The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-10-16
+ R A N C E.
SPECIAL Correspondence OF THE HERALD.

taut social subJect-The Abandonssems Of
Infants and Infanticide-Iiow These Grimes
nre Met on the Contineat-visit TO the
French Founding Hospitai-Usefai Hints TO
American statesmen and Legislators.
PAais Oct II 1857.
In recent number OF the HERAkDf observe an edto-
article which, in rsfafng 10 the growing frequency
Of Of aooy6 and nfan,cide in the United States
hints iA6N might DO we'll for the Constitutional Con.
9hon to consider whether lesson in the way OF pre-
yention might no, be learned from the experience OF
Europe In this matter. Having myself devoted
somo attention TO this matter OF prevention,
aud studied its workings in Europe, long
since came to the conclusion that upon tho whole,
the European system which recognizes tho fact that
human nature is weak and liable to err and which,
therefore, takes means 10 provide against and as far as
possible to protect the from the consequences
OF AMI error rational one than that
which ignores leaves to society alone TO
punish rather tnan 10 prevent crime.
Il IL high limo that this question taken up and
thoroughly Investigated by legislators Whether It Is
ter risk OF rendering themselves
popular with impaccabis class OF theorists who
recog non of the fact that crlma and
sin exist aud ways VIII, and that 1t Is better TO regu
late and control as far as possible than to give
1t full sway and deal only with It's results,
Is equivalent TO encouraging and licensing II
But It not my intention hero to entr
upon thu abstract question, but simply tho matter
one which must sooner later, DO taken mp BY your
legislators, and in which society at large Is greatly
Interested, give You descr pton OF visit recently
male to the Founding Hospital OF Paris, ono Of the
model Institutions OF the kinj Of the world.
This establs ment situated upon the ef bank OF tie
5eue beyond the garden u the Luxemburs, one IN
which children voluntarily abandoned by thsr moth rs
cared for during thor infancy and the sdmin-tra
ton of winch retains charge OF them until they
tweny-one years or age the males being apprentice e
trades or placed with farmers, and the girls either
81
| Formerly revolving box called t0tir Jana which
stll remains and i shown, thorgh no longer uscd,
placed in n enc in Tho wall in tho street wax
| the medium through which the aoando.ed
| child was INTRODUCED to its nsw home and
| the tender OF the excellent sisters OF
81. Vacsat do Pau, the benevolent founder, of which
order in The year 1910 established this hospital A.
present. however il Is necessary before child be
received ioto the institution that certificate signed by
tho Commssary OF Pohce of the quarter 10 which che
mother lives, shall be presented, anu her name AID ad
dress taken Every effort msde to induce the mo, her
to retain the child, in which event assistance rs render
OIL her from the hospital fund. II, hosever, she per-
ssts In her determination abandon IL is cd
and carried nto room called ihs crcie where It 10
placed on bench, and ticket bearing Its number,
Is IL 10 tho order which arrives, nun
Der ono commencing with the first chd BROUGHT in al
the beginning Of the year. attached TO Its cotDng thea
y ID washed aud nnrsei oy number OF stout healthy
looking women ron The country, placed in one o. The
iarnaries II sick aud ( healthy chid retained in the
dche untn II Is sent, all the children
poss bic. into the country to nurse.
may here state as fact which is exciting much at
teptn IN France, that it has been found that since toe
suppression OF tho tn tufnn boxes by M ans II
abandonment
than ii Is present. the crime Of nfanucdo has
greatly increased in the departments where he boxes
have been renewed Ito average annual number OF
having rson from ono hundred and four TO
hundred aud nue.t The question Of rss.or NJ III.
t,ts the Paris Hospital ana In the others where Il
has been abolished j. seriously scissed ana publc
opinion throughout France Is decidedly favor OF Il.
The number OF founding hospitals in France is one
On the day OF my visit TO tho Founding Hospital
there nine lille Jumps Of humanity lying swad-
died up IN their Clothing, ranged along on q ben H.
looking like a onions Strings These had
all beon brought IN darinI tue Day, and most
of them had lrst opened their eyes to the day
light and drawn their first breath Of air
and had their st wonder 10 '.what all about
either tina, day the previous The last one
wnicn haa come in was ,lcketed 1884, and me yearly
average of infants thus ABANDONED IN Pans Is little
LATED TO incline bachelor ma,riinony. for they are
not handsome, these iiiie one day Old wayiarer who
already look cd and worn before they have fairly
commenced the journey of lie.
