KARITANI BABIES HOSPITAL.

White Ribbon, Volume 22, Issue 256, 18 October 1916, Page 7

KARITANI BABIES HOSPITAL.

Statesmen cry out against a declining birth rate. Women exclaim against the increasing and preventible infant death rate. They ask for more babies, we demand greater care for the babies born. They want an increased birth rate, mothers a decreasing death rate. New Zealand occupies the proud position of having the smallest infant death rate in the world. Dr Truby King is to be* thanked largely for this. At the head of one of our large mental hospitals he saw the connection between malnutrition in infancy and bruin failure in later life. Through his endeavours, and unde r his direction, karilam Home was founded. It saves the lives not only of hundreds of babies who are nursed there, but of many more through the agency of the nurses it trains and sends forth, and by means of the* mothers whom it instructs in the care of their babies. The Karitani Home is beautifully situated upon the; slope* of a hill. It has a magnificent view away over our southern ocean, and is near enough to be* swept by the life-giving sea breezes. It is a palace of comfort for its wee inmates, though of luxury there is no trace. Simplicity is the keynote* everywhere, nothing that an intelligent mother of very moderate means could not provide for her own baby once she has been taught what to do. Fresh air in abundance, (Scrupulous cleanliness, light, warm clothing-, and intelligent care r.;e given to every baby. The Karitani babies live indee*d the simple life* and flourish on it. The Matron, bright and cheerful, an enthusiast in her work, loves her babies, and they greet her with smiles and coo* as she moves amongst them. The nursery contains two baths, set like a sink, her#* babies are washed, without mothers having to stoop over them, and are lifted on to a flannelcovere*d board to be dried. Each baby has its own basket, conta.ning its toilet requisites, and towel. Upon the floor of the* nursery a rug is thrown, and round it a close boarded fence about a foot high, and there the baby is left to kick, free from draughts, fo»twenty minutes. Their little beds are most comfortable. First, a blanket js thrown over the cradle, the upper mattress and little pillow are of chaff. Upon the mattress a blanket, then mackintosh and sheet. The baby is placed on the

sheet, another sheet over it, and the blanket drawn up ove r it and pinned with a safety pin to the bottom blanket. Every mattrass has a hot water bottle beneath it, and the* little hands have mittens over them. They sleep with open windows and no fires, so must be kept warm. A baby boy of te*n months slept on the verandah .ell night, eve*n when it snowed, and woke up rosy and warm in the morning. Ignorant folk exclaim that it will kill an infant to sleep out like* this, but Matron knows that fresh air never harms her babies if they are kept warm and out of draughts. The clothing is loose, warm and comfortable. Karitani babies have no tight bands and rollers. All garments are made magyar style. No woollen is worn next its delicate* skin, but a shirt of light open-woven cotton cloth, and over this the woollen singlet for warmth. Any lady can get a pattern of a babies’ rational wardrobe by sending to the* Matron, Karitani Home, Anderson’s Bay, Dunedin. Paper patterns of the garments are supplied at the modest cost of is., plus postage. Hut the most wonderful of all is the* kitc he n and dairy. Here is made* the humanised milk. Karitani encourages all mothers to breast-feed the*ir babies, but when this is impossible* the humanised milk is used. The Ixutlcs are* boiled in a large boile*r, and then baked in the* oven to become thoroughly sterilised. Each baby has several bottles, as the*y are only used once, and then cleansed again. The teats .ire carefully washed with salt in hot and cold wate*r, and each baby's kept in its own little cup, bearing a ticket with baby’s name on it. The babies are scientifically fed. E.very week the* food values given are worked out, and ne*\t week’s supplyarranged. All food left over is kept and measured, and so much less given next time. Altogether to the* baby-lover, Karitani is a fascinating place. Puny babies perishing from malnutrition are* takenr in and in a short time become models of healthhy, happy babyhood. Mothers are ke*pt there, and shown how to treat baby in their own home, and Plunket nurses are trained there. These go all ovei the Dominion, and give advice and instruction to mothers on the care ot babies. And so our babie*s here grow up into healthy e hildren, and the death rate among them is the lowest in the world. V. .