The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1897-03-31
BABY %INCUBATORS.
A PHYSICIAN TELLS OF THE CON-
STRUcTIoN AND OPERATION.

Addition to Saving q Life, Each 1ncubs-
ton Contributes Useful knowledge.
In sharp contrast to the lavish reck-
i~essness with which noble. splendid
lives are often sacrificed to some futile,
ignoble cause. is the infinite vigilance
and care, the ingenuity and skill thas
are sometimes expended upon preserving
and tanning into flame a little spark
that has hardly attained the dignity OF
being called a life.
Doubtless most are familiar with the
metal receptacle 4 by .. standing on
four legs about waist high, with q small
water pipe and heating apparatus on
one side and q cold air pipe and addi-
tional apparatus OF the other known as
the 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 as a real 'tliye and kicking"
baby.
At the first appearance upon life's
stage Of this speck Of humanity "scarce
half made up, it is swathed in a bun
die Of absorbent cotton and laid In its
little nest, with nothing to distract its
attention but a perfectly accurate Their
mometcr, to which it, however, seems
wholly Indifferent. The glass lid is then
almost closed. Experience has taught
the physicians that it is better to leave
it open q little space. A trained nurse
ct once takes her place by the side Of
this unique object and keeps constant
guard over temperature, conditions Of
air, etc. Absolute quiet and q subdued
light are among the requirements The
temperature may range from 90 to 90
degrees. In cases Of low vitality 1t is
kept at 90, and with the most robust is
never allowed to go below go degrees.
Then every hour the little charge must
be fed. This is sometimes accomplished
by means of a dropper. but more often
a little rubber tube is passed through
the mouth and esophagus into the stom-
ach, and into this tube is slowly poured
a dram, about a ~teaspoonful, Of pre-
pared food. Thus in the "a hours about
three ounces of food are absorbed. This
food is made after q formula arranged
by a most expert chemist and changes
from day to day according to the devel-
opment Of the baby.
Every 3G hours the little gown OF alb
sorbent cotton is exchanged for a per-
fectly fresh one Of the same material.
The food and clothing Of this embryo
parsonage are not, therefore, great bills
of expense, but its lodgings, it's phsei-
clan and nurses make up a pretty sum
for its i~ndulgent parents.
1t will easily be seer that the only
requirements for raising q baby in an
incubator are a perfectly even, high
temperature, pure air and O food the
nearest approach possible to it's natural
food. But simple as this sounds it has
taxed every resourc Of the best engi-
neering and sanitary authorities, the
finest psychologists and chemists in
the country to arrive at the present
state of advancement. An incubator as
it is now perfected costs about $500. A
few firms have them to rent, and as the
demand for them is naturally small one
may be rented at any time.
DR.. Rotch, who Is responsible for
many Of the recent improvements Of the
incubator, has been very successful in
its use. He insists upon having always
two trained nurses, 80 that no moment
may there be the risk Of a change IN
conditions which might turn the scale
the wrong way. This Of itself meana
$50 a week, and the time Of incubation
is usually from two months to ten
weeks. But the baby SO saved comes in
time to be quite the equal Of his fellows
who followed the good, old fashioned
ways.
Hospitals cannot boast as great sue
cess from their experience with incu'
bators, although several include one
among their appliances. In the first
place it is often a case where the tiny
Mohammed must 60 to the mountain,
and it is almost impossible to accomplish
this without some little exposure. Ther
in most cases the child has not only
premature birth to struggle with, but
the worst factor Of having come from IL
conditioned, badly nourished and ofte,
Incorporate parents. Besides, NJ nurst
in q hospital, no score Of nurses, a 81
arrange that n shall always have az
eye OH the thermometer; and the 80 o,
more full blown babies will not upoI
demand refrain their voices from weep
ing out Of consideration for the sensi
tiveness Of their delicate little oomrade
The hospital people are sometimes
asked why they make 50 great an efor1
to save the lives Of these poor little
creatures who, at the best, must entel
the race of life fearfully handicapped
Their argument, of course, is that thu
tiniest life in embryo has q right to iii
chance; but their interest Is doubles!
largely scientific. Physicians from
Maine to California, from the st. Law.
renee to the gulf, are constantly looking
to these hospitals for the latest and bes,
results of their researches and expert.
ments, and by studying the treatment
and watching the development of casel
here, the incubating process included,
they may be able to save many a life
nearer home. Besides, who can foretel.
whether the tiny atom may not turn on,
a Lincoln or a Wagner as well as q com
mopplace Smith or Jones?-M. %. In
Chicago Record.
Exhausted.