THE STEWART REQUEST.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LX, Issue 16852, 21 December 1916, Page 2

THE STEWART REQUEST.

TO SAVE CHILDREN,

LETTER PROM DR. TRUBY KING

Sir,—The Stewart bequest is a matter of such t idespread importance in connection vith child-welfare throughout a large area of the North Island, that I shall be glad if you will grant me space to lay before the public some of more essential aspects of tho matter.

The Wanganui brr.nch of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children (know as tiid Phmket Society") is about to make an appeal for the immediate raisi .g of sufficient funds to ensure that fuil effect shall be given to the beneficent and farsighted intentions of the donor of the beautiful home and grounds in Ply. fouth Street. J

When Mr and Mrs Stewart spoke to me warmly some years ago, at the conchrrimi of the Society's -first public exposition a::d demonstration in Wanganui of its ideals, aims, and field of work, one coullhave no idea tkri this first expression of appreciation -would so soon t.-.ke UiC practical shape conveyed in thj generous deed of gifl—a. gift which is just lecoming available at the very time, when it is most needed, and most certain to -bear goodtfr-.it. The will nu^es quite clear what were Mr Stewart's -wishes and intentions, and these a- • -d exactly with what we all of us feel to be most wanted here at the present moment- namely,, a local centre for tLj work cf the'Plunket Society - here itv jiinscn can be located, and where infanta and; little- children, who for the time beingj are failing- or who cannot be got on to ti.e right track, can be taken in hand and looked after on the lines of the Karitane^Baby xxospital tr. Dunedin. If I quote a rhort passage from the will of the late Mr J. T. S'-,vart, this point will-be made quite clear: — "' REGARD THE SAVING AND WELLBEING OP CKH.TJRXJT TN EARLY TEAKS, TJNDEE; FIVE YEAES Gtf AGE, AS ONE 03? THE :*OST IMPORTANT PROBLEMS OP THE AGE, AND I LEAVE AND DEQUE Am THIS PROPERTY FOR THE USE AND ADVANCEMENT OF SUCH PURPOSE.'"

This.view is in strict accord wita what we have been specially trying \q impress on dn public, from the, patriotic standpoint, throughout t~3 present cainpaigi.for the promotion and extension of the Plunket Society 3;, work. In this connection I may summarise a few of the moro relevant matters dealt with, in my lecture in Wanganui last Friday evening.

Fifteen years ago Major-General Sir Frederick Maurice, writing on National Health, in the lieview, warnc " the nation of the tendency to National Deterioration, which was forced on bis attention ij the failure of the young manhood of England to come up to the standard required for ordinary military homo service, even iniimes of peace. He showed that at the end of two years from the time from which they had applied to serve in the Army, only two out of every five had been accepted and p-oyed strong enough to remain in the service—that is to say, that "primary .-rejects/ plus failures, during the first two years of service, amounted to GO par cent -f all applir-nts. Adding to these figures those of. youths who would net apply on account of cbvious un.fitiess, the inevitable. conclusion was that nearly three <mt of every four, young men were being- reared' below a r.asoupbh standard of health and fitness. Further, it was pointed out that "primary rejects" and 'proved unfits" were on the whole poorly qualified for ordinar7 ci.il life and citizenship. It might hay?., been addotl that, if the nation ■ was doing so badly for the stamina oi its;boys, the physical-health and .fitness of girls wes, for the most part, on a still lower plane. investigation revealed that the lead-

ing causes of this grave falling off of ike. rising generation was unpreparcdaess for niothsrlioodj and ignorance on the part of the mother—leading to bottlefeeding in early infancy, defective hygiene (not enough open-air) sunlight, exercise etc.,) and too much pap-feed-ing of the children. The gravest of all consequences was found to be the universal prevalence of feeble jaws and decayed teeth, poor development of nose and throat, adenoids, weak chests, indigestion etc., —these conditions Undermining the constitution, dwarfing tho body, and predisposing, it to all other maladies, etich. as rickets, consumption etc.

In the face of these facts, Sir Frederick Maurice said that to fold our hands a.nd to say they were inevitable would be "to proclaim ourselves guilty of the gravest of all civic crimes—viz: to.despair of the States."

