The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-18
CARING FOR THE WATTS
Summer Home of the Washington
Hospital for FOundlings.
Description of the Institution
at hesda-Thirfy-seven Little
Ones Now Under Its Protecting
Roof-How They Are Looked After
-The Routine of Their Daily Life.

At Bethesda is situated the summer
! home Of the Washington Hospital for
Foundlings, where thirty-seven little in
mates of the Institution, ranging in age
from ten days TO four years, are waxing
of the matron and her staff, and the ex-
cellent effect OF open air life.
Nine acres of ground, owned by the in
| stitution, on the Tenleytown Road. stu
| ated in as picturesque country as can be
! found in nearby Maryland, has been Sc
leeted for the location of the sumner
home. A waving landscape stretches out
toward the horizon from every point OF
view, and fields of grain or woodland lend
! an infinite charm and variety to the pros
/ pect.
The home "a new building erected last
year. is situated on a prominence. and
overlooks the surrounding country. 1t is
commodious two-story structure that
covers considerable ground. and is en-
circ!ed on the four sides with large
verandas, which afford an excellent end
much used romping place for the children.
! The verandas are shaded with large avn
| ings, which protect it from the suns lays
during the heat of the day. and render it
cool and shady at all times. Other build
ings on the grounds. connected with the
institution, are the power house. a large
laundry. and a little one-room building
which is known as the morgue
At the power house water Is pumped
from well into the reservoir tanks.
which supply the house with drinkir G
water and the laundry with water for lis
needs. The well is 125 feet deep, and has
been drilled through the solid rock The
water is as clear as crystal and ice cold.
The laundry is equipped with every IA
cility for the immense amount of work
that is found necessary at the home.
where endless numbers of articles of
clothing, bed and dtable linen require t.
be washed daily.i
The morgue. which it is found needful
at times TO call into service, is used, as its
name suggests, to hold the remains. pend
ing removal, of some hapiess little suffer
er. who has been relieved of misery by
death.
Vegetables From the Garden.
garden provides the kitchen with all
the vegetables used at the table. Pota-
toes, tomatoes, everything in fact is gro|n
here, that the management finds desirable,
and quite large field is planted with way
ing corn.
The rooms OF the summer home, where
the little ones sleep and eat. are large and
airy. In a wing Of the house, separated
from the rest of the building is the kitchen
where all the cooking is done, and where
the only fire in the house is maintained.
Two large dormitories are situated on the
first floor, in the front of the houae. with
plenty of window accommodations OF two
sides of each room. The rooms are diyid-
ed by the spacious hall which runs to the
rear OF the building. In the dormitories
are the rows of little iron beds, arranged
at even distances on two sides of the
rooms. Everything is scrupulously clean.
The walls are of white plaster, the beds
are painted white, and with me white bed
linen. the white night-robes of the child
rem. and the white costumes of the nurses.
white is the predominating color. In one
room the older children-those who can
walk-sleep at night. while in the other
room are the tiny little tots of tender
er age.
Back of the dormitories is the nursery.
Here the foundlings are bathed many times
daily Special tables have been made with
receptacies for papier-mache wash bowls.
These are for the use of the infants who
can be laid on the table and conveniently
handled by the nurses. Each little one is
furnished with an individual wash cloth
and towel. the use OF which is confined to
the one child.
On the same floor is the pantry and the
dining-room for the older children In
the pantry are the pots and pans, used in
preparing the milk foods for the infants
neatly arranged and everything in place.
A capacious refrigerator is here. Nursing
bottles already prepared for the infants
and each labeled with the name of the
child for whom it is intended are placed
in rows within In the dining-room is a
table for the children who have grown be-
yond the nursing stage. high bench
enables the shorter ones to reach the
level OF the table. while chairs are pro-
vided for the larger children. In the
rooms above are the sleeping quarters for
the nurses and servants.
The staff OF the summer home consists
at present OF the matron Mrs. r. B. Cate;
the head nurse. Eulah B. Flynn; nine
other nurses. one ward maid, and six
servants.
Plenty of Time for Play.
The daily routine of life for the older
child inmates of the institution consists
principally of play. All but the most
necessary discipline is suspended. While
the little ones are all awake long be-
fore the rising hour, they are not per-
mitted to get out of bed before 65o'clock.
a drink of milk is given 10 each al this
time Baths in the nursery follow. when
the boys are clad in tiny overalls and
the girls in neat dresses, and turned
loose for a short play before breakfast
The night nurse retires at o'clock in
the morning at which hour the day nurses
have arisen and had their breakfast.
At 7:30 the children are called in from
play and are furnished with a breakfast
which consists Of some cereal, milk, and
bread and butter. Breakfast over they
are again permitted to amuse themselves
until dinner time 1880. The same din
ner that is provided for the nurses and