The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-08-07
A Baby Incubator.
(From Harper's Bazar.)


Nothing could be apparently more simple
than the incubator itself. II is cage with
glass front. through which passes cur
rent OF filtered air, constantly renewed and
maintained perpetually at a perfectly even
temperature. Our practical minds inme-
d-ately appreciated the fact that the entire
trick of this artificial breeding was there;
that this was the invention, in short. The
motherly hen who gathers her eggs under
her wings is not obliged TO combat any
question Of respiration. The friendly ard-
fices that so successfully supplant her need
concern themselves only with heat. But
even the fondest mother usually succumbs
before TIE problem of giving a strong
healthy baby a constant supply or fresh
ar which never varies il. temperature. and
ends by giving a debate child no air al
all
The temperature in the incubator is main
ia 'nsd ty self-regI LA ting thermometer.
The exact degree of heat required in pro
PORTION 10 the development Of the wee NOR
sci OF humanity is first estimated by a sys-
TEN OF calculation. If the temperature
rises above that level the thermometer
rises as well. and by its ascension alone
d;ninishes me action of the current OF nett.
II the temperature tends to fall, the ;her-
mome.er allows more heat TO pass.
To watch these little animate rolls was
quite blow TO that instinct which makes
us associate a certain state with the new
horn heir to eternal life entering into his
Kingdom of existence. They were all ex
actly alike, red and wrirkled, sleeping away
like so many little animals. They were
all dressed, however, in little white frocks
on which one saw the finest OF French nee
Gle-work above the limbs, emmaillottes. or
swathed, according 10 French custom, and
each had a tiny bow of the narrowest pink
ribbon on her sleeves. Four times day
they are taken out and fed. and the tiniest
mites, ''six-month babies as they are call
ed, are fed through the nose by a curious
spoon, with a bowl lige rose petal pincheC
together at one end
At the back of the room we noticed a
little glass room in which were two rosy
faced nurses, for so simple and so purely
mechanical is the work of baby-incubat:ng
that very little care is needed. Each baby
is touched only six times day-four times
to be fed, twice changed. The nurses live
in temperature of about % degrees cent?
grade. The baby is covered to be carried
to the nurse. and as soon as it IS normal it
takes the breast. Out of the eleven mites
in the room when we were there five weigh
ed less than two pounds at birth. Out o.
ISL children carried to the incubator in three
years, Isl have been saved.
The baby incubator was invented In 1881,
and charity incubators in France are the
work of phiianthropist, DR.. Lion, who
has interested prominent people of ali sorts
and conditions of life in the work and hopes
to establish similar institutions all over
Paris. An incubator can be rented for
francs month. and any family. by means
Of an ordinary gas tube. kerosene lamp
Or current of electricity, and S12 a month
Fan save a little life, still more precious
10 those to whom it has been given by rea-
son of its fragility.