NOW ABOUT NEW ZEALAND

Our facts and figures show that on the whole wo are suffering in a similar way to the Old World from the lack of attention to home life and babyhood which has been a growing evil of modern, civilisation., especially during the last 40 years. Decay of the teeth is graver and more extensive in the . Dominion than at Home, adenoids are not less prevalent than in England, and rickets, though much less common than in the Old World, Ls a grave factor in damaging the race, both in Australia and New Zealand—countries where the disease ought to bo practically -unknown. Our pieiical inspectors of schools are drawing attention to the fact that in a largo proportion of cases where children aro found to ba weedy, they have been artificially fed in early infancy, show evidences of having suffered more or less from rickets in consequence.

The main, aim of the Plunket Society is to stamp out these avoidable disabilities, and diseases by training and helping the mother, besides doing its best to bring about a further reduction in the Infantile death, rate. But, it may be asked, how far will tkeso subjects be ■ furthered by tbe founding1 of a Baby Home in Wanganui? The- institution could not only form the local centre for the Plunket Nurse's work, but would also be a standing object lesson, and school for mothers from all directions. The Karitanc Baby Hospital, Dttnedin, has been for years a kind of Mecca for mothers, so*in© thousands of visits being paid yearly, including women from all parts of the world. Visitors are: welcomed and encouraged, and every opportunity is made use of for giving practical instruction in matters affecting the health of mothers and children.

A proper equipped and efficiently managed Sanatorium and Hospital for babies—such as cannot be restored to health in their own homes—established in Wanganui,1 would serve not only for local requirements, but .would'also' mee,t the needs of the whole Taranaki province, and serve as far as Palmerston and Taumarunui.

What the problem of a failing or sick baby, who cannot be got on to the right track in its own home means to many parents in this country, only those intimately in touch with the facts can form any idea-. Suffice it to mention three cases we have recently had to deal with. _ (1) The wife- of an artisan -with thre-3 little children travelled second class by steamer all the way from Auckland to Dimedin to get the benefits of the Kari-ta-ne Hospital. All four returned home in- the course of a few months in pood health and condition, and extremely grateful, but the risk, inconvenience, and expenditure incurred were very serious considerations.

(2) A husband, wife and baby iourneyerl by sea and land all the way from the West Coast for the sake of mother and child* and after a sojourn of a couple of months, mother and baby returned home in-excellent health. In this case the parents were well off, but obviously a more get-at-able Baby Home would have been an untold blessing. (3) At the very, time when tho Borough Council (Wanganui) and the Plunket Society were conferring with

myself as to the most effective way of fulfilling the Stewart Trust, the following telegram was handed to mo: —

"Don't you think journey too risky. Could go Wanganui for treatment under Plunket Nurse there."

I had been motored the previous day to an out-of-the-way sheep station, remote from the Main Trunk Line, -where for some months tho mother had been putting up a brave fight for her only child. The home was an ideal one, but seeing the isolation and what insuperable difficulties had to be contended with, I did not hesitate to incur the • grave responsibility of advising .^a.t the parents ..nould immediately choose the lessor evil, and take the risk of journeying all the way to Dunedin with a sick and delicate infant—• nor did I hesitate to reiterate and emphasise my advice in replying to the telegram received at Wanganui. I have every confidence that mother and child will do well, but it should not be necessary for them to be subjected to such grave trials and risks. It does not need much imagination to realise what a blessing the Stewart Baby Home would prove in all such cases.

HOW IS THE STEWAET REQUEST

SUITED FOR THE PURPOSE OF A BABY HOME?

One can scarcely imagine any home or groundsi more naturally adapted for the purpose —they are quite ideal—not 6r*y as regards the premises and beautiful and well-sheltered garden, but also in. being at a pleasant healthy elevation and served by two tram-lines. One rareiy iinds a private house vith such spaciqus balconies all round and with such admirable sanitary conveniences and provisions as to ventilation, etc. These facts are, of course, accounted for b • the late Mr Stewarts profession of Civil Engineer. in general, I am rather averse to adapting private houses to meet the requirements of institutions, but in the present case the conditions are exceptional and ideal for the purpose contemplated. The President of the Wanganui branch of the Plunket Society (Mrs Gifrc _s) outlined a financial scheme which, in my opinion, will meet the neec's of the case, and no doubt this will be* at on--> gone into by the corami'ttee and the public will be duly appealed to to fulfill their part. Wanganui will soon be as proud of

and noted- for its special facilities. and advantages in practical teaching in mother craft and in fan i vJ_fare as it has long been in regard to other aspects of education.

F. TRUBY KING,