The record-union., 1895-08-30
RUSSIA'S BABY FARM.
Vast Founding Asylum Run by the
Government at Moscow.

Vast Founding Asylum Run by the
Government at Moscow.
Foundlings are treated better in Russia
than in any other country III the world.
In Moscow is the biggest baby farm" to
be found anywhere. supported at an
actual cost of half million dollars q
year. with an accomm odatlon for 14,O00
Infants, annually kept up. oddly and
curiosiy enough, by tax on playing
cards.
Playing-carls in Russia are one of the
Governments particular little perquis-
ties. Among men aud women OF every
class games played with the conventional
pack of tlfty-twO are greatly IN favor, and
added to this are many gambling lnstltu-
tons ana social clubs wherein the stakes
run high all tending to increase the de-
mand. Importing playing-cards is strict
ly prohibited, and the Government makes
every pack used.
The big asylum consists OF several large
four-story structures, built III the form OF
hollow square about very beautiful
strip of garden, and stands almost within
IA stones throw OF that great church
known throughout the world as the
Kremlin. 1t is curious picture as one
walks through this garden on visit to
the institution. Each baby i'll the asylum
has it's own wetnurse, and every pleasant
day these nurses promenade along the
gravel walks, with their charges, in
double lines. At the approach OF strangers
and the matron the girls bow, down from
the waist, and not with u nod OF the head,
as is the Western custom. They wear
picturesque red and blue caps.
Iron cribs mum bering 300 stand out
in this garden in summer time, In order
that the babies Inay have a long airing
and sleep as much A the sunshine and in
the wind as possible. These cribs stand
on iron legs, and are about three feet
long, two feet deep and two feet wide.
The greatest care is taken to keep all of
the infants in the very best of health, and
one looks in vain in their attire for any
thing resem bling safety-plns or band
ages.
They are literally swathed in soft linen
of a SURPRISING Whlteness, and when bed
time comes are put to sleep in their little
cribs at the foot OF their nurses couches.
Never under any circumstances are they
allowed to sleep with their nurses.
Babylon in Russia is a very interest
ing subject. The statistics relating TO it
show that 25 per cent. of all the babies
born in the Empire die before they are a
year old. Forty-two per cent. die before
they are five years old, and yet the popu-
lation of Russia is increasing at the rate
of more than 100000 year.
A nurse, who recently visited the in
had this story to tell Of the reception of
babies and the immediate treatment Of
them:
LAS stood in the room l took out my
watch aud timed the taking in of half a
dozen babies. These were brought in
within twenty minutes, ana 1t did not
take more than three minutes nt the out
SIDE to register them. Their mothers, 1
suppose, brought the babies III. One
was pretty Russian girl, who came in
her bare feet with Il bundle in her arms.
She took this to table and handed slip
of paper, on which was written the name
of the baby, to the bookkeeper. She was
asked the date of it's birth, and it was
then given a check with a number on it.
and her baby was handed over to girl
with tape measure.
1.-The girl unwrapped the little one in
jiffy and laid it squalling on the scales.
She then gave its weight to the book
keeper, and taking the tape measure
from her shoulders ran it around the
head OF the baby. noted the size of it, and
measured Its length from crown to sole.
These figures were put down and the
infant was carried Off, naked as il was.
into the next room and handed over to
the washer. First, however, its check of
whito bono, bearing its number, was
tied about lis neck, and from this time II
lost lis name and became a number.
I'm the next room an old lady is wash
ing baby that was brought in five min
utes earlier. She speaks to the girl who
brings the new baby in, and the baby is
dropped gently on padded table and left
a second while number one is dressed.
''It continues to squall and kick az 1t
lies there for tive seconds on its back, but