Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-05-21

PRIVATE LYINo-IN ASYLUM DIeCOvERRD-
How BABIES ARE NuRsED GAS LcHsAs THEY
DIR. w. ID. Stewart, medical sanitary INSPECTOR
to the Board Of Health, recently reported to
that board that while making sanitary inspec-
tons in the tenement houses OF Hog alley, be-
tween 9Th and It'll ana L and n streets, north
west, on Saturday, the 10th inst, and while in
the shanty Of one Lucy Gaskins, colored, he
observed i that she xss nursing from a bottle 2
three or four weeks old. He questioned her as
to where she obtained the child. how long she
had had possession Of 1t, and her knewledge of
child "a female) was brought to her the previous
week from the residence 0f "Miss Doctor Jane
Wilson, No. 81 9Th street, between H and
nursed 'as long as they lived" other infants
from "Miss Doctor wilson's establishment
that Dr. Wilson keeps sort of ''fying-in hos
fo ont az girls who come to nsy to be
Doctor Wilson herself delivers the girls who
apply to her, both white and colored, treats
them through the sickness until all signs have
Them" that she Is ''d0ing a fine business, en-
pl0ys two servants or nurses all the time; that
she has patients (girls) freq uently, several at a
time for several weeks in her house waiting for
their time"
Miss DIR. Wilson has been doing business for
more than year past in her present locality,
and Lucy Gaskins has been in her employment,
ana knows personally of the facts which she re-
lates as occurring during that period of time
and states that "the business seems to be in
creasing.'
DIR. Stewart stated i'm his reportthat he was of
the opinion that the facts disclosed are germane
to the duties Of the health officer and should be
energetically and judiciously investigated,
whether from sanitary, humane or moral
point OF view. He recommended that the health
officer order that the little innocent he discoy-
cred be taken from this miserable and filthy
novel and placed In an appropriate asylum,
and that the health officer order such sanitary
inspection of the establishment and premises of
Miss DIR. Wilson as might lead to the disclosure
OF what kind of business she is doing, as well as
her manner of doing 1T; that the records of the
health Office be examined to see if Miss Dr. w
makes the proper returns OF births required by
On the receipt of this report Dr. Bliss, health
officer, ordered DR.. Stewart to visit the estab b.
iishplent of Miss DIR. Wilson and ascertain
in &C cordance with law to the Board of Health
=, Medical Inspector Stewart subsequently, made
the following report:
ID. w. Bliss, M. d., Hedlh Officer.
SlI have the honor to report that. in pur-
suance of your order, 1 visited the residence of
Doctor Jane Wilson, No. s11 9th street north
west, at whose establishment the infant female
child was born, as reported by me. in the cnstodv
Of Lucy Gaskins, residing in filthy tenement
shanty in Hog alley, on Saturday, the 10th
instant. Miss Wilson claims to keep "lyng-
In hospital" for the accommodation of "iadies
whe desire entire prirdcy," and especially yoana
girls who have been unfortunate: saws she has
done and is doing ga good business" that her
cities; that she has done business in Cincinnati,
Ohio, and Norfolk, Virginia, and for the past
year in her present locality in this city; she
does not claim to have ever received any
professional education, but says that her
education is practical and picked upn
She claims TO have confOrmed to the require
ments of the laws and ordinances of the Board
of Health, ss far as she thinks it necessary, in
the matter OF reporting births i'm her practice
whether in her establishment on 9th street or
at private clearinghouse in the city. She ad-
uarfl hat q l.ar
births are fictitious, but claims til at it is neces-
sary tor the "success of her business" and "to
preserve inviOlate the confidence of her patients
ana Facts communicated to her i'm a professional
way She could not tell even approximately
how many births she has conducted, and said
that she kept no books or records that wOuId
afford any Information; that she did not con-
slider that the Board of Health has ANYTHING to.
do with her business. DR.. Stewart reports that
he has subsequently examined the records of
births In the health Office, and is unable to find
any record OF births returned to the Office by
Miss Doctor Jane Wilson. She refuses to give
the names of the parenrsgf either the white or
colored infants found in the tenement shanty in
Hog alley, though she admitted that both of the
children were born in her house, the births be-
ing conducted by herself, and that the names
which she returned to the health officer are fic
tisiOus and not true.
To say that the miserable. filthy tenement
shanty IN Hog alley, where these little waits
were found, is unfit for a nursery for tender in
fants, is to give but faint idea of its real san
aStci' nc ulscTdOlc novel, almost
hid BY the filth of the crowded alley, is unfit for
human habitation; yet that is the place. and
such az that, where Mrs. DR.. Wilson sends these
little innocents for appropriate nursing. Yet
her high sense of honor and duty to those who
have trusted her with their secrets and con-
ldence VIII not permit her to divulge to the
Board of Health the real names of the criminal
parents Of those worse than orphaned little
babes. Hoping that have successfully accom-
pished the delicate and important order Won
have charged me with, am, with high regards.
your obedient servant, w. ID. STEWART,
Medical Sanitary Inspector.
1t is the intention of the Board of Health to
AXE such action as the law will admit i'm the
premises in relation TO this case and at the
anne time place the matter before the Legis-
alive Assembly for such action as i'm the judg-
nent and wisdom OF that body the preservation
,f life and public morals require.