The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-12
A BABIES HOSPITAL.

New York Evening Sun.

New York Evening Sun.
The new building of the Babies Hospital
of the City of New York, on the northeast
corner Of Lexington avenue and Fifty-ffth
street. has just been completed. The Ba-
bies' Hospital is an Incorporated public in
stitution founded in 1887, of which Oliver
G. Jennings is president and William +.
Havemeyer vice president 1t is the only
institution of its kind not only in this city,
but In the whole world, the aim or the or
ganization being devoted solely and ex-
clusively to the caring of ailing infants.
Such, however, has been the success or
in Europe have advocated the establish
ment of babies hospitals in their own coun-
tries. France, Germany and Great Britain,
and it is likely that within short time
another typical American institution will
be initiated by the old world.
The new edifice which the society has just
proceeded to occupy was started In August
1901. IL is a even-and-a-half-story struc-
ture, with a frontage of forty feet on Lex
ington avenue and eighty feet on East FIJI
ty-ffth street, with a southern exposure
The interior construction is of steel. the
outer walls being of Indiana limestone for
the first two stories and Harvard Drlck,
interspersed with limestone trimmings
above. and cut granite foundation
AS the new building is the frst or It's
kind, the interior arrangement is, in a
way, in the nature of an experiment. In
the basement are located, among other fea-
lures, the laundries, fitted up with the most
motor. Here also are placed the kitchen,
servants dining room and the disinfecting
plant. The disinfecting chamber contains
an iron cylinder with a capacity large
enough for mattresses and bedding
The ground floor is divided into two
parts, of which the western half. entered
from Lexington avenue, is devoted to out
door patients, while the eastern half, with
the entrance on Fifty-fifth street. contain
ing the Office of the secretary, Mr.. Ogden
Chisholm; clinic room, capable of hold
tvarr I'D Co o1nth
ing and storage. another for the ex-
animation Of patients, and bathroom.
The second floor is given over mainly to
the business and comfort OF the staff OF
the hospital. while on the next floor are To-
Gated the nurses dormitories. Here TWEEN
ty-two persons can be accommodated. On
the fourth floor is the ward for patients
afflicted with pneumonia and kindred pull
monary diseases. 1t has three large double
sashed windows, and attached to it is a
small steam chamber. in which patients are
placed for treatment by steam and any
form of indicated vapor.
This is an innovation, displacing, as il
does, the old style spray or Group kettle
The diet kitchen for the preparation OF
| proper food for the patients is on this floor
and has been fitted up with a thorough
| equipment for the modification of milk and
| the preparation Of infants food. 1t contain:
| also a specially constructed refrigerator
for milk and the model nurseries"
| The main wards of the hospital are or
| the fifth and sixth floors of the new build
4 ing. Eacn or the wards possesses an ante
room for dressing and bathing, so that the
air in the wards may be kept as pure a:
possible. The bathrooms are fitted up with
porcelain tubs set in marble alcoves. The
| fifth floor contains the operating room, sup
piled with all the appliances of modern sur
| gerry.
One of the novelties of construction, anC
| one which, ii is confidently hoped will
| prove exceedingly useful is the solarum
| entirely glazed so as to get the full benef
of the suns rays. The solarium will be OF
| the south side of the seventh floor, and will
| have glass roof. 1t is to be utilized as
garden and playroom for the older children
| A platform is placed along the north wal
to receive the baskets containing the small
| infants
Another notable innovation is the new
hospital furniture, designed after the idea
submitted by Miss Wheeler. Perhaps tn
most useful Of these furniture innovation
| is the movable frame on which the nattres
| rests, and which can be so adjusted tina
1t can be raised to any desired height.