Dr Frederic Truby King founded the Plunket Society in 1907 to help save babies who were, too often, dying from malnutrition and disease.
Despite resistance from some in medicine, he persisted and a contemporary Herald editorial makes the case for him being New Zealander of the Year. "Nothing is really of greater importance to the upbuilding of a nation than the education of mothers in the art of child-rearing," it said.
It praised King for his ideas about nutrition and determination to overcome resistance. "He has encountered the difficulties usually encountered by pioneers of social change. The forces of prejudice, organised by ignorance, have to be combated at every turn."
The original aim of Plunket was to encourage breast-feeding and train parents in domestic hygiene. Plunket now sees more than 90 per cent of newborn babies, supporting parents, assessing babies and advocating for children's rights.
