The Work Of The N.M.P.

Remarkable Paper By Fijian Native

VV JE frequently have referred to the ** splendid work being done for the Pacific native races by the Suva Medical School, where young Fijians, Tongans, Samoans, Cook Islanders, and Solomon Islanders are being educated and trained as N.M.P.’s (Native Medical Practi

tioners),

As evidence of this, we pi'int below an article written for us by Solomone K. Ravasakula, a Fijian N.M.P. stationed

at Nabouwalu hospital, Bua, Fiji. The

article is published exactly as it was written, to show the way in which the Central and Eastern Pacific people can acquire European education .

Child Welfare Work For

Natives

FOR many years, death rates in child ren in the Western Pacific Island groups were usually very high, but at present it decreases down, as we natives are now graduated as medical men, and native women are qualified as Native Obstetric Nurses.

For five years practising as a native medical practitioner, I am always inter ested in child welfare work; and now I have come to the conclusion that very few children die in my medical districts per annum.

My routine rules in doing child welfare works are as follows with all my instruc tions to the head man of the village and Women Committees:

I.—Outline Of Meetings

(a) Talk to the crowd. (b) Short medical lecture. (c) Reports of Women’s Committee. (d) Examining the children. (e) Weighing of babies. (f) Closing remarks. (g) Visit the sick and give out medicine.

2.—Cleanliness Of The Village

(1) Village must be cleaned once a day; dead fruit, old food and rubbish burned. (2) They must not throw rubbish about —e.g., old food outside the house —because this brings flies. (3) No tins, bottles, coconut shells, to lie about the village, because dirty water inside breeds mosquitoes. (4) All people should have bath twice a day with water and soap. (5) Native houses to be cleaned daily, and swept after meals. (6) All food should be covered. (7) Once a week the walls must be swept out. (8) The grass under the mats should be clean, or change often and mats sunned. (9) Dishes must be cleaned after food, and turn upside down, so that flies cannot settle inside. (10) Spitting on floor or under the mats must be stopped ; use tins or coconut shells, with little kerosene, and burn them afterwards. (11) Kitchen must be clean daily. (12) Every house should have a latrine well covered to keep out flies. (13) Water supply must be kept clean from decaying matter. (14) If they do not obey all these rules the head man of village should be notified.

3.—Rules Or Duty Of Women’S

Committee

(1) They must meet once a week and talk of what they going to do. (2) They must inspect houses once a week and see if there is any cobwebs.

(3) A bell should be rang every morning to call children for treatment. (4) They must treat itch and tinea. (5) They give castor oil to children, and treat sore eyes with 5 per cent or 10 per cent Argyrol and medicine dropper. (6) They have to watch pregnant women. (7) The Women’s Committee must report all cases of sick, deaths and birth to the nurse or

N.M.P.

(8) If they know there is any case of infectious disease in the village, they must send urgently to the medical practitioner. (9) They must see that all rules are carried out.

4.—Feeding Of Babies

The best food is: (1) mother’s milk; (2) cow’s milk; (3) goat’s milk; (4) artificial food, e.g., Glaxo and Lactogen.

Teeth are made for chewing, only milk and soft food must be given to children until two sets of teeth appear.

You can also feed babies with well cooked rice, otherwise you can with soft coconut-meat.

When the baby is at the age of six months, you can start to feed with soft food. Over-work and over-eating poisons the mother’s milk. Stand ing in cold water is very bad.

Another good food for baby is the white of an egg. A few drops of orange juice can be given and mammy-apples, etc.

S.—Care Of Pregnant Women

The reason is, dealing with two lives. Her bowels should move at least once or twice a day.

She must have a proper rest. You must watch her, if she having any oedema of the face, hands and feet. If she has, you must treat her with the treatment of any kidney conditions. (Watch the heart.) A daily bath (warm) with soap is necessary.

6. Ringworm And Itch

For ringworm, use a saturated solution of acid salicylas in tincture iodine fortis.

For itch, use ung-sulph, or hydrarg, ammon. ointment, or boric acid ointment.

7.—Spitting

Very dangerous habit. Always tell the people not to spit under mats or on walls, because they only spx-eading germs to others.

Infectious diseases, such as T. 8., can be spread in this way.

N.B.—Tell all natives that diseases are caused by small insects called germs, which cannot be seen by the naked eye.