The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-04

things Sea Breeze gave them. Visitors
employed by the society making their
rounds in the interest of these boys and
girls discovered a host of babies under 2
years of age suffering from ailments COM
mon 10 very young children in summer.
What these babies needed, needed badly
was "A fresh air hospital, the society decided,
and il went to work to get il. Private purse
strings were Embossed at its request. with
the result that at midsummer last year a
flag streaming from the roof Of an old
frame building perched on a hill overlooking
the East River at Sixty-fourth street an
nounceo that Junior Sea Breeze had gone
into commission solely in behalf of babies
Of 2 years and under.
The main building Of the hospital. said to
be 2OO years old, was once the country house
of the Sc ermerhorn family, but of late
years it had been used for commercial
purposes, and when the society took hold Of
il was about rs far a cry from a modern
hospital plant as could be imagined. Paper,
paint and plain, substantial furniture nave
transformed the place, however, into an
entirely comfortable, convenient head
quarters for a doctors Office, a laboratory,
where all the milk given to the small pa
tients ia prepared and tested by experts; a
Kitchen, dining ROOM, sitting room, all IN
the ground floor, and ten sleeping rooms
for nurses and physicians on the Hoorabove.
A wide hall runs through the centre con-
Meeting the front n the back porch, the
latter vine shaded and commanding a view
up and down the river.
On these porches visitors with sick babies
in their arms wait their turn to see the
doctor. Mrs. Ingram, superintendent OF
relief for the society, who personally SUPER
vises the work at Junior Sea Breeze, IL
authority for the statement that on the
hottest nights Of the season the small
patients nave to be well wrapped up to Keep
them warm while there or in their tiny
cribs, for there are 10 windows which may
be shut down in this hospital.
The five dormitories are separate from.
the main building and each other, ana
they are built on a still higher eminence
and connected with a covered way. Each
may be described as a shack finished with
a double roof and with continuous window
spaces on the four sides, protected only
with wooden slat blinds seldom drawn in.
There are twelve cribs within and a con
Meeting covered piazza without on the
end next the river. There is room for
sixty patients. but so far the beds nave
not been all in use at the same time. The
other day forty-three babies we're on hand;
the day previous thirty-seven were being
cared for. There are three day nurses
and one night nurse to a dormitory, and
anxious mother are privileged TO spend
most OF the day near their offspring and
receive lessons In up to date nursing
methods.
Every afternoon at half-past 3 there
Is given In a covered pavilion next to the
dormitories q practical talk by a physician
or trained nurse on way and means of
preventing the baby from getting i'll. stress
being laid on what and how much and
how often young children should be fed in
hot weather.
There 10 a free playground between
the river front n First avenue, and often
mothers with a baby in the hospital bring
the older children and a lunch basket and
spend tho day hear. the little sufferer.
When q patient 10 we'll enough to 20 home
the mother. brings It's own clothing and
nursing bottle and leaves behind the loaned
equipment.
Gould mothers be induced to bring
us their babies before critically i'll our
work would be simplihed," said Mrs.
Ingram. UNFORTUNATELY too often they
put Of coming till the case Is almost hope
less. and for 10 other reason than that
the poor seldom like 20 part for q night
or n day even with a young baby. Before
tho ray us n visit and find that patients
ere " VI shut OUt f-N"l their mothers sight
az all MANY nr" flaid 'hrt bringing their
habi"s here for help means PARTING VIII
th"N' forever OF until they are we'll.
And there il ~ Fst iron rule cIe as
to now long a latent shall remain. al
though We prefer to keep a baby q day