, 1896-08-20
, BABY ~INCUBATORS.
A PHYSICIAN TELLS OF THE CON-
STRUCTION AND OPERATION.

peasiye. but Attendance Is Costly-In
Addition to Saving a Life. Each Incuba-
tion Contributes Useful knowledge.
In sharp contrast to the lavish reck-
lessncss with which noble, splendid
lives are often sacrificed to some futile,
ignoble cause, is the infinite vigilance
and care. the ingenuity and skill that
are sometimes expended upon preserving
and tanning into flame Il little spark
that has hardly attained the dignity of
being called II life.
Doubtless most are familiar with the
metal receptacle 4 by 2, standing On
four legs about waist high, with Il small
water pipe and heating apparatus on
one side and n cold air pipe and addi-
tional apparatus on the other known as
tho infant incubator. But perhaps few
realize the patient skilled watching and
the consequent expense necessary TO the
bringing forward of the little inmate.
until it shall be able to take its place in
the world us u real live and kicking
baby.
AT the first appearance upon lfe's
stage Of this speCk of humanity scarce
half made up" it is swathed in Il bum
die Of absorbent cotton and laid i'll its
little nest, with nothing to distract its
attention but Il perfectly accur.iC ihcr-
moECtcr, to which it, however, seems
wholly indifferent. Tie glass lid is then
almost closed. Experience has taught
the physicians that it is better to leave
1t open a little space. A trained nurse
at once takes her place by the side of
this unique object and keeps constant
guard over temperature. conditions of
air, etc. Absolute quiet and a subdued
light are among the requirements. The
temperature may range from 80 to 9S
degrees. In eases of low vitality it is
kept ut 9S, and with the most robust is
never allowed to so below 80 degrees.
Then every hour the little charge must
be fed. This is sometimes accomplished
by means OF Il dropper, but more often
II little rubber tube is passed through
the mouth and csOphagus into the stom-
acli, Il into this tube is slowly poured
II dram, about Il ~teaspoonful, of pre-
pared food. Thus in the 81 hours about
three ounce Of food are absorbed. This
food is made after Il formula arranged
By Il most cXport chemist and changes
nom day 20 day according to the tevcl-
ofn.vnt Of the baby.
Every 80 hours the little gown of alb.
sorbcnt cotton is exchanged for Il per-
tectly fresh ono Of the same material.
The food and clothing Of this embryo
parsonage are not, therefore, great bills
of expense, but its lodgings, its physi-
clan and nurses make up a pretty sum
tor its indulscnt parents.
1t will easily be seen that the only
rcquircmcnts for raising II baby in an
Incubator are Il perfectly even, high
temperature, pure air and Il food the
nearest approach possible to its Datural
food. But simple us this sounds it has
taxed every resource of the best engi-
neering and sanitary authorities. the
finest psychologists and chemists i'll
the country to arrive at the present
state of advancement. An incubator US
1t Is now perfected costs about $500. \
few firms have them to rent, and rs tho
demand fer them is naturally small one
may be rented ut any time.
DR.. Rotcll, who is responsible for
many Of Tie recent improvements Of tho
incubator, has been very successful in
its use. lie insists upon having always
two trained nurses, SO that 10 moment
may there be the risk Of II change in
conditions which might turn the scale
the wrong WAY. This Of itself means
500 n week, AID tie time of incubation
is usually from two months to ton
weeks. But thC baby so saved cones in
time to lie Qu4to the equal ,f lis fellows
who followed the good, old fashioned
ways.
Hospitals canmo boast rs great sue
cess from their experience with incu.
hatcrs, although several include ono
among their appliances. In the first
place it is often a case where the tiny
MohammCd must go TO The mountain,
and it is almost impossible TO accomplish
this without some little exposure. Then
i'll most cases the child has not only
premature birth to struggle with, but
the worst factor Of having oTn from i'll
conditioned. badly nourished and often
incorporate parents. Besides, no nurse
i'll II hospital, III score of nurses, can so
arrange that one shall always have IN
eye on the thermometer; AND the 80 or
more full blown babies will not upon
demand refrain their voices from weep
ing out of consideration for the sensi-
tivcucss Of their delicate little comrade.
The hospital people arc sometimes
asked why they make so great an effort
to save the lives of these poor little
creatures who, at the best. must cnter
the race Of lie fearfully handicapped.
Their aTguInCiit, Of course, is that the