The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-04-03
A Singular Iustitution-The great
Poundling Hospital in Moscow.

A movement is on foot in New York
for the establishment Of founding
hospital on large scale, on the plan pi
that in Moscow Russia.
The Moscow foundling hospitals the
largest in the world. 1t was organized
by the Empress Elizabeth about one
hundred years since, and has now
yearly fund of 81 900, 900 for its support
There is London bank and savings
bank attached to it. There are admit,
ted yearly some twelve thousand chill
dren. These are not left, as in some
other institutions of similar kind, at
the door of the building, but are taken
openly, either by their mothers, or some
friends, into an entrance room, set apart
for that purpose. As we stopped few
moments in this room, we counted six
ty women, each with an infant in her
arms, waiting, in single file, to make
their deposit. No question is asked by
the recording clerk, except, Has the
child been baptised AID if so, by what
name"
The child is then registered, number
is placed around its neck, and figures
upon its cot, while a receipt showing
the same number is handed to the bear
er ofthe child, in order to enable her to
visit, or even claim it at any future pc
riod up to the age of ten years. The In
fant is then passed into another room
and handed to its failure foster parent,
she being the woman who happens a.
the momen', to stand at the lis
amongst number who are alwa,
waiting in attendance. These wos
are generally peasants from the Oou
who have, it was told Us, thems,
beeB depoSitors of their own chi
but few hours before, or else NO
who have left their own children II
country to be brought up by hand,
tracted by the wages and good quarter
provided them in the institution. 1t is
not supposed that even a majority of
these children are illegitimate. The
great proportion are left there by the
parents from poverty, or from being IN
service.
The nurses have distinct apparel for
each of the different wards i'll these vast
buildings. Some have blue, Others red
and blue caps. There were seven hun
dred nurses in this one hall alone. In
passing from one hall to another we
could not help remarking the ciock-like
regularity with which the whole estab-
lishment lis conducted. There seems
nothing omitted which good manage
ment can suggest or medical art i'm
prove. The simple arts OF washing and
dressing are brought to perfection, and
executed with great rapidity. The in.
fants are bathed in copper tubs, lined
with flannels, and they are dressed on
down pillows, Instead of hard hoops OF
bony legs of modern nurses.
Never upon earth was there a more
astonishing mixture of oaby ttesh-big
and little, pug-nosed, blue and black
eyed, fat, lean, red, yellow and white
babies. 1t might be supposed that they
would make great deal of noise, but
we only heard about forty or fifty small
choruses while there. But suppose the
whole number should start at once,
Who can imagine the style Of music OF
GOOO baby voices, when they give up
their minds to do iti But | suppose
they spend most of their time in sleep
ing, and seem to be much given to eat
ing and drinking. During the summer
months several thousands of these chill.
dren are sent out in the country to
nurse. As soon as they become old
enough, they are taught reading and
writing, and the most intelligent are
selected as teachers. Tbe'boys usually
receive military education, and a Ger.
tain portion of them furnish recruits for
the imperial army.