New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-09-05
Keeping Babies Alive,

Modern society seems to be opposed to
babies. Fewer of them are born-or is
Professor Walker right in denying this com
mon beliei?-and more of them seem TO
die. The elaborate appliances of civil
ization for preserving life in hospitals, etc.
are apparently outstripped by its resources,
in the share of the filth incident to a
big city and of the hurry and worry
inseparable from modern life, for destroy
ing it. The mortality among children this
summer has been very great. The lake
excursions just iuaugurated may save very
many lives in Chicago, but the death roll
is already OF CHASTITY length, and every
day adds to it. The most successful life.
saving institution in the world, as far as
babies are concerned, is probably the Ant
werp (Belgium) creche. 1t was founded in
1866, during the cholera epidemic. The
charge for taking care of child is only
one cent day, or five cents per week. At
these low rates the annual profit is over
$4,000. The following sketch Of its mana ye-
ment will be found of value:
For the food of very young infants there
is provided bread soup, or biscuit panada,
made of white bread and arrowroot boieo
in milk and water. This is given at 10 A.
NJ. and between and p. NJ, and, for
drink between times, thin barley water
For unweaned children seven months oil
or more, the panada is given once day, in
the morning; at o'clock p. nj. a pap of
Cruel; and three times a week bouillon of
beef or veal, from which the fat is carefully
skinned. This soup is to be prepared
with semolino Ia sort of bran). For
children who have been weaned, at 10 A.
NJ. the panada, but thicker; at 1880 p. Nj.
beef or veal soup, with rios and semolino,
followed by vegetables, of which potatoes
are not to constitute more than one sixth
part; ct up. NJ. slices of bread and butter;
for drink q plisan favored with licorce.
All these drinks and soups are made fresh
every day. The creche is carefully, tho.
roughly, and continually ventilated, and
streams of fresh air poured in constantly,
but the children are never exposed to any
draft. No flowers are allowed; the cradles
are aired frequently and the infants taken
into the air as often as the weather permits.
The temperature of the creche ia kept as
nearly as possible at Coz Fahrenheit, but
lowered . little in the evening. In re-
spect of cleanliness, the regulations of
the creche seem to leave nothing to be
in the morning, and before the drst meal,
and its hands and face washed after eating.
They are undi essed, spoDged all over when
washed, then rubbed dry with clean towels.
From May till October, they have a. tepid
bath every day, two hours after eating, re.
naming in the bath ten mlautes. Sco1ding
absolutely forbidden, the ruls Of treatment
is tenderness. They may be caressed but
not embraced; their sleep Is not to be inter
rupted; they are never to be excited; nor
lifted mp By one arm, nor let lie too long
upon the same side; confectionery is prohib.
tied, and the babies kept with head cool,
stomach easy, feet warm.
Attention to these rules, not only in
American creches but in American homes,
would save Thousands of infant lives every
year. Ignorance 10 largely responsible for
the present massacre Of the fnnocents.-
Chicago Tribune.