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Infant welfare in Kuala Lumpur, federated malay states
268
,PUBLIC H E A L T H .
Infant Welfare in Kuala Lumpur, Federated Malay States. H O S E of us who took part in the pioneer work of Health Visiting in this country and remember the difficulties which had to be met and overcome, can only look with wonder tinctured with admiration at the results achieved by Dr. Josephine W e r e and her staff in this far-off corner of the Empire. In her report for 1924, just to hand, Dr. W e r e details the work accomplished, and to those who know the varied races dealt with, and the difficulties to be overcome in wearing down ancient customs and prejudices, the results are little less than marvellous. Kuala Lumpur, the capital of the State of Selangor is a city of about 100,000 inhabitants; Europeans are comparatively few, while Chinese form the bulk of the native population. In 1924, no less than 16,238 attendances were made at the Infant Welfare C e n t r e , ' a n d o f these 11,300 were made by Chinese. In addition to this, 10,532 visits were made by Health Visitors (four in number) to the homes. Notification of births is made t o the Chief of Police, and he forwards these weekly to the Centre. T h e lists are examined by the Medical Officer, and the Sister on duty in the district allots to Health Visitors cases in special areas. These Health Visitors follow up every notified birth, instruct the mother in infant management and encourage "her to visit the Centre. Dr. W e r e says " I t is a remarkable fact that the prejudice against the invasion of the home by strangers, which was commented on in my last Annual Report, has already entirely disappeared." Ante-natal work is undertaken with great success, not only with regard to conditions directly associated with pregnancy, but also with regard to general ailments. Microscopical examinations of blood, chemical examination of urine, and other simple laboratory tests are made at the Centre. W a s s e r m a n tests and bacteriological examinations are sent to the Institute for Medical Research. Weighing of the babies takes place at the Clinic, and Dr. Were relates how great difficulties have had to be overcome in allaying the superstitions of the Chinese and Malays. She says: " T h e y are gradually overcoming such beliefs, and provided there is no fan anywhere near that might blow the baby away, that the Sister or nurse who does the weighing is one they recognlse as a member of the Staff, they willingly
T
JUNE,
submit, but they are very reluctant to allow a stranger to touch the b a b y . " During the year an infant welfare exhibition and a baby competition were held, and Dr. W e r e says, " T h e baby competition was a great success and proved to be the. most useful propaganda work so far undertaken." The Report which, though concise and not over-elaborated, gives full information on many points of interest with which it is impossible, on account of lack of space, to deal. Referring to the enlargement of the Centre, Dr. W e r e says " T h i s increase in accommodation means more comiort for the mothers and babies, and permits of extension and development of the work in many desirable ways. It may be added that it also provides more space for the umbrella, the basket with cock and hens, and the husband, accessories which invariably accompany the patient. None of them, or so I am told, can safely be left behind, because of the thieving propensities of the Natives. They are placed in this order of value by the mother; she would rather lose the husband than lose the umbrella." In congratulating Dr. W e r e on her Report, and the excellent record of work shown, it is perhaps permissible to suggest that a sense of humour is not one of the least valuable of her endowments. The fact that the Royal Sanitary Institute is the central examining body to conduct examinations for Health Visitors, and to issue certificates is announced in a circular (No. 680), recently issued by the Minister of Health. The form of certificate approved for issue is set outl and provision_is made for the protection of holders of diplomas granted under the Board of Education (Health Visitors' Training) Regulations, 1919, and of students who began a course of training approved under these regulations prior to April 1st, 1925, by means of an endorsement on certificates granted or to be granted. DR. G. F. B u c h a n , P r e s i d e n t of the Society of Medical Officers of H e a l t h , a n d D r . R . M. F . P i c k e n , Medical Officer of H e a l t h for the C i t y of Cardiff, left for C o p e n h a g e n on M a y 25th, to p a r t i c i p a t e in the i n t e r c h a n g e of H e a l t h Officers a r r a n g e d to be held in D e n m a r k b y the H e a l t h Section of the L e a g u e of N a t i o n s . THE m e e t i n g of the Naval, Military, a n d R . A . F . H y g i e n e G r o u p of the Society of Medical Officers o f H e a l t h , fixed for J u n e 8th, is p o s t p o n e d until J u n e 22nd.
