CHILD NOURISHMENT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 167, 19 July 1935, Page 9

CHILD NOURISHMENT

WHAT OF MALNUTRITION? • SCHOOLS IN WANGANUI AREA. DISEASE NOT INCREASING. Dr. Elizabeth Gunn, sclioG-hi medical officer in the Wanganui education district, states that malnutrition in children is not very much on the increase iu the zone over which she has jurisdiction, which includes I’almerston North us well as Wanganui City. She submitted a report to the Wanganui Education Board at its meeting on Wedesday, pointing out that th-ere would always be some cases of marked malnutrition, and she presumed that n“wspaper articles which hinted at an increase referred to such cases. “As the board knows only too well, malnutrition is a subject I have been must interested in, and in Wanganui we have done our best to correct this condition,” Dr. Gunn reported. “The I holding of health camps lor very much underweight children proved that with extra milk, rest, and good food, children iinpro/« and once past this danger line, the children do out go back. “AL ilnutrition is a disease which affects every class of jieople, rich and poor alike. Ji leads to physical ami mental disability and paves Die way for every ill known to childhood and such diseases as tuberculosis. Malnutrition is not so easily recognised unless you are an expert, and the connection between the mental development and nutrition must not be forgotten. The normal child requires a v.ell developed and well nourished nervous system for mentjal efficiency as much as he needs well developed and well nourished organs in other parts of the I body for physical efficiency. The web 1 nourished baby crows ami laughs —he | eats, sleeps and takes interest in life [ about him; spends his energy in trying I to get what he wants. T Ire poorly nourished baby is fretful, nervous, irritable, his sleep is disturbed and irregular ami everyone associated with him suffers because of his condition. jSuch a baby is considered a sick one and is usually treated as such, every effort being made to bring his nutrition up to normal standard. “1 du nut agree that malnuti it ion is very much on the increase. Jt certainly is not among the children of Wanganui and of I'alnierstuu North. We will always have some cases of marked malnutrition. We must not forget that wv do not have the slum conditions m these two cities which they have in Hie larger ones, and 1 presume that these newspaper articles ref’cr to a lew cx11erne cases. 1 was agreeably surprised to find at a particular school which h*». been mentioned, that the nutrition of the infants was better than i had anti- , cipated, the teachers having notified me I th.it they were sure there were many cases which 1 would find when 1 camo '' to personally examine them. I am glad I was able Io leave the school having shown these teachers how wrung they > were ami having convinced myself that ' Ihe children there are not suffering, I own if the parents are only on relief 1 |or sustenam e. 1 feel ami fear I hat it iis the mothers ami fathers who me going without, not the children. , “I have never seen in my district a case of malnutrition which, on in\o ligation, could b-e said to be due to want 01. food -to wrong feeding, yes. ‘Most cases of malnutril ion are due t" I Ims latter cause. Children are not get I ling sufficient, milk. i regret I h;u Al . j wa.-> not possible to give, ;is last winter, 'milk Io every child in one .'■chool. This Has had to Ire discontinued owing to | lack of funds. “Wanganui is very much luckier i li,in id her cities, because it is possible . Io get. de;ivcrcd to the school each day s sealed half pint buttles of tuberculosis i lice milk, supplied from a dairy which I- lis inn on mo.-,t up-to-date lines, and , I 1 Ihi.-, milk i- supplied to schools for In. •. per bottle, with a straw. A big dis- . Ii count, is given to each school and the < I teachers use this in buying extra milk .to give to child-en who really need it. | “The board will be interested to see < I that iu Hie special survey taken oi :1 height and weight throughout New | Zealand, the results sliovv that, the New 1 Zealand child is improving.”