The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1905-08-04
INFANT INCUBATORS.
A Much Needed and Scientific Bless
sing.

Think OF family of incubator chill
dreu each baby in its own castle and
each receiving royal care. They are
such delicate, frail. tiny little cherubs,
that they are not yet ready to begin
their struggle for existence. Then
think of the care and attention that
must be given them, of change of
linen, and especial swaddling clothes,
of the feeding and nursing and medi-
cal attendance that must be given them
and that thinker will have an idea OF
the Infant Incubators that form one of
the most Interesting and thoroughly
scientific features of the Lewis and
Clark Exposition. Half dozen
skilled nurses, who have been trained
especially for the incubator institution
in Berl IL and Paris, devote their time
and energy and care to these babies.
while DR.. M. A. Councy. of Berlin,
superintends and directs the work.
To the spectators, the incubator
babies appear to lead an undisturbed
life behind the glass doors of their
castles, peacefully sleeping upon the
whitest of pillows, their ininitesimal
hands peeping out of doll sleeves, their
eyes looking only occasionally into an
unknown world. The average weight
of each is about two and one-ha pounds
but even though they are so small,
they are not so quiet as they look,
andif they reach the incubators in
time and are alive forty-eight hours
after arrival, DR.. Couney declares they
will have good chance to live and
thrive. These babies are prematurely
born and come usaly to the incubators
in comatose condition. By drastic
measures vitality is brought back.
AS soon as received, the frail infant
is given bath in water and mustard
Then two drops of brandy are placed
in its mouth which acts as stimulant.
Its body is rubbed with especially pre-.
pared lotion and into the incubator ii
go,s. For four days it is kept at a
temperature from 80 to 100 degrees,
being removed regularly day and night
every two hours to be fed Is grams of
nourishment. Its food consists OF milk
supplied by healthy wet nurses. The
child being to weak to have desire
for food. The nasal spoon is used, and
the milk is drawn and placed in tall
glass which is immersed in a larger
glass containing warm water. This
keeps the milk at the proper temper
AZURE. The nasal spoon and the
method of nasal feeding are new to
America-a revelation in fact. The
infant is olt of danger when it has the
strength to take at least 30 grams or
one ounce of uourishment at a single
feeding. Every infant is weighed be-
fore and after each feeding, oascer-
tain the amount OF nourishment taken
and complete record is kept of this
as ofa other details of the Incubator
process. The air of the incubators is
kept at a uniform temperature by
means of an automatic coDtrivance,
and fresh air is introduced through
a large pipe. The air is purified by
passing through an antiseptic fluid
and then through cotton, and it is
warmed before it is permitted to pass
into the infants apartment. The most
important consideration for child
prematurely born is temperature.
Consequently, the temperature of the
incubator is kept uniform and the
automatic contrivance used for this is
so perfectly regulated that the temper
ature is always correct. Moreover
a thermosat at the front of
the incubator is constant guide as to
the thermal condition. Statistics show
that OF premature or weakly born in
fants, under ordinary conditions only
10 per cent live; by means OF the incu-
bator 85per cent are saved. These
artificial mothers, the incubators, are
wonderful bits OF mechanism, invented
by Drs. NJ A. Couney and S. Schnkein
who have charge of the institution.