The New York herald., 1874-08-13
THE FLOATING HOSPITAL.

x2G GAOA4xxNU AV0& 44AAs
One Thousand Rabies and MotherS
Anoat-Two Hundred Cases Of Cholera
Infsntum-siGhts and Scenes on Board
the Barge Harvest Home Yesterday.
over seven hundred sick children, with three
hundred OF their mothers as nurses, were ON
board the noating hospital Of st. Johns Guild yes
terday. Such scene as they presented has never
before perhaps, been witnessed In any city Of the
world. Children just beginning to dro0p under
the shadow OF DEATHS wings were there, and
those already chilled BY the nand that is opening
for them the grave. Little ones that had, only
few months or weeks before, been iuii OF the
prattlc, the innocent JOY and glee Of child
hood, but must soon enter "that empty,
weary house where no life is, nor beauty
OF swift eyes, nor sounds OF lips or feet" How
their mothers gathered them to their bosoms and
kissed their palid Lips and searched with eager
looks their languid eyes. world OF sorrow, Of
hope and OF despair was there In the narrow COM
pass OF the barge. Ranged on each side Of the
vessel, fr0m one end TO the other and In double
rows down the centre, were plain pine benches
anu these were crowded tnick with the mothers
and their little ones. Three hundred infants In
arms were thus ranged IN four rows, and IN 'front.'
lying upon hastily arranged pallets formed OF
shawls and blankets and Overskirts, lay other
little sufferers Some, not 80 Ill as the majority,
moved about the deck. Four hundred Of them
were between the ages OF two ana eight years.
ana fifty Of these were able to run about, to play
and dance at will These were an object of won
derful interest to the little creatures who could
only follow them with their eyes.
TWO HUNDRED CASES OF CHOLERA INFANTUM
were on board. The good effects OF the days sail
upon these can hardly be exaggerated. These
babes came on board retful, with red and swollen
eyes and pallid faces, and at first they ap-
pearance Of stupid Indifference to verything
about them. The fresh air revived them, the novel
scenes interested them, and they grew quiet and
curious. Filled with all the strange sounds and
sights, tired OF the moving ships and the glancing
waters, they fell asleep For a while then they
enjoyed utter immunity from the DOCTORS atten-
tions, and awoke revived and wonderfully
changed The old llstless look, the hitherto fre-
quent twinges OF pain, were gone, and new light
frightened their eyes and stole over their faces.
In the other and many types OF disease The change
produced was hardly less remarkable The apathy
Of the sufferers disappeared, new vitality seemed
the lie that had seemed receding from them came
back with strong, sweeping tide.
THE OURIOsITIEs OF DISEASE
were represented. One little girl was always no.
tlceaDle, moving with eccentric motion In group
OF children she had pale, sympathetic lace
motions attracted the attention of the other chill
dren, who looked on with wonder, and OF many
OF the mothers, who regarded her with supersti
tious awe. She had the st. Vitus dance. Two
twin girls, Of six years. had their legs encased in
steel bars and bands, rlveted, and having swivels
near one end Of the barge and were ss
ever together, holding each other by the hand.
One little girl had an outward curvature Of the
spine, wh1cn gave her back the appearance of
ball, and not far away sat another younger, whose
back was bent inward so that ladies muG would
lie in the hollow between her shoulders and hips
DYING By INCHES.
There were thirty five cases of marasmus-
the wasting Of the flesh,
and one case IN which the daily progress of death
was plainly visible. 1t was that Of boy ten years
OF age, but no larger than child OF three years.
did 50 G he was becoming literally telescoped. His
head was sunken deep between his shoulders his
abdomen pfotruded unnaturaly, his hands and
leet were small and shrinken, and his face-brim-
ful of intelligence and sadness--was wasted and
livid. Such were the scenes In every quarter Of
hundred babies. And YET, in the midst OF all this
misery and sorrow. there were
CLEANS or THE RAREsT BEAUTY.
A dozen children were playing there. near their
little sick sisters and brothers, who for pure
beauty Of face and form could not be surpassed by
world. One was a little blue-eyed, goden-h haired
babe OF two years. just aDle to totter about to
crow and laugh and S point its dainty fingers At
black-eyed they were iour years DID, and TWINS.
Near the central gangway on the upper deck
one nursing at her breast They were also twins
and exact counterparts OF each other. boy OF
three years, with hair OF the same color and tex
ture as the two nursngs, leaned against the
mothers knee, with his eyes fixed upon hers.
A group Of aged and chlldless women sat near
the centre OF the deck. One OF these, eighty-four
years OF age, had just lost ner husband, with
wnom she had lived for sixty years. She came to
New York from near She1eld, in England, forty
years ago, and, although sne has never been out
Of New york since her arrival, yesterday was the
occasion OF her second view of the Battery. She
talked about 1t, missed che fort which was there
when she landed, and gossiped OF old times and
The days sail was up the Hudson and was as
pleasant as could well be. AS usual, two meals
were furnished on board. At each the tables were
Som Some idea aA Of the the hunger Of the the mothers rs
anS that od1sn naunoa Pc 900
Of bread and $50 quarts OF milk were consumed,
together with fifty pounds OF butter. 100 pounds or
and
including tug, barge, music and all else, were but
$235.
surgeon and assistant surgeon general In the
regular army aud now house physician in charge
OF Demilt Dlspensary, that gentleman satd:-''Tne
n0ating hospital Of st. Johns Guild Is the grand
est institution OF the city. II its excursions
only at rare intervals they would be cruel. Beng
daily they save numberiess lives. There can be
than medicine, and ought to be made perma-
nent institution and permanent blessing.
sincerely hope and trust that st. Johns Guild will
be able to carry out the wishes Of MIR. Wiswall and
build suitable barge before another sickly
for permanent use.
Destitute Sick Childrcn's Excursion
Fund.
The following additional contributions have
been received by Rev. Alvah Wiswan, Master Of
c< ohrSo HuI nd hoU tO lla