The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-01-19
BABY INCUBATORS.
4 PHYSICIAN TELLS Of the CON-
srRUcTloN AND OPERATION.
The Apparatus Ii Very simple and Iner-
pensive. but Attend.ss< Us CostIy-In
Addition to Saving q Life. Each Incubs-
ton Contributes Useful knowledge.

Q lessness with which noble, splendi
lives are often sacrificed TO some futile
ignoble cause, is the infinite yigilanc
and care, the ingenuity and skill tina
are sometimes expended upon preservin,
and tanning into flame little sparl
that has hardly attained the dignity O
being called life.
Doubtless most are familiar with tn,
metal receptacle 4 by 2, standing OF
four legs about waist high, with a small
water pipe and heating apparatus OF
one side and cold air pipe and add.
tional apparatus ON 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 ''live 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 bum
die Of absorbent cotton and laid in it's
little nest, with nothing to distract its
attention but perfectly accurate Their
mometer, 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
1t open 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 90 to 90
degrees. In cases of low vitality it is
kept at 80, and with the most robust is
never allowed to 60 below 80 degrees.
Then every hour the little charge must
be fed. This is sometimes accomplished
by means of 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 teaspoonful, of pre-
pared food. Thus in the "a hours about
three ounces of food are absorbed. This
food Is made after formula arranged
by most expert chemist and changes
from day to day according to the devel-
opment of the baby.
Every SO hours the little gown of alb.
sorbent cotton is exchanged for per-
tectly fresh one of the same material. |
The food and clothing of this embryo |
parsonage are not, therefore, great bills |
or expense, but its lodgings, its physi- |
clan and nurses make up pretty sum
for Its lndulgent parents.
1t will easily be seen that the only
requirements for raising a baby in an
incubator are perfectly even, high
temperature, pure air and a food the
nearest approach possible TO it's natural
food. But simple as this sounds it has
taxed every resource 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
1t is now perfected costs about 5000. A
lew firms have them to rent, and as the
demand for them is naturally small one
may be rented at any time.
Or. Rotch, who is responsible for
many of the recent improvements Of the
incubator, has been very successful in
us use. he insists upon having always
,wo trained nurses, so that no moment
nay there be the risk of change in
conditions which might turn the scale
The wrong way. This Of itself means
500 week, and the time Of incubation
8 usually from two months to ten
weeks. But the baby so saved comes in
line TO be quite the equal Of his fellows
Who followed the good, old fashioned
Ways.
Hospitals cannot boast as great sue
ess from their experience with incu-
'ators, although several include one
4mong their appliances. In the first
lace 1T is often case where the tiny
dohammed must go to the mountain,
md 1t is almost impossible to accomplish
his without some little exposure. Then
most cases the child has not only g.,
premature birth to struggle with, but
he worst factor of having come from i'll
badly nourished and often
Incorporate parents, Besides no nurse
u hospital, no score of nurses. can SO |
rrange that one shall always have an 4
ye on the thermometer and the 90 or
nore full blown babies will not upon
emand refrain their vorces from weep ,
ng out OF consideration for the sensi- ,
lveness OF their delicate little comrade
The hospital people pre sometimes
sked why they make so great an effort
save the lives of these poor little
FEATURES who, at the best, must enter
he race of life fearfully handicapped.
heir argument, of course, is that the {
lniest life in embryo has a right to its 0
nance; but their interes, is doubtless ,
lrgely scientific. Physicians from r
laine to California, from the st. Law I
ence to the gulf, are constantly looking /
these hospitals for the latest and best !;
esults of their researches and expert |.
rents, and by studying the treatment
nd watching the development of cases
ere, the incubating process included, e
ney may DO able to save many a life g
carer home. Besides, who can foretell
'hether the tiny atom may not turn out
Lincoln or Wagner as well as COM
lonplace Smith or Jones?.-M d. in q
hicago Record.