Subiaco Infant Centre History (1920s and 1930s).
The Trove database at the National Library of Australia provides reports about the wonderful work being done by Nurse Sister Mary Hayes at the Subiaco Infant Health Centre to the City of Subiaco Council from when it was established in 1925 to the time she retired in 1949.
Throughout the 1920's and 1930's there were regular reports in local newspapers about the Subiaco Infant Health Association and work of the centres to the City of Subiaco Council. The articles describe how many mothers and their babies were attending the centres run by Nurse Sister Mary Hayes and some of the issues they had with funding. There were many active women and men from the community interested in infant health centres in Subiaco and participating in fundraising.
In an article from the West Australian on 4 November 1926 at a meeting of the Subiaco branch of the Infant Health Association there was a report about the kind and generous families from Subiaco who wanted to help look after the children of women who needed to go to King Edward Memorial Hospital for medical treatment...
"...Mrs. Valance reported that she attended a meeting of Social Service Workers, and she suggested that the centre should consider the advisability of extending, its activities in the direction of securing kindIy disposed people who would look after the infants of mothers who had to go to hospital for medical treatment. There were she said a considerable number of mothers who became ill and had to go to hospital, and it was found extremely difficult to obtain suitable accommodation for their infants..."
The articles from the West Australian on 13 May, 1929 and the Geraldton Guardian and Express newspaper on 16 May 1929 report on the opening of the new infant health centre in Subiaco. The articles provide an interesting overview of the history and the importance of work being done in infant health centres to combat infant mortality and provide assistance to mothers and fathers to raise healthy children within the local context and Australia. During the late 1920's the newspapers report a staggering 15 000 children under the age of 5 years had died in the Commonwealth.
An article from October 1930 described the impact the times were having on mothers and their ability to naturally feed their babies. The Centre was trying to raise money to provide food to mothers breast feeding their babies.
The photographs are from the West Subiaco Infant Health Centre in 1931 and 1932. The Centre was considered to be one of the best in the state. The first set of photographs were published on 20 August 1931 in the Western Mail. The second set of photographs were published in the Western Mail on 3 May, 1932.
The articles and photographs are from Trove, the database of the National Library of Australia. No copyright infringement intended.
West Australian, 13 May 1929
INFANT HEALTH SUBIACO CENTRE OPENED.
Australia's Loss of Children.
'The health of mother and child should be the first consideration of the State.' These words were given in block capitals, on a tablet affixed to the front wall of a 'fine brick structure which has been erected by the Subiaco branch of the Infant Health Association in Onslow-road, Subiaco.
This, the newest, and one of the most attractive of the 16 health centres, controlled by this association, was formally declared open by the Minister for Health (Mr. S. W. Munsie) yesterday afternoon, in the presence of a large gathering. The foundation tablet, recording the fact that the structure was built, in celebration of the State Centenary, was unveiled by Mr. L. Boas, whose remarks were supported by the Mayor of Subiaco (Mr. J. C.Roydhouse). Mr. Munsie congratulated the local branch of the association on its work. Last year, he said, 60 per cent of the 8,000 babies born in Western Australia, were given attention with their mothers, at the various infant health centres. A great deal of money was spent on populating Australia with migrants from overseas; a great deal should also be spent on safeguarding the welfare of Australian babies, who were the best migrants. Last year over 400 babies under one year, of age died in Western Australia, and over 7,000 in the Commonwealth. During the last three years an average of 15,000 children under five years of age had died yearly in the Commonwealth.
These figures, it was safe to say, would be reduced by half if infant health centres were established in all the main districts throughout Australia. It was the duty of mothers and expectant mothers to attend the existing centres wherever possible. The Commonwealth Government had not yet honoured its promise to assist the State Government in the subsidising of the centres, but the matter would be discussed at the coming Premiers' Conference, to which the Premier (Mr. Collier) would go fully armed with all the information on the subject that the Health Department was able to supply.
A vote of thanks, to the Minister was proposed by Mr. W. Richardson. M.L. A. and supported by Mrs A. B Dobson, and Mr. J. Leonard. The hon secretary of the Subiaco branch of the association fair A. C. Higgs, read a long list of those who had contributed to the erection of the building in cash and in kind. This revealed that considerable generosity had been shown by the Subiaco Municipal Council and by numerous firms and individuals, and testified to the truth of Mr. Higgs's observation— 'Human nature, when calls are made upon it, proves to be a gold mine.'
