THE INFANT AND THE STATE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15657, 8 November 1918, Page 4

THE INFANT AND THE STATE.

An English, journal, reporting a reception given at Home to Hr. Truby King, founder of the Itoyul New Zealand, Society for the Health of Women and Children, says that his manner and his words plainly showed the fire which consumed. It was gratifying to hear him say that since his last visit to England four years ago ho had observed wonderful progress made in the work for the health of women and children in London. Infant mortality had been reduced by 9 per cent. On his way to England he stayed five weeks in the United States, where every facility was given him for inquiry and inspection of the work done thre. He found everywhere great activity and splendid work being done. Washington had almost pledged itself to save 10,000 babies this year. Dr. Josephine Baker, of New York, is the greatest authority on infant welfare; she has been working at it for nine or ten years. She works on thev lines—not of stemming disease, but of preventing sickness, and to that end she has established “health nurses.” It was fascinating, observed the speaker, to watch the perfect organisation. There are 45 doctors and 100 nurses working on these lines. During the summer in New York 300 nurses are at work to cope with infant diarrhoea; they are reinforced by school nurses who give part-time service during the ’vacation. The work of saving the babies, the speaker urged, was one of transcendent importance, and if we are to have a great race infinite care must be taken of the health of children up to four years of age. Another point of great importance he pressed was that this form of education should be open to all classes. In returning to conditions that obtain in New Zealand, Dr. Truby King stated that so keen was his Government upon this matter of great national importance that it subsidised it by 24s 1 o every £1 of money raised. Part of the fine work done in New Zealand is the erection of baby hospitals where mother and child are admitted; by this means the mother is able, to learn mothercraft, and so she spreads the knowledge, and—as the speaker poetically phrased it—she “hands on the lamp of life.” The doctor feelingly alluded to the terrible loss of young male life in this war, and for that reason he was the more insistent that it is imperative that every effort should be made to ensure perfect health and survival, and in the performance of this work the women of the Empire could best show their effectual patriotism. Under the auspices of the Overseas Club, a “Babies of the Empire” Society has been founded, witjp these laudable aims and objects, the main and fundamenta] purpose being “to uphold the sacredness of the body and the duty of health."