The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-01-18
Baby Incubation.
WONDERFUL RESULTS ACCOMPLISHED By DR..
. TAvERNIER'S OEEER METHOD.

WONDERFUL RESULTS ACCOMPLISHED BY DR..
TAvERNIER's QUEER METHOD.
The immense success which has attended
the artificial incubation of chickens in
France recently. says the Glasgow Nail,
attracted the attention OF DR.. Ta{ernier, a
learned and ingenious physician. He was
attached to a hospital for foundlings, and
was annoyed at the large number Of found
lings who died within the first six months
OF their life. The majority OF those adj
mitted to the hospital were weak and
sickly, and he resolved to try what
.'artifcial incubation " would accom-
plish II applied to infants. The Doc
tor constructed child incubator on pre-
cisely the model of the ordinary chicken
incubator. 1t was box covered with q
glass slide, furnished with soft woOllen
bed, and kept at the temperature of So de-
grees Fahrenheit by the aid OF hot water.
lie selected as the subject Of his first eX-
pertinent miserably-made infant-One that
had come into the world at an iniudicieus-
Nv early period. This infant was placed in
the incubator, provided with nursing
bottle. and kept in a darl, room. To the
surprise OF the Doctor it ceased to cry on
the second day after it was placed in
the incubator, and although it had pre-
viously been preternaturally sleep
less child, it sank into deep and
quiet sleep. The child remained in the in
cubator for eight weeks, during which time
it never once cried, and never remained
awake except when taking nourishment. 1t
grew rapidly, and when, at the expiration
of sixty days, il was removed from the in
cubator, it presented the appearance OF Il
healthy infant OF at least a year old. De-
fI.a ha
DIR. Tayernier next selected an ordinary
six-months'-old infant addicted to the
usual pains and collie and exhibiting the
usual fretfulness of French infants. This
child conducted itself while in the incu-
bator precisely as its predecessor had done.
II never cried; it spent its whole time
in sleep, and il grew as il it had made
up its mind to embrace the career OF q
professional giant. After a six-weekS'
STAY in the incubator ii was removed and
weighed; during this brief period it had
doubled its weight. IL had become so
strong and healthy that it resembled child
three years old, and it could actually walk
when holding on 10 convenient piece OF
furniture. These two experiments satisfied
DIR. Tavernier OF the vast advantages OF
artificial child incubation. He Immediately
proceeded, with the permission of the
authorities OF the hospital, 10 construct an
incubator of the capacity OF 400 infants who
were In the hospital on the 10th day OF
February last. With the exception OF one
who died OF congenital hydrocephalus, and
another who was claimed by its repentant
parents, the infants were kept continuous
Nv In the incubator for six months, when
they were removed in consequence Of hay
ing outgrown their narrow beds. The re-
suit will seem almost incredible to persons
who are unfamiliar with the reputation OF
DIR. Tavernier and have not seen the re-
port made to the French Government by a
select committee of twelve. The average
age OF the infants last February was eight
months and three days-the. Youngest
being less than twelve hours. oldest not
more than eleven months. The average
weight was sixteen pounds, only one OF
the entire $50 having attained a weight OF
fhirty-two pounds. At the end OF six
months OF artificial incubation the average
weight OF each infant was twenty
four pounds, and there was not one
who would not have been supposed by a
casual observer To be ut least three wears
old. In other words, six months OF arti-
hcial incubation did as much in the way OF
developing DIR. Tayernier's foundlngs rs
three years OF ordinary life would have
done. The infants were strong and healthy
rs well as big; they walked within a week
OF leaving the incubator, and most Of them
have since learned TO talk. These results
surpassed DR.. Taycrnier's most enthusias-
tic expectations, and there can be no doubt
that his system Of artificial child-incuba-
ton will be adopted not only in every
child's hospital in France, but in every
private family throughout the civilized
world.