256 MEDICAL SECTION 



a realization of the l sufficingness ' in general of 

 obedience to the simple known laws of life and nature 

 for maintaining the health of mother and child, and 

 the inevitable Nemesis which follows sooner or later 

 on any evasion of duty in this respect. 



"Above all, the Society desires to avoid the 

 resorting to anything savouring of mystery, or 

 suggestive of special knowledge or powers outside 

 the range or understanding of ordinary men and 

 women. The aim should always be to stimulate 

 and quicken the interest and self-reliance of parents 

 in matters pertaining to the home, so that it may be 

 regulated in a simple, sensible, and responsible way, 

 consistent with what is known at the present time 

 as to the fundamental requirements of life. 



"The Society's work is essentially a Health 

 Mission. " In regard to domestic hygiene, its trained 

 nurses should take the place of untrained, unskilled 

 neighbours or relations in as tactful a way as 

 possible." 



Owing to the fact that the movement did not 

 come into sudden existence, the Society being formed 

 to carry on a pre-existing work which had proved 

 successful, the members did not have to look about 

 them for sources of reliable, consistent information 

 on matters affecting the health of women and children. 

 They accepted in lieu of text-book the pioneering 

 printed sheets, giving simple necessary directions and 

 advice, which we had already published in some of 

 the leading newspapers of the colony. These sheets 

 soon gave place to a small book, " Feeding and Care 

 of Baby," of which some 20,000 copies have been 

 issued during the five years, and of which a further 

 enlarged edition of 20,000 copies is now being pub- 

 lished. 



Shortly before I left New Zealand, I was asked 

 to write a Government pamphlet in harmony with 

 the Society's recommendations, for issue by the Publiq 



