New-York tribune., 1901-07-05
IN THE BABIES WARDS.
NO SPECIAL CELEBRATION HELD THERE
YESTERDAY ON ACCOUNT OBJ
THE RECENT HEAT

. Contrary to custom. the babies in the Post
Graduate Hospital. Second-ave. and Twentieth-st..
had little special celebration yesterday The nurses
have been too busy IN trying TO keep the little
ones alive through the dreadful heat to think Of
anything not absolutely necessary. The wards are
always attractive places, however. in their dainty
appointments, and ths little frightened up
amazingly IN the relief afforded by the change OF
temperature.
The week has been a hard one for the babies"
said Miss Weston the superintendent, to a Trib-
une reporter yesterday. "On Tuesday we admitted
ten, and the number every day since the hot spell
began has varied from five upward -Four have
died and many cases have been greatly aggravated
BY the heat. Those who died were dying when
brought here and It too late 10 save them"
In some OF the wards all the occupants took
their Fourth Of July dinner from bottles. and only
In two were the little tables spread. In the
-Strollers' ward, which is under the special pat
ronage Of the StroIlers' Dramatic Club. of Columbia
College which gives entertainment every year
for it. two girls sat at the tiny table in state.
One looked on from its crib in which a tray was
placed, another paid eager attention TO its bottle
in the nurses arms. and several slept peacefully
N an effort regain some Of the sleep lost during
the hot days and nights.
In another ward were three nurses, each OF whom
had q baby on each knee contentedly taking its
bottled refreshments. The children are all won
derfully good considering the weather." said the
nurse In reply a query whether they were
always good then, she answered: Nearly
always They often fretful and Grabbed when
they come, but week two Of systematic care
In feeding and nursing works wonders with them
The pink room.' however quite the show
place Yesterday albeit unintentionally Like the
other rooms, the brass and iron cribs all
draped with white net canopes TO repel vagrant
mosquitoes but, unlike the Others most Of the
children able TO sit at the table. Such
pathetic little gathering! Yet SCARED and ban
daged as they were, their cheerful faces seemed
unconscious Of any for unhappiness The
nerriest OF the group a little girl just
covering from severe burning. The lower half
grated skin still red and SCARED in appearance
but successful is the operation that the doctors
believe that by the time she is eighteen little dis
Another is recovering from a scalding received
by falling into a pot of hot soup careessly put
the floor by its mother. Every one bears the trace
hard to find They amused themselves while wait
ing patiently for the ice cream that was to be a
again the nurse went to see II II had come. and
finally telephoned, receiving In reply the informa,
the horses Sick but IT is on It's way now" 1t
dGTysf deEh in course OF time anu was greeted with
The cases admitted to the babies wards are
consider from what these babies come-the
conditions and the heredity-it seems ms wonderful
mitted who had been born in damp basement
without even a piece Of bread cup OF milk. and
from which she had been evicted for non-pay-
ment Of rent before they were day old"
The babies wards are supported almost wholly
by private charity In many cases this ,96 takes the
This gives The privilege Of naming and inscribing
rtal 10 some child who has passed away mum Hi
Der Of young women, calling themselves the sun
ent for the edren One War8 IS named the
Sunbeam Room. in their honor, The treasurer OF
pital is Mrs Frederic Edey. Of No. ia West Fifty
nM1th-St n1h-St Other officers OF the committee are MISS
second vice-charman. and Mrs. Robert clarkson.