The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-08-03
WHO WILL RESPOND?
The Providence Lylng-In Hospital
Needs Funds
FOR A MOST WORTHY OBJECT.
Additions 20 tho Building are Necessary
For the Accommodation of Infants
who Need Skilled Care-An Urgent
Appeal to the Public.

The Providence Lying-In Hospital,
which for seven years has been doing
most excellent work and demonstrating
its right to public approval and support,
finds additions to it's building to relieve
overcrowding and provide for the COM
fort and health Of the babies in its care
q pressing necessity. The management
have therefore addressed the following
open letter to the public which should
meet liberal response from those whose
means make possible to them the pleas
ures Of giving:
"It is now seven years since the PRovI-
pENCE Lying-in hospital first opened It's
doors for the reception of patients.
"The beginnings were OF necessity
small. but the institution has grown so,
that from time to time improvements
have been necessary to meet the demands
for space within It's walls. During the
two wears Just past, IL has been quite
apparent to those who have watched its
progress, that in the near future 1t would
be necessary to make additions to the
building for the accommodation OF the
infants.
"The care Of very young children has
been somewhat OF new departure but
we are constantly called upon to care Tor
children who for various reasons have
not been able to receive the necessary at
tention and skilled care that can De OBJ
tanned In our hospital. We have taken
them as they have been presented to us,
until now we have so large a.number that
we can no longer meet the demands made
upon us without adding a dormitory and
ward for their especial uses. The class
of people who have sought our aid has not
been limited to those in reduced circum-
stances entirely, for we number among
our little patients the children OF our
wealthiest and most prominent citizens.
Since the 1st of May we have had six such
infants who, after a longer or shorter
stay, have been discharged in excellent
condition who otherwise could not have
survived, even with the care they could
have obtained in their own homes.
"As an example Of our crowded condi-
tion the infants have been occupying the
bath room used by the patients, and
when the room was needed Tor its oriRi-
nal use ali had to be removed, much to
their discomfors. We must have dor
mitory for the proper care OF these babies,
with such appurtenances and room as
will place them in the best possible con-
dition for perfect restoration to health.
We can easily satisfy anyone who will
visit the hospital that we have not over
drawn the picture, and that our need is
great. We make most earnest appeal
TO the public in general. but more espec-
Tally the women, TO come to our aid, and
feel sure that we shall receive a response
liberal and prompt.
saThe funds necessary will not exceed
g, 900, and then we shall be in a position
TO care for large number. We have at
the present writing nearly score OF in
fants in our hospital, but crowded far too
much. At this season, particularly dur
ing the past ten DAYS. It mas required our
greatest effort to make these children
comfortable, and for them to be hot and
wretched means perhaps death to some
of them.
"We do not wish to convey the impress
sion that we are the only hospital for the
reception and care OF young infants, but
we do state that there Is no other hospital
within the State that receives children
within the first few hours after birth.
OF the children now under our care, there
is but one over six weeks old aud the
greatest number are much under that age
and necessarily demand not only most
careful attention, but they must have
plenty OF room.
I'VE hope that this statement may
meet the eyes of some who will interest
themselves In securing for these helpless
little people more comfortable quarters,
and any donation, however small, will be
very acceptable, but we desire to begin
our work as soon as pos sible and cannot
commence such an undertaking until we
are assured that tie funds will be forth
coming.
subscriptions may be sent to the hos
pital, No. So State street, Howard Rich
mond, treasurer, or in care OF Messrs.
Wilbour, jackson e. Co."