Babies Soothed To Sleep With Petrol Sniff

Unsigned article from the Journal of The LEAD (Lead Education and Abatement Design) Group Inc 8:1 (2000), which was reprinted from the Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) 15/8/00 p.1. More in extended copy.

The article begins:

Some indigenous mothers used petrol-soaked rags to comfort their babies, according to a submission to a parliamentary inquiry yesterday.

The House of Representatives inquiry into substance abuse in Australian communities was told the petrol rags were tied to babies' jumpers to get them to sleep.

This was one of several "alarming anecdotes" in the submission from the Department of Family and Community Services, which "highlight the impact of substance abuse on indigenous people and communities".

"There is evidence to suggest that indigenous people suffer depression at a higher rate than non-Aboriginal people; that rates of self-harm and suicide are higher; and that substance abuse, domestic violence and child abuse contribute additional risk factors," the submission said.

"Indigenous women have identified that a common practice among some mothers to soothe babies and get them to sleep has been to dip rags in petrol and tie them on to babies' jumpers."

Once again, here is the link to the full text.