New-York tribune., 1874-08-27
A LIFE-sAv1NG PROBLEM.
WORK OF THE NEw.YoRK INFANT ASYLUM.

DREN eAvED-rHE HOME LIFE OF A LARGE But
INTERESTING FAMLY-ExrENsIoN OF THE WORK
The nursery of the New-York Infant Asy-
lum ct SIXTY nrsst and Tenthave., presents many in
teresting features and shows how important work Is
being done by THOSE who have the institution in charge
The nrst work done in place. the nursery
was afterward remove to Tenthave. and Sixty rstst
on account Of the increased number of applicants aud
the fact that accommodations and sanitary and ygenic
conditions greatly conducting to the health OF the in
mates were there found The building is situ2 ted
higher ground than the surrounding territory and
there Is sufficient open space to give draft
OF fresh air from every point Of the compass.
The grounds neatly laid out and
fully kept that from every point the
rests pon viev that adds very much to the cheerful
ness nd beauty OF the situation. Entering building
upon the Sixty rstst. side, the visitor passes the
enbankment by flights Of steps, and, upon the first
n"or. is admitted to the paror. At the home
forts apparent Everything In the paror denotes
a cheerful household A large piano. pictures, and
notices. and the harmony OF the furniture and general
surroundings indicate refined taste In the rear Of the
parlor or recepon-room is the apartment occupied by
the matron and her assistant and just behind this is
another room in which very sick children are
placed. in order that they may be con-
stanrly under the eye OF the ladies in charge,
These have large windows. and are sunny and
well ventilated Upon the second floor the rooms in
which the children live, and their mothers and nurses
are close at hand that the infants be constantly
under their eyes, The other floors also occupied In
the same manner and convenience In the way OF
bathrooms and comforts are found throughout
the building. In the basement Is the kitchen, the
dining for the matron, her assistant. and the
mothers Of the children, and their The cheerful
cleany appearance OF all the apartments was In
marked with the usual aspect OF such nsttu
tons. Few city houses combine so many points Of
health and happiness found in the NewYork In
fant Asylum.
The mortality among infants has been so startling
this country and in Europe that the attention Of phan-
hropiss has been called to the great problem Of check
ing the degeneration Of the In Lyons and Par
thenay. France, where foundngs are directly nursed
the mortality has been from 1877 to 35 per cent In
Paris, Rheims, and AK, where foundlings have
indirectly nursed with the mils of animals. the
mortality has been 50.3 $50, and 80 per cent. In
New-York, Lewis Smith says: "The mortality Of
dry-nursed children is nearly 100 per cent" that
Is nearly every child dies. 1t fixed law OF nature
that any infant thrives best the nutriment drawn
from its mother. 1t has been remarkable that many
the has recognized the fact that though
the mothers milk has been OF poor quality and seem
ingly deficient in the nutritious elements which the
infant demands yet the child has thcven better on its
natural nourishment than when placed with healthy
wet nurse or brought up with the greatest care upon
cows or goats milk The consideration of these vital
statements has decided the question that IL s best for
any infano receive nourshment from Its mother The
object Of the NewYork Infant Asylum is to Dring
about these conditions. Not only Is the unhappy
woman who is about TO become a mother saved from
suicide and malpractice, but she is received into the
Asylum aud until the infant is old enough to be weaned
both are taken Of and tins the lives Of many are
saved that would be sacrificed under other conditions.
Wnen the infant been weaned the mother leaves 1t
Asylum knowing that will be either adopted into
family, otherwise taken care Of; or else she
can take the child away with her. the managers OF the
Asylum taking pains to assist her in earning aiying
physician going through the rooms OF the can dis
tnguish the foundlings from the motherfed infants
Their peculiar expression denoting insufficient noursh
ment and the old, wrnkled look which is stamped upon
the faces Of foundlings distinguish them from the
"be foundngs lie in their crios sleeping not
quietly and sereney like the other roundaced children
but as though Of older were imposed
upon them.
The success OF this Asylum is due IN great measure to
the fact that the matroD, Miss Amanda Judson Is
trained nurse and woman who attends 10 her duties
eonscienuously and thoroughly. Her whole heart
is in her work, and her attentions to her
charges untiring. Considerable opposition
was made to Miss Judson's employment, because
she demanded the remuneration to which she
believed lopg experience and observation and careful
and Luxurious study OF the conditions presented III the
Of infants entitled her. One OF the most prominent
of the lady managers OF the Asylum urged her appoint
ment strongly that it at length decided 10 EN-
pov Miss Judson. and her management mas gwen
satisfaction: lady manager who has had the expert
guide her, quoted from Mrs. Kirkland saying: Every
one experienced in the administration OF public char
ties must that II is not economy but the most
mismanagement 10 pay low salaries TO their
lions are requisite, and such have high money value
The inability 10 pay for the best services one OF
the most serious obstacles TO complete success Inls
None but worthy person could oe recipient and IL
would be opening a fountain that would fertIZe
hereC Wr
Mrs Kirkland. said the lady manager, aud am very
appointment OF Miss Amanda Judson as the superin-
tendent OF the SewYorK Infant Asylum Is an instance
of the wisdom OF such a course. II women takers
would become practical women workers It would be a
hopeful sign. am glad 10 have them do all that they
have gif for doing and let them stop talking about
The entire service has been reduced a system The
in tr0uUe If taken by the han1 and after her
delivery both she and her child are taken to the Asylum
at Tenthave. and sixty nrstst There they given
their quarters and everything Is done TO make them
feel at home Tue mothers are carefully fed ana cared
for children thrive in almost every The
mortality, which has been small indeed, has been
confined almost entirely TO the infants who have lost
their mothers or have been abandoned by them The
inmates Of the Asylum are like large family The
arrangements ous, and many OF the inmates
scknow had been happier Ia their
lives. The infants in all stages OF growth from those
These elder children are very interesting aud is
remarkable how little Will amuse them, and keep them
quiet for hours Large nets spread over the beds TO
Keep of the flies. which become very troublesome In
warm weather string is stretched from the head TO
bright colored yarns. wnen the infant becomes old
enough to begin 10 take notice of things II will lie in It's
crib and play with this bafor hours causing IL TO swing
backward and forward, and growing aud laughing IL
great giee When the children are old enough TO sit
they placed upon the foor IL Is keen amuse
for the mothers when their babies are learning TO
walk and pains are taken TO make their children as
attractive as possible Although the mothers are very
poor, yet, II some visitor gives them smail sum OF
money, they always take the most pleasure in
buying bright ribbon or some other ornament that
Will make the baby mere ATTRACTIVE MANY OF tne
who have entered the institution utterly
ignorant have away able to read and write having
been stimulated learn by their desire to be aoe TO
teach their children. Some who have expressed when
admitted the wish leave their children IN the Institu
tion have attached during their stay
that nothing induce them ~ part with them Very
few abandon their children, and maternity has often
lifted them q higher plane Of life and thought after
quitting the Asylum
Where there ctildren 20 be cared for. u