1930 - Annual Convention Report

              S I X T E E N T H A N N U A L C O N V E N T I ON 37
Papers and. Lectures
The majority of Institutes within the Province have had papers or lec­tures
on some phase of Health work. A few of the subjects covered are :
Health Units, Infantile Paralysis, Infectious and Contagious Disease, Microbes
and Germs, making poultices, children's rights as to food, clothing and edu­cation,
early training of the young child. Mr. Cook of the Department of
Health has given illustrated lectures showing the work of the Provincial
C l i n i c s . Some roll calls used are: Making M i l k More Attractive, A Health
Rule, Ailments and Their Remedies, Poisons and Their Antidotes.
Other Work Done
Cash donations to Wood's Home, Armenian Relief and Salvation Army.
P r o v i d i n g a tent for a man who needs fresh air treatment. Paying hospital
b i l l of $ 76.00 for an old man. Sending a mother and child to Red Cross
Hospital at Calgary. Supplying viro to undernourished baby. Presenting
baby books, baby spoons or cups to newly arrived citizens. Helping destitute
with food and clothing. One Institute reports having supplied fifty persons
w i t h clothing. Much health literature has been distributed. The Edmon­ton
branch distributed many copies of Mother's Book and other literature
at the Rest Room during Exhibition Week. The Calgary Branch gave
assistance in Alberta's Child Welfare Week held in A p r i l . The Provincial
organization co- operated with Dr. Thompson in Dental Hygiene work. Lit­erature
was sent from the Provincial office to all Institutes. The list of
Secretaries was sent to Dr. MacMurchy that she might forward copies of
Mother's Book to all Branches.
Convener's Activities
E a r l y in the Institute year an outline of work was prepared which was
later given to Constituency Chairmen and copies of same were sent to our
Federated Convener and to Dr. MacMurchy. I wrote many letters in response
to enquiries from Constituency and Branch Chairmen regarding the work. A
short report on the A. W. I, contribution to the care of crippled children was
sent to M r s . Dykeman. St. John. N . B . . N a t i o n a l Convener of the F. W. I.' C, to
be included in her report at an informal conference held in Ottawa, to discuss
the Welfare of Crippled Children in Canada.
Upon request another short report of " VV. I. health activities was sent to
the Calgary Council on C h i l d and Family Welfare. A paper on Public Health
was sent to District No. 3 Conference.
When the matter of County or Public H e a l t h Units came up in the House
of Commons, following the resolution on the subject endorsed by the F. W. I. C.
at Saskatoon, the house resolved, without division, " That in the opinion of
this house the Government should take into consideration the advisability of
making grants to the Provinces equal to one- third of the cost of establishing
and cover permanently such full time Health Units as may be organized."
Health Units
To date I know of no H e a l t h Unit established in A l b e r t a but considerable
educational work along this line has been accomplished. There are eight
Health Units in operation in Quebec and four in B. C. and it has been found
that where Health Units have existed for two or three years the general
death rate has been reduced and especially the infant mortality rate and the
rate from contagious and infectious diseases.
D u r i n g the month of A p r i l 1929, 19,300 new Canadians entered Canada by
the stork route. In the same month 139 mothers made the supreme sacrifice
and gave life for life when the baby came.