Geraldton Guardian and Express, 16 May 1929.
INFANT HEALTH CENTRES EXTENSION OF VALUABLE WORK COMBATING IGNORANCE AND CARLESSNESS
In opening the new Subiaco infant health centre the Minister for Health (Mr. S. W. Munsie) stressed the vital need of mothers taking advantage of the facilities offering to give their off-spring the proper attention and treatment.
The protection of child life assumed a new significance when Western Australia followed the example of other States in introducing the infant health centres. They have rendered magnificent service to the community, and Mr. Munsie's figures that 60 per cent of the 8000 babies born in Western Australia last year were given attention with their mothers, at the various clinics, indicate clearly the extent to which their service is appreciated. Last year over 400 babies under one year of age died in Western Australia, the Commonwealth figure being 7000. The need of the centres has not diminished, and although the problem with which they are confronted may have lost some of its force, there will always be wide scope for their operations.
Six Years Work.
It is interesting to review the growth of the public clinic movement. The Infant Health Association was brought into being by the Children's Protection Society in 1922, largely on the suggestion of Mrs. E. Cowan, who was impressed with its value as an effective check to infant mortality. Government aid was denied the sponsors of the movement at first, but afterwards a Government subsidy augmented that of the municipal authorities which had been granted from the outset.
Mrs H. A. Gover, remained the honorary secretary for four years, when an official ap-pointment was made by the Government. The movement had small beginnings, but it grew steadily as only six years have elapsed since the first clinic was established in the buildings of the Children's Protection Society in Stirling Street.
Sister Cole, who has been in charge of the Perth centre in Bridge Street, has been identified with the work since its inception. Now there are clinics in several of the suburbs as well as in the city, and Fremantle, while a number of country centres are possessed of the facilities. Visitors from country districts, including the North-West, who are not within reach of the centres, make full use of the service when visiting Perth, where they receive valuable advice and informative literature. The record of the Perth centre, which is patronised by people from almost all parts of the State, was 5229 consultations last year, the attendance of babies at the centre number-ing 3822, while there were 1320 visits to households. Relatively, in the scale of their importance, the other centres show similarly gratifying results. Helpful co-operation.
Financially the movement cannot claim all that it would like, but any difficulties under this heading have not lessened their activity or stifled their ambition or their efforts to arrest infant mortality. Ignorance and carelessness, which can almost be looked upon as inevitable, are among the causes of the loss of infant life while others are unavoidable.
But the scope for export teaching, as is given by the experienced nurses associated with the clinics, is unlimited. It is as important that the mother shall seek their co-operation before the child is born as afterwards. The knowledge she will receive fortifies her, and, once the child is born, the question of feeding and the many other problems associated with the delicate task of rearing strong, healthy children face the mother. The fact that the clinics lend invaluable advice and assistance is widely recognised and more and more mothers will come to depend on them.
West Australian, 10 October 1930.
INFANT HEALTH.
Work at Subiaco.
At a meeting of the Subiaco Infant Health Centre, which embraces the West Subiaco and Nedlands centres, on Wednesday nisht. the sister-in-charee (Sister M. Hayes) submitted a report of the work carried out for the three months ended September 30. During that period, the report stated, an additional 141 babies had attended the centres. The total number of babies attending the centre was 471. Consultations carried out numbered 1,821. A feature of the report was the fact that there were 339 babies under the weanine age attending the centre, of whom 301 were entirely breast-fed, and 26 partly so. Under the care and guidance of the sister were 10 expectant mothers. Lactation had been restored in 15 cases.
It was also reported that as a result of worry caused by unemployment, and the lack of enough money to provide nourishment, a number of mothers in the district were in danger of losing their natural supply of milk. The secretary (Mr. A. Hijrus) said yesterday that the committee of the centre had made arrangements in all such cases to make available the necessary food. The West Subiaco centre had launched their annual appeal for funds, which would culminate on Saturday; October 25, with a sale of gifts in Grundmann's markets, Onslow-road. As the valuable work carried out by the centre could not be done unless sufficient money was available, the public were asked to give as generously as possible.
Subiaco Infant Health Centre. 3 May, 1932. Western Mail.
