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15
Influenza.—The first epidemic of Influenza .u June and
July was not' severely felt, and did not affect the health or attendance
to any extent. In September, however, the outbreak
commenced in the most serious form. No deaths from Influenza
occurred to children attending the Centre before the end of September.
The outbreak caused a marked decrease in the attendances
during the month. The Mothers stayied away either
because of illness at home or for fear of infection in bringing
the children together at the Centre.
Summer Diarrhcea.—No case of epidemic diarrhoea occurred
in children attending the Centre. This was doubtless due to
some extent to climatic conditions, but as three cases only of a
mild type occurred it may perhaps be assumed that the work of
the Centre was partially responsible.
The means taken were as follows:—
(1) Every encouragement was given to breast feeding by
attention to the healthi of the Mothers, supplementing the diet
by fresh or dried milk. In difficult cases breast feeding was
supplemented by artificial food until the establishment of lactation
and then withdrawn. And here it may be noted that 78'4
per cent, of infants under nine months are breast-fed.
(2) The Mothers were advised to postpone weaning until
the Autumn.
(3) Instructions were given to pasteurise all fresh milk.
(4) Where quality of milk supply was doubtful or home
conditions unsatisfactory dried milk was advised.
(5) Teaching givein in general hygiene and child care was of
great assistance in maintaining the general health and so avoiding
predisposition to attacks.
It is interesting to note here the cumulative effect of teaching
given at the Centre and the result it has in forming the ideas
and habits of the Mothers as a whole. The considerable time
spent in teaching each Mother essential facts about child earn
in general by reference to her own child in particular, appears,
in looking back over a period of two years, to be time economically
spent. Not only isi the knowledge permanently acquired
and used by the Mother in her own home, but also one finds
the teaching discussed between the Mothers themselves, and in
this way a more correct standard is set up generally.