,PUBLIC H E A L T H .
Infant Welfare in Kuala Lumpur, Federated Malay States. H O S E of us who took part in the pioneer work of Health Visiting in this country and remember the difficulties which had to be met and overcome, can only look with wonder tinctured with admiration at the results achieved by Dr. Josephine W e r e and her staff in this far-off corner of the Empire. In her report for 1924, just to hand, Dr. W e r e details the work accomplished, and to those who know the varied races dealt with, and the difficulties to be overcome in wearing down ancient customs and prejudices, the results are little less than marvellous. Kuala Lumpur, the capital of the State of Selangor is a city of about 100,000 inhabitants; Europeans are comparatively few, while Chinese form the bulk of the native population. In 1924, no less than 16,238 attendances were made at the Infant Welfare C e n t r e , ' a n d o f these 11,300 were made by Chinese. In addition to this, 10,532 visits were made by Health Visitors (four in number) to the homes. Notification of births is made t o the Chief of Police, and he forwards these weekly to the Centre. T h e lists are examined by the Medical Officer, and the Sister on duty in the district allots to Health Visitors cases in special areas. These Health Visitors follow up every notified birth, instruct the mother in infant management and encourage "her to visit the Centre. Dr. W e r e says " I t is a remarkable fact that the prejudice against the invasion of the home by strangers, which was commented on in my last Annual Report, has already entirely disappeared." Ante-natal work is undertaken with great success, not only with regard to conditions directly associated with pregnancy, but also with regard to general ailments. Microscopical examinations of blood, chemical examination of urine, and other simple laboratory tests are made at the Centre. W a s s e r m a n tests and bacteriological examinations are sent to the Institute for Medical Research. Weighing of the babies takes place at the Clinic, and Dr. Were relates how great difficulties have had to be overcome in allaying the superstitions of the Chinese and Malays. She says: " T h e y are gradually overcoming such beliefs, and provided there is no fan anywhere near that might blow the baby away, that the Sister or nurse who does the weighing is one they recognlse as a member of the Staff, they willingly
T
JUNE,
submit, but they are very reluctant to allow a stranger to touch the b a b y . " During the year an infant welfare exhibition and a baby competition were held, and Dr. W e r e says, " T h e baby competition was a great success and proved to be the. most useful propaganda work so far undertaken." The Report which, though concise and not over-elaborated, gives full information on many points of interest with which it is impossible, on account of lack of space, to deal. Referring to the enlargement of the Centre, Dr. W e r e says " T h i s increase in accommodation means more comiort for the mothers and babies, and permits of extension and development of the work in many desirable ways. It may be added that it also provides more space for the umbrella, the basket with cock and hens, and the husband, accessories which invariably accompany the patient. None of them, or so I am told, can safely be left behind, because of the thieving propensities of the Natives. They are placed in this order of value by the mother; she would rather lose the husband than lose the umbrella." In congratulating Dr. W e r e on her Report, and the excellent record of work shown, it is perhaps permissible to suggest that a sense of humour is not one of the least valuable of her endowments. The fact that the Royal Sanitary Institute is the central examining body to conduct examinations for Health Visitors, and to issue certificates is announced in a circular (No. 680), recently issued by the Minister of Health. The form of certificate approved for issue is set outl and provision_is made for the protection of holders of diplomas granted under the Board of Education (Health Visitors' Training) Regulations, 1919, and of students who began a course of training approved under these regulations prior to April 1st, 1925, by means of an endorsement on certificates granted or to be granted. DR. G. F. B u c h a n , P r e s i d e n t of the Society of Medical Officers of H e a l t h , a n d D r . R . M. F . P i c k e n , Medical Officer of H e a l t h for the C i t y of Cardiff, left for C o p e n h a g e n on M a y 25th, to p a r t i c i p a t e in the i n t e r c h a n g e of H e a l t h Officers a r r a n g e d to be held in D e n m a r k b y the H e a l t h Section of the L e a g u e of N a t i o n s . THE m e e t i n g of the Naval, Military, a n d R . A . F . H y g i e n e G r o u p of the Society of Medical Officers o f H e a l t h , fixed for J u n e 8th, is p o s t p o n e d until J u n e 22nd.