The Cairo bulletin., 1909-05-20
HOSPITAL FOR BABES
Has lust Been Opened by Uncle
Sam on Ellis Island.
Fourteen Buildings Erected Where
Sick Infants from Foreign Shores
Can Be Taken Care Of-Meets
Long-Felt Necessity.

New York --lfuCle Sam has recently
opened the doors of the most won,
deriul aud complete hospital conduct
ed by any government Of the earth
His arms have been extended 10 tho
sick babies from foreign lands who
come to our shores
More than one million dollars al
ready has been expended in the work
and II beautiful buildings erected on
Ellis island They were formally
opened and dedicated May /, four
years from the beginning of the work
Heretofore every case of infantile
ailmcnt which was not quarantined by
the New York state authorities al the
quarantine station at Staten island
was sent to such hospital as had room
for the case. These sick babies We're
isolated from their mothers during
their illness and convalescence Dur.
ing this time the mother was held on
Ellis island in order that if the child
should recover and then be pro
nounced unfit for entry under the
law mother and child might be de-
ported together.
This rule of segregation will still
prevail, but the mothers will be close
enough TO their children to under
stand what is being done for them.
Daily reports in every language that
enters the gateway will be posted.
Scarlet fever. diphtheria and measles
are the principal diseases which will
be treated at the hospital
The buildings were erected from an
the purpose out Of the surplus fund
credited to Ellis island, which is self
supporting, and the maintenance of
the mothers and children will be at
the expense Of the steamship com
ranies which brought them here.
Every man, woman and child who en-
ters this country under the regula-
tons Of tho immigration service pays
a tax to the federal government of 81
This sum is collected from the
steamship companies which bring
them here. and is in turn collected
from the immigrants upon the pur
chase OF their tickets, the tax being
aided to the cost of transportation,
So that The immigrants have really
paid for the hospital
Great cribs of oak were sunk side
b. side to the solid rock filled with
rock and concrete and made to form
lake. This lake was then filled with
earth, rock and concrete Thus there
ulop which are erected the buildings
Of the hospital.
The new hospital is the pride Of
Robert Watchorn, commissioner of
immigration under whose admimstra
ton the work was begun and finished
ut is the greatest boon to humanity
ever afforded by any government" he
said in discussing the enterprise, land
no people can be said TO he lost to the
finer seueibiities when they can make
such adequate provision for the babies
from foreign lands Although the pro
portion of illness among the immi
grants and like number of citizens
Of this country for any given period is
in favor of the immigrant there Is,
however the necessity for the ample
provision that has been made for the
babies.
1T IL hard for one unaccustOmed 70
these scenes 10 imagine what moth
or must feel who is forcihly separated
from her sick baby. She does not
SPEAK the language I'm most Of the
cases. is unused to the customs of the
strange land and familiar only with
the brutality which exists in various
PARTS Of Europe toward the poor
c'asses She fancics all sorts Of Dor
riblc things are happening 20 the child
and when she does not Sc, it for at
least six weeks a hatred springs mp
in her breast for the land which she
had formerly felt to be the one free
and beautiful country Of the earth.
Put that same mother in an insti-
tuition within hearing and sight Of her
baby, let her have daily reports Of rs
condition. lot her see the very room
where il is being brought back to
health. and a great respect for the
mighty force that docs this thing for
her and hers is inculcaied.'