested to hear liow they are getting on. Opening of the Centre Yesterday, June 7 (1922) the New Zealand Plunked Centre, Jaffa, Palestine, was officially opened by Miss Zold in the presence of the Mayor and several officials of Tel Aviv and Jaffa, the local committee and other influential residents. The company expressed their surprise and pleasure at tlu> appearance of the Centre, which certainly looks unexpectedly cool and fresh when coming in from the heat of the sun and sand. The rooms are cream-washed, woodwork and ceilings painted blue, floors tiled, and furniture and curtains white. The work is progressing slowly, but, we think, surely. The country is new to preventive work, and does not readily understand tlie needs of a clinic giving neither medicine nor food. Doctors here are innumerable, and wc have the added disadvantage of working on a system quite unknown to them. Up to date we have not met one wlio knew anything of the system, and only one who wished to know. Wo are endeavouring to spread the idea of our work to the mothers through, the mid wives. We have seen many who have promised their support, and we are now organising a special meeting for them in order to explain our work and the need for their co-opera-tion. Our greatest hope, of course, is in the work itself, and we nave definitely succeeded iu restoring the breast milk in five cases, while in live others progress is satisfactory. The September Report (1922). This month Dr Zioeisti has commenced to hold his weekly consultations at our clinic. . . . Fortunately among our mothers there is a large percentage of young women with their first babies. When there is no superstitious grandmother in the rear, it is easy to train these mothers in the way they should go. Some of the superstitions one meets with would be laughable if they wore not affecting the well-being of tiny babies. Our massage cases have again been successful, and it is pleasing to hear that some of the sceptical doctors of Jaffa and Tel Aviv are now admitting the value of: our meinods. , We find that the babies of Palestine [ compare fairly well with those of Eng- j land. A large proportion of those who i attend our clinic are of v Russian or Po- [ lisli parents. Among these there is a ' marked absence of rickets, due no doubt to our abundance of sunshine and clear air.

Wo are now visiting our mothers This is no easy task, as most of 11ns streets have no names, ami none of them have numbers. Many of the people still live in tents or barracks on the sand, dunes, and sometimes, after wandering from one to the other, one is unsuccessful in tracing the family.

Plunkct Nurse Goulstone, telephone 192 M, office 1925. Mrs J. W. Peake, Gee., Plunket Society, telephone PMM.