Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-08
BAD TREATMENT OF CHILDREN.
More Instances of Neglect of Nurse
Girls.

More Instances of Neglect of Nurse
Girls.
Two communications have been received
upon the subject Of Nurse Girls and Their
Charges" on which letter was published
in The Star last Tuesday. "E. NJ. 81
writes as follows:
Allow me to fully indorse all the state
ments made by AN Observer in your issue
of Tuesday last. My point of observation
is Lafayette Square, which 1 have to cross
almost daily. Not only have 1 constantly
noticed all that Is stated. but can give an
instance in point to further prove the facts.
About three months ago I passed a group
of nurse girls chatting and laughing with
a couple of their fellows in the shade.
On the turn of the clump of bushes found
baby carriage with a little mite about six
months old yelling for all its lungs could
stand. At once I saw what was the mat
ter The sun Of full noon was full in its
face, singing its eyes and binding 1t. 1
took hold Of the carriage and turned 1t
around, placing 1t under the shadow Of a
bush. This brought up the nurse girl from
her Irritation, and she volunteered the ex-
PLANTATION that that child was the worst
cry-baby she had ever seen; she could DO
nothing with it, AS it was. the little thing,
once its eyes out of the glare. had sudden
ly stopped crying and was trying to smile
through its tears at the baby talk l was
lavishing on It, I gave the nurse a bit of
my mind, asking her how she would like
to look full into the sun herself; that she
was running the childs eyesight perhaps
for life with her carelessness. and ended by
telling her l knew the mother and would
report her II such thing happened again
This brought her down peg, and she went
back to her friends, grumbling something
about people minding their own business.
1 hurried my errands and made point to
pass again as soon as possible by the same
path. so as to find how matters We're pro-
crossing. AS 1 went along 1 determined, II
things did not seem to go right. to sit In
the park and watch her. then follow her
home and report her to her mistress. Hav-
ing cleared my business for the day, I was
ready for a tramp if she discovered that I
was following her and led me wild chase
l felt / was as good a pedestrian as she
could be and l could tire her out. AS it
was when l returned to Lafayette Square
She had gone and her friends dispersed
Another group of nurse girls was there,
going through the same routine of smack
ings and thumpings so well described by
AN Observer.
Mothers sending their nurses out in the
parks ought to watch them and pounce
upon them suddenly and see for themselves
how their children are treated. The benefit
of the air of the park is not much different
from the air of the street or back yard of
the house they live in, and l know many a
mother who prefers having her nurse move
up down the street or the garden than
trust her to staying away several hours
without knowing what is happening to the
young ones. In one instance q friend of
mine had her strong, healthy boy baby
brought home after an absence of five
hours with strong case of smallpox. The
nurse, instead Of going to the park, had
gone visiting some friends in an infested
alley.
&c. r. p" speaks as follows:
With reference to the communication
Nurse Girls and Their Charges" in a re-
cent issue. permit me to say I have re-
Gently seen an infant Of that delicate age
when the spine is powerless to support the
head punished for crying at grave discom-
fort by being jostled In Its carriage up and
down, right and left, viciously that the
heavy head was thrown from the pillow
with every motion. This terrible abuse Of
the young spine and brain was Obliged to
view in agony. after appealing to the nurse
girl in vain.
The writer is another who would be Glad
10 know Of any power to compel the cessa-
|ficn Of such savaGery.