The New York herald., 1874-08-04

their infants in the basket Mothers are allowed
To nurse their children iii TINS institution and asC
at the branch asylum In Slxty-lrst street. The
pleasant country home to when the children are
sent Ia the summer Is at Flushing.
L. |. Tie mortality of the children placed
IN these institutions Is something terrIfc. they
receive Kind treatment. no DOUBT; but there are
Few OF tnem, nevertheless, who can 1--we tnrougn
the torrld summer II they remain in this swelter-
Ing CITY, lf they are sent to the country their
chances or living are much better. The mortality
OF those remaining In the city and fed on the bad
MIX which IL here TO be obtained Is something so
tremendous that the last report positively sug.
gests thar 1t would be. perhaps, equally cheap to
engage wet nurses for the babies and send them TO
tue country, "aS the inceSSant funerals very
expenslve.u
THE FOUNDING ASYLUM
At the New York Founding Hos ptal which Is
managed Dy the Sisters OF Charlty--the building IL
situated IN Sxty-eghth street, between Third and
basket has also been recently Withdrawn
for want OF funds. This institution
has cared for some fourteen hundred children
since It was first opened. The mothers who are
now desirous OF hiding Their shame must leave
Their babies on the cold steps, and as no tender
mother heart could be brought TO do ANYTHING
so thoroughly unmotheriy they are left to the
resources which murder and baby farming offer
thein IL Is cruel alternative 10 be sure they
can enter the building and tell the story OF their
burning shame TO the matr0n, but how many
women are there who are wiling thus to brand
themselves WIN lnldmyY ought the basket there
l0re II 1t is az all possible, not be restored imme-
diately to Its old placer
THE NURSERY AND CmLDs HOSPITAL.
The Nursery and Child's Hospital at Fifty-nrst
street and Lexing on avenue is one OF the largest
charitable institutions OF this kind in the city It
cares or about six hundred infants in the city and
In the country. There Is u branch at staten
Island beautiful place covering twenty
seven acres. These twelve cottages are occupied
there quietly nursing their own children. They
are generally sale rom all observation, and busy
rumor has IT taat many an elegant carriage drives
up IN front OF the office, and that lashionabiy
dressed women alght Win pretty live dolls in
their arms and return without them OF course,
cases of this kind are natural enough in vast
City like New York, and 1t is certainly far better
that the offspring OF shame should be kindly
nursed than that It should be lett to die q crue
and horrible death. Rumor says, also, rhat the
nurses could tell OF many an elegant lady living in
the best society whose dread secret reposes
securely in this country asylum.
THE BLACKwELL's ISLAND ASYLUM.
AT the asyums on Blackwell's and Randall's
Islands the mortality is said to be exceptionally
great. Mothers are permitted to nurse their own
babies, but are received only on certain condi-
tions ana alter having stated their names, circum-
stances, &c., to the representative Of the Commits
sioners Of Charities and Correction: The instItu-
cost aDout S400,000. The situation is a remarkably
healthy one, and the mortality ought, therefore,
not to be so large as it Is. However, public insti-
tutlons DO not seem TO admit OF he same solcltude
and care tor every Individual as those managed by
private parties, who are imbued with a Christian
love Tor the work There are other minor asvlums,
in charge OF charitable associations aud managed
bv kind hearted CHRISTIAN women, and they ali do
aap great deal OF g9oa IN preventing the growth Of
great deal more might be done II the money were
not wanting.
THE LARGE MORTALITY
In infant asylums IS, OF course nothing when COM
pared to the number OF deaths In the baby farm
ing establishments. About year ago eleven
sucklngs died from various causes, principally
cholera mfantum ana manutrt!On, in an estab-
lshment OF the kind on the west side OF the city.
"patronized by people OF wealth ia and d. fashion, a. a.
and some respectable physicians were involved In
the scandal. 1t seems scarcely credible that any
decent professional man could cOuntenance such
wholesale murder, 10r what else is it But there
was, unfortunately, little room for doubling that
such was really the fact. Baby farming is so hor-
rible crime that the authorities should lend
their strongest efforts to its complete suppression.
It Is, OF course, simply phase OF metropolitan
stpa tion and the many temptations with which q
city Ike New York is only too apt to abound
IN ~ her Se % "a seem no De
famous practices DIR. Elisha Harris. when inter-
viewed yesterday, SAID that the policy OF the Board
press all baby farming establishments. AT ire
quent intervals the Board, discovering
%ss man s0ssa 81 ea asm are
saeS M the of aefss pnyscan
attached to the certificate Is reputable one, the
Board Institutes an investigation. The most pain
1u lacr connected with the matter is that some OF
cloak OF piety, and a case has recently come to
light of a woman OF good education who buried
seven Chlldren out OF elgnt placed In her charge,
and did not really think she was guilty OF any
crime, and argued so TO the officers of The law.
DR.. Harris said that there was no reason why
the women who fall into the hands Of the she
wolves who inest the city should not be taken
care OF and their children provided for. There
are four institutions IN this city which provide for
the care OF either mothers and infants or OF In
fants only, by whom the strlctest confidence is
maintained, and the child, by tender care s given
a chance lor life. 1t Is the sckly sentmentaiy of
a class OF men and women, he said, who are not
without wealth and position and certain sort of
piety, whom the Board dnd 1t hardest to fight
against.
But there seems to be a diverse opinion among
many thoughtful and well informed persons in re-
gard to the Founding charity and the famous
creche cradle into which the poor little walls Of
shame may be dropped.
The housekeeper OF one OF the city asylums said
to the reporter yesterday 'Tt is, indeed terrible,
the slaughter Of the babies, and the papers cannot
say too mucn about 1t. The women who take the
poor children to nurse get round sums for their
adoption and ask no iurther questions, and so the
poor innocents are dosed with soothing syrups
and all Of narcotics, and the end Is not DIM
cult to imagine-the children die. Now an ounce
Of prevention Is worth a pound Of cure;' babies
should not be born whose parents are unwilling or
ashamed to own them.o