New-York tribune., 1912-04-14

family still dragged miseraby along and things did No,
get better Higher wages to the man might have helped
but as matter of fact he was not worth what he was
already getting.
"The serious thing" said Mr.. Arnold, "is that the
children would grow up as worthless as their father We
don't need any of his kind 1t ism right that thew
should have no chance; but don't know what to do
This was where the civic nurse came in and sopned
the wasting of the Devore family. She saw that what
the mother needed was some special treatment and
arranged with the diSpenSary physician to have her
sent to hospital. The boy backward in school
because of the condition OF his eyes. They were badly
crossed but corrected by slight operation and the
use of glasses And the whole family needed more
nourshng food than the mother knew how to pre-
pare; for she one of the women who spend their
grhood in sweatShOps, factories or behind counters
and have had no time opportunity to learn the diff
cult arts of homemakng The nurse taught Mrs Devore
the elements of cooking marketing, and simple deetics
lust TODAY four months after she took cha ge have
seen the nurses final report this She says that
the family is comfortable and able to get along without
further assistance.
But the most important thing that particular civic
nurse did was help the Devore children People are
fond of saying that water never rises higher than its
source and of applying the statement to heredy; but
il is common to overlook the fact that water can be
artifcially pumped high as one chooses, and that
this fact is also applicable to humanity. he civic
nurse has artifcialy pumped the little Devores to
level where they sufficiently fed and clothed, and
where hey may be useful to the community than
their parents have BEEN
A MONG the special human pumping plants, 50 to
"A speak are the pure milk depotS with hiCh both
nrivafe charity and the municipalities have dotted
New York, Chicago, Boston and other cities
visited one of these milk depOts in a district where
there were samples of all the nations OF the earth crowd
ing in together and confusion OF tongues as the mothers
talked There we're orthodox JeweSSes 50 lo.a to the
Hebrew traditions that at marriage they had shaved
their heads and donned wigs talking over family affairs
in a mixture of English and Yiddished German with
the "Krst" nurse.
Young Italian woman brought her baby, and its
grandmother, bright-eyed little woman with dangling
earrings who still claimed authority over her married
daughter traed in after her. Sometime the older
woman nodded oftener she shook her head at the
nurses instructions; but there was her tiny grand
daughter fattening vsby before her eyes and she sub
mtted reluctantly to these new bathingS the removal
of swaddng clothes the separate bed and the eedngs
by clockwOrk that had produced it.
"Everv day in the waterl Nein GoM is the child a
fish? Have not reached forty years? 1t IS tue Ma
damel DO go mineself in the water: No Shall not
the child become sodden in the fesh:'
The childs mother also protested gently, and the
nurse gave a vigorous lecture on the daily bath.
"Its all right she told me after they had gone Il
have to 90 through this little scene every time they
Gomez but its evident that the baby gets her bath regu
larlv think they consider it one of the conditions Of
their getting the milk, and perhaps it's Just VEIL
THERE was another grandparent in the depot, old
man with his tiny grandson in his arms. ! he babys
mother was dead and the father, day laborer had
given it into the care of this old man who was past
work Oh such poor, dirty little mite. Evidently the
grandfather was not clever either with needle wash
tub; for the baby was merely wrapped in soled rags.
This was his first visit and the began to ask ques
tions and give instructions.
I'll come and see you this afternoon, she assured
him as he left
Il wonder if we are in time with that baby; she said
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