The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-16

liar. a craft remodelled and furnished as
 well as could be for hospital purposes
 but not originally designed for such serv- ice, has now become a memory.
 Take the sick child ont to sea and
 you greatly increase the chance of his
 recovering. So directly and evidently
 useful is this charity that it has not only
 become well organized in Boston. but il'-
 quires show that the system is being con-
 sdered in many other cities Already
 great interest in the plan has been arous-
 cd in England. Already the New York
 Floating hospital and It's allied seaside
 hospital are carrying on a similar bene-
 fcent work, although the metropolitan
 steamship receives thus far day patients only. Explaining how the details of the
 hospital that goes to sea are arranged
 the 18th annual report of the institution
 has lately been published in connection
 with the advent of the new season, and
 at the same time to other persons who
 may be interested in briefer statement
 an illustrated folder has been sent out
 from the Floating hospital headquarters
 at 54 Devonshire street.
 One of the Earliest.
 One of the earliest floating hospitals
 is said to have been developed in the
 nearby city of Lowell Mass, where Dr.
 Thomas F. Harrington, a local physician
 who has given considerable attention to
 the study of infant mortality among the
 poor, and who also originated the plans
 of getting the fire department to flood the streets in the tenement districts on very
 hot days. about 1891 devised plan of sending sick children in charge of
 nurse up the Merrimack in a steamboat, to escape the terrific heats of the city. The work in Boston began about lo94 when five experimental day trips were
 made on a hired barge with only volun-
 teer service. The next year under the
 same system thirteen day trips were un-
 dertaken while in 1896 daily trips, except
 Sunday were inaugurated, and the work
 was given into the hands of bohrd of
 managers, a medical staff and two paid
 nurses In 1897 the barge Clifford Was
 bought and equipped to care for Tod
 infants and children. In 1898 two wards were established for permanent patients and night service was organized. From 1898 to 1900 the work developed steadily, and in the middle of August last sum
 mer the new boat specially designed and built to be a modern hospital, and em- bodying the result of years of study on the part of those connected with the work was put into commission.
 Ship of Healing.
 Accordingly, during the present sum mer when Old Sol vouchsafes some of the swelter that usually afflicts the crowd ed districts of our large cities during July and August, the white ship of healing, provided with physicians and white gowned nurses, will daily drop down the harbor each morning and anchor in quiet waters behind Hull or elsewhere. retuth- ing late in the afternoon to discharge it's day passengers and to remain off the | recreation pier with those whose crit- cal condition makes a night on the water away from the citys noise and jar the greatest of all possible blessings.
 Aboard the hospital ship those child ren wno are most In danger from the effects of heat will escape that evil ever when parching breezes come off the land. , It has been made possible through the generosity of persons supporting this phil anthropy to install a refrigerating plant by means of which comfort Is brought to the little patients in some of the wards even during the most heated term. The familiar ammonia cold storage system all lows air to be taken into the boat from , outside passed over frostly ammonia coils and thus chilled at the same time that all moisture is removed. The dry air Is then rewarmed to the requisite temper ature over series of steam coils and sent into the ward. Accordingly. when outside conditions demand 1t certain of the wards of the floating hospital may have their windows closed to shut out fog. mist of heat and still give their ailins in- mates the benefit of pure air at an even temperature.
 Floating Hospital
 The Floating hospital, to describe 1t more fully is provided with forecastle, laundry and clothes sterilzing rooms; engine rooms with pumps; electric light dynamo, ventilating fans, blowers, q room. kitchen, storage and refrigerator rooms. On the main deck are the offices, a large permanent ward. the food laboratory, the linen room, the nurses bath and locker rooms the dining room for nurses and doctors The day patients deck has ample space both for beds and seating capacity
 for mothers. There are seven permanent