Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-07
FEEDS MANY BABIES
Report of Oyster Philanthropy
for Six Months.
ONLY Thirteen ARE LOST
This Out of q Total of 395 Children
Supplied With Milk-Nurses
Visit Homes.

With a record Of but thirteen babies
lost out Of total Of 395 fed. a report on
the first six months Of the oper alton OF
the George NJ. Oyster. jr., milk philan-
thropy has been made public by DR.. s. S.
Adams, a member of the advisory board
of the philanthropy.
The unusually small death rate, which
is given at % per cent. will make the re-
port Of interest to the medical and scien-
tific worlds. it is believed. Representa-
tives of Mr.. Oyster today announced that
the philanthropy is to be maintained and
enlarged as the needs Of the city demand.
DR.. Adams announced the results OF the
first six months work at a meeting OF the
board Of lady yisitors Of Children's Hos
pital, held yesterday. Ono of the largest
Of the Oyster stations is maintained at
this hospital
Few Pay for Milk.
According to the figures given out, Of
the 395 babies fed 300 were furnished milk
absolutely without cost. The remaining
81 were supplied with the fluid at prices
below cost.
There were 157 white babies fed and 23S
colored. During the six-month service.
five days after leaving it, but one white
baby was lost. In the same period twelve
colored infants died.
The death rate including all cases lost
IN the period of service and within five
days after leaving it was 3.3 per cent
while the rate including all cases actually
lost in the service was but 2.5 per cent.
The number of babies now receiving
milk at the various stations is 21O. 1t
was stated that l. $50 bottles of prescribed
mil q re hoi ac id dot
besides distributing the milk, visit the
homes Of about thirty babies daily. man.
ing total of about 700 visits each month.
Mostly Under a Year.
DR.. Adams illustrated his report with
chart showing the various sections Of
the city in which the babies that have
received milk live. 1t was stated that
more than IS per cent Of the infants
treated were under one year of age.
One of the features of the Oyster
philanthropy is that no prescribed
standard of milk is furnished, the needs
Of individual infants being determined
by physicians and the milk prepared in
accordance with formulas submitted
The philanthropy, which Is carried on
entirely at the expense of Mr.. Oyster. is
directed by an advisory board. Consult
ing physicians. who donate their service.
ok III VI SdCn SldllOu 4IdAlcO
nurses conduct the distribution of the
milk at the stations and also visit the
homes of the patients.
Shortly after inaugurating the philan-
thropy. Mr.. Oyster secured the services
of l. c. Weld, formerly Of the Depart
ment Of Agriculture. Practically all of
the active management of the work has
come under Mr.. Yields supervision.
On Advisory Board.
Composing the advisory board are Drs
S. s. Adams. w. S. Bowen, j. F. Ander-
son and w. C. Woodward, health officer
Of the District.
The consulting physicians are Drs H.
H. Donnaly, Frank Leech. ]. s. Wall,
H. A. Ong and Charles Wheatley, in
charge Of the station at Children's Hos
pital; DR.. w. E. H. Kretching, at Friend
ship House; Dr.. N. P. Barnes, at Cas-
ualty Hospital: DR.. E. w. Watkins, at
Colored Social Settlement: DR.. W. J.
French, at Neighborhood House, and Dr.
David w. Tastett. at Noel House.
The nurses are Miss NJ. NJ. Weller, Miss
Rosa Parrot, Miss Alice Curtis and Miss
Grace Jones.
In commenting today on the report Of
DR.. Adams. Mr.. Weld said that in every
instance home conditions back Of the
cases that were lost were such as to
make the recovery of the child practically
impossible. The success of the work, he
said, had exceeded the most sanguine ex-
pectations.