1939 - Convention Report

              T W E N T Y - F I R S T PROVINCIAL CONVENTION 45
REPORT ON CHILD WELFARE AND PUBLIC HEALTH
Mrs. H. R. Evans, Innisfree, Convener.
It is with pleasure I submit this report covering- the activities in Child
Welfare and Public Health from May 1937 to May 1939. As of necessity
this report must not take too long- to give. I can only touch briefly on the
very splendid work that is being done by the Branches throughout the
Province— work that proves we are daily becoming more keenly aware of the
need for all phases of Public Health work and the care of our children. In my
outline, I asked you to direct your work to the health of the child, and this
responsibility, none of you seem to have shirked.
We, as grown- ups, can fend for ourselves, at least it is our privilege
to make of our own lives, what we will. But the children's lives are, in
the main, what the grown- ups make of them. Before birth— some times a
generation or two— that moulding begins, and our responsibility today,
extends towards those generations yet unborn. What sort of a heritage,
mental and physical, are we preparing for the children of tomorrow.
The most serious efforts are being taken now to ensure that children
who knock at this world's gate, should be born, and born safely. But the
greater our success at opening the gate to them, the greater our responsibility
when they are truly our fellow citizens. What sort of a reception are we
preparing for them?
As to their physical needs— the conscience of the world is growing daily
more acute. Schools, hospitals, nutrition campaigns, international congresses
and societies for their protection, incidentally— what an indictment against
us grown- ups who should be their guardians, that such things are necessary!
Until we have a world that is as perfect in its physical conditions as we can
make it— our responsibility on that score will not be ended.
The response to our Provincial objective— the aim to provide one unit
of radium to the University Hospital— for the use of anyone needing it— was
more than gratifying. District No. 1 raised $ 330.83, District No. 2, $ 1,252.45;
District No. 3, $ 377.93; District No. 4 has their own Radium Fund but they
helped with this fund to the extent of $ 34.75. Our women are fast waking up
to the fact that education and clinical care are needed in the treatment of
cancer. I would like, here, to give you this comforting thought— cancer is not
really on the increase. It is rather that people are seeking help and advice
more than formerly.
As a result of a resolution passed in June 1938, by the Drumheller-
Handhills Constituency Conference, requesting the Council to ascertain what
Government aid, in other Provinces is given, for the purchase of radium, I
prepared the following summary which I think should be passed on to all of
you. This is a summary of reports from each Provincial Government:
Prince Edward Island does not possess any radium and has no Government
Clinic. Nova Scotia is very prominent in respect of cancer control. The
Victoria General Hospital, Halifax, a Government hospital, possesses 210
milligrams of radium and a good radium emanation plant, with also, high
voltage X- ray equipment. All these special treatment services are given
without cost in the case of persons unable to pay. A pamphlet giving the
basic information regarding cancer is widely distributed and occasional broad­casts
are given. New Brunswick has no Government owned radium or Cancer
Clinic. Quebec— The Department of Health has given various grants to
Women's Institutes and hospitals but the Minister of Health does not state
to what extent. Ontario is foremost in its great fight against cancer. It has
supplied radium at a cost of about $ 360,000 to secure centres across the
Province for Cancer Clinics. Also a radium emanation plant has been built
from which radium is distributed as required to these centres. Contracts