N.Z. PLUNKET SOCIETY.

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16834, 28 June 1926, Page 8

N.Z. PLUNKET SOCIETY.

KECORD OF BERVICE,

HEALTH MINISTER'S APPRECIATION

At the annual meeting of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health or Women and Children Ihe Hon. .T. A. Young (Minister or Health) spoke in terms of high appreciation of the work of the Plunket Society, and said lhat the movement had Ihe hearty support of Hip Government. Mr Young said he was no stranger al meetings or the Plunket Society, for he had been associated with the movement for many years. lie did not think ho had missed one of Hip bipunial conferences during the past len years. lie offered his sincere congratulations lo Hip Wellington branch upon the success of the past year's operations. The results shown were most creditable. The substantial support given to the society was a proof that the people were with the movement. The society had its origin in the mind of Sir Trnby King nineteen years ago. Prior to that date Dr. Truby King had been doing some thinking as a student or economic and social questions, but more especially of social questions, so far as human life was concerned; and lie (hen realised that the infant mortality rale was alarmingly high. Dr. King got down to what he considered to be the cause or the high infantile mortality rate in New Zealand, and set lo work to organise a movement to remove it. In starting the work in 1007 Dr. King realised that he must have the co-operation of the women of the country, and he then inaugurated the Society for the Health of Women and Children. He started with one nurse. Now there were 00 branches or the society and not fewer than 100 nurses, whose salaries were subsidised by the Government to the extent of £125 each. The substantial grants made by flu 1 Government showed its high appreciation of the value of the movement. Prime Minister's Support.

The Prime Minister was deeply interested in Hie welfare of the society, remarked the Minister. Although one was not supposed to disclose Cabinet secrets, lie-hoped he would be forgiven for departing from the rule on the present special occasion. Quite lately, when he went to Cabinet, with a request for the authorisation of a vote for the maintenance of the Plunket Society ror approximately £15,000, lie passed the request to the Prime Minister, who looked al il, and signed it without asking one question. That showed what Mr Coates thought of the Society ror Hip Health of Women and Children. (Applause.) That was proof Unit the Government was treating, and would treat, the society well. In addilion to that, there would appear on the Estimates nearly £20,000, making a vole Ibis year of approximately tit.ooo: so lhat those present would realise thai they had very good friends in the Prime Minister and those associated with him. (Applause.) The problem of infantile mortality was nol yet solved, although New Zealand had gone a long way towards Hie solution, remarked the Minister. Nineteen years ago Ihe infantile mortality rate was between 8 and 10 per cent.; to-day il was down to about -1 per cent.' lie (bought lhat a great deal of the cVedit of lhat was due lo the work of the Plunket Society. No other country approached New Zealand in its low infantile mortality rale. The Minister mentioned that the Plunket movement started in Uunedin. Tin' work was there most highly organised, and it was there that the Central Council was located. He urged all branches or the society having business witli the Governmenl to do its work through the Central Council. The present machinery of Ihe society in its relation lo the Governmenl and the Department of Health worked very .satisfactorily, and that was owing lo Ihe fact that the society bad such an efficient organisation in its Central Council.

Saving Infant Life,

Mr Young staled Ihal in the Dominion between 700 and 800 infants died" in the flrsl month of life, some of the causes being malnutrition, wasting and debility, the result Of early and ignorant improper feeding. The society did not profess to treat diseases, but it did give advice to expectant mothers, and subsequently advice for the welfare of the infant. More children die during the first year of life than the rest of the population up lo Hie end of 20 years of age, so it would be at once seen how important if was lhat the mother should be supplied wilh tlip best possible information. The society helped to prevent disease, and thus save lives.

So far as general population statistics were concerned .New Zealand compared favourably with oilier countries in its increased population, lull thai was nol due lo the birth rale (because Hie birlh rale was alarmingly small for a young country), bill lo Hie health of our people and the low death rale, hives saved were of course of value lo the Stale, and to save, lives was noble work. Kxperts had informed him tluil one-third of the children who died in Hie first month of their lives in this country were horn healthy, and Uieir lives should lie saved. After remarking that the society was organised on a voluntary basis the Minister eulogised the great social work in which they were engaged. II was. he said, a work which appealed to all. It was educational and humanitarian. II was not. charity: it was not philanthropy; but il was humanitarian service. II was service necessary for the rich and the poor.

Prevention of Disease,

Dr. [). M. Wilson (medical superintendent Wellington Hospital) said he was interested in some of Mr Young's remarks on the work the society was doing in the prevention of disease. He was bringing that subject under the notice of the Hospital Hoard; and il would be for the board in Hie future to consider lhat subject more than il had done in the past. Willi the increase in population and advance in medical science there was no doubt lhat the cost of hospital administration and treatment of the sick must mount up year by year. He spoke in appreciative terms of the work of the I'lunkel Society. Deference was made to the modern treatment of tuberculosis. Diphtheria was a prevenlible disease, liver twelve months ago Ibey started inoculating the nurses against diphtheria, and during the last fifteen mouths there had been only one case of mild diphtheria amongst the nurses, and in lhat ease the nurse had not I n inoculated. Dr. Wilson mentioned lhat there was no nurse in the children's hospital who had not been Karitanc trained.

Sir John lloskillg said lie happened to he in Diinedin when Dr. Trilby King began his great work. When the scheme was llrsl pol forward it was received wilh a certain amount of derision, bill now the system had worldwide r ignition. All Ihal bad been done in nineteen years.