The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-06
Flower-Mission Hospital
And Its Work for Children
Work Should Appeal to Every One with
Sympathetic Heart

crying babies presently" One Of the ba-
bies is suffering from bronchitis-such a
grOwn-up disease 20 be saddled on a little
blinking baby-and her little fingers are
delicate as flower petals; but she was a
very contented youngster one afternoon
last week, as she lay on her side, working
away industriOusly al the big bottle which
was laid on the pillow beside her.
One of the little tots I'm the hospital is
maid with what is known as Potts dis
ease" For a year and half she has been
strapped to a board, and the one warm
springlike afternoon OF the past week she
lay on the weary board on a little wheeled
chair a veranda. attended by two OF
the other little invaIids OF the home, who.
however, are not so afflicted but that they
! can walk and run like other children. The
little boarded-up maid is not petulant
baby, however; her big brown eyes are con-
tented enough. for the wee one finds her
poor little back much more comfortable
held close against the board than IL rs when
unsupported, that she takes the board and
straps as comforts rather than as incon,
veniences. In time, though, the little girl
will be able TO dispense with her board and
have back as good as anybody's-
The stOreroom on the second floor Is by
no means the least interesting part OF the
hospital The house linens OF all kinds are
kept here. the medicines and many OF the
other necessaries of the hospital and the
home; but the interesting press Is the one
where the little pinafores and underclothes
are kept. The piles Of little Bingham frocks
and other garments are carefully assorted
and kept on shelves according 10 their sizes
All the little patients who enter the hospi-
tai wear the gowns provided by the hospi-
tai management and they are kept as trim
and fresh as the most eEactinS mothtr
could desire.
The children and especially the babies,
are discharged as soon as their cure Is as
sured. as the nurses say that 10 keep
baby I'm the hospital is 10 INSURE It's be-
coming III again. When the cases demand
it, however, the children are kept Tor long
periods. One little girl. who is now in the
hospital has already been there Tor two
years and a boy patient. who was taken
away last week. had been in the hospital
for three years-and then went away be-
wailing his removal.
No color line is drawn in the hospital ar
rangenents and cofored babies and colOred
children are looked after as tenderiy and
carefully as the little ones OF fairer skins.
The little negro babies, indeed. are favor
annnies fully winning as the whittier bits
of babyhoOd
FOR CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
Many people have the impression that
contagious diseases are refused by the hos
pitaI. but they are not. There Is a conta-
gion ward separate from the rest OF the
hospital and under the charge OF a separate
nurse Communication with the main hos
pital is held only by telephone so the other
small patients in no danger OF infec-
ton The only cases 81 which the hospital
hesitates are the tubercular ones. they
are so frequently incurable and there Is
much grave danger to the other chill
drCn.
The operating-room Of the hospital Is On
the third floor, big and bright. lighted by a
skylight and many windows, and the walls.
floor and small operating tables. immacu-
lately clean. There are comparatively few
operations in the hospital. however.
At present there are only eight patients
i'm the hospital. though there are accom-
mOdations for many more. The greatest
number Of children ever looked after at one
time was twenty-five. At that time the
hospital was not so thoroughly equipped
now. and the little ones were tucked away
in clothes baskets and other imnrOvised
beds, none the less comfortable that they
were makeshifts. Now. however. there are
beds OF all sorts and sizes and plenty OF
them. and the only lack is the patients 10
fill them.
The Eleanor Hospital is a memorial 10 a
child the daughter OF the late Col. Ell
! Lilly. The house and grounds for the hos
pital. formerly the Gresham homestead.
were given by him 90 the Flower Mission.
| by which the hospital Is managed and sup
ported. Two graduate nurses and
| trained nurse have the hospital IN chargs
and IL is hoped that In time there Will be
house physician added 10 the hospital
] STAN.