There we're about q hundred children In the room.
most Of them but few days DID, sleeping IN neat little
only waiting for nurses 10 come and take them 10 the
country. me standardization has organized mos. pr
system for tue and nursing OF the children
which sent away. The whole of France Is appvr-
TONED for this purpose into districts, i1 eons OF
when n director Is appointed wh SSuuty IL IS 10
ont on" 10 nurse or BE- cared Tor in a,s depart.
for toe constantly arriving children. these women
VINO arc usually tho wives OF peasants and what
considered in the rural dlsricts well to do" people,
who keep e COW and pig, and ethor hire aud
I'll hectdre TWO OF iaud ann 10 whom the additional
=
remain few days at the hospital, when each one with
her charge stars again Tor home. They receive from
eight TO thirteen rsncs month each Tor their services
over the door whc gives entrance 70 the cehs Is the
appropriate sentence, Nm pee MAJ me moat dbia
DOM maj &c Ss,gneu' a IS Tin de MOI" my iathcr
aui my mother have abandoned me but tbs Lord mas
cared Tor mel Pass NJ beneath tins visited the
marics 81 which tnerc four for general msdi
Cal one FOR surgical one for op .'bamic cases and oEe
Tor measles, ana 10 all tueso The cradles nlied WITH
little sufferers some Of them rapidly and pain
fully breathing away their souag lises
Thence we school rooms where the children
taught by cheetu ana lne gent looking sisters
81. Vincent and the play ROOM where also, under tue
charge tEe gco1 sisters, taey Every.
wBere al the pabiic institutions OF France every
thng a. Il at aud ceau and ali cold spcua.Ion AS 10
tho propnoty anI effect upon pubic q such
slitGton this must ave way III thg mind OF tie
visitor no las heart to feeling Of thank unes - TIA.
thcrs 50 comfortable pace where these poor lille
Gte so we'll Sheltered
BIOS o sue cnildren are sent to the country before
they two years of aud az twelve tne boys are
usually uRd apprentices TO uase, whiio the gris ito
queuiiy remain ia the families OF Their nurses,
by whom tney oftcn adopted, or eIo Iur-
nished vita places a. donsslics. When they
ma ~ prov ded conduct ha- been unexceponabe,
they receive from III Administration eaca marrase
portion hundred aud lorly-eght frsncs AS he
retains tAe general control OF the found
ugs unti they are OF ag", they have large number
continually on hands, aud the director informed
mo that there were t4ea no less than iory-Ne thou-
sand under age over whom the administration kept Its
tatn.ry go. Only about one ia q hundred arc ever
reclaimed, although tue mother, BY giving proof OF
character ana 81 ability 20 support H. Can a. any timo
befurt Il becomes OF obtain possession Of her child
As matter caursc, tie large majority OF children
deposited here 81 iiest,ma.e birln although cass
Of those burn IN weaOc1 aud abandoned by tner pa
rents on account Their poverty occasionally occur.
Most ol the caildrcn me those OF ogvr,eres-sewlng
glis, shop girls artificial flower makers workers
ia the thousand little Industries of PARIS and ant
grs IL 10 almost asking TOO much OF weak hnman
nature, under all bo cIcums sncc. 10 expect these
girls be sric.ly yrtuous. Ihs wages OF out tss
a girl who WORKS on saes' dresses seldom exceed
twenty francs week for twelve hours labor day aud
general ratio u ray for ord nary girls from
ten to nfscen fisIcs With this young gal can manage
VITA rigid economy to Keep suui sud body osotuer,
witch costs n and drinking bowl 81 coffee for
breakfast, aud making dinner from bowl OF soup aud
slice OF boiled mea. a cook shop. But every tbps
ealable, drnkabe and wearabie Is very dear Ia fas
now, and the working gir with hor small pay
nothing IL goes day day Tor tao bare necessares Of
life aud when the Coid weather comes, her virtue,
though perhaps very cheering aad consons Ia the 40.
stract will buy her neither nannels coas aud
che sns and her lover buys them for her, aud she,
when her haisn produces iss natural result sbsudons