El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-07-17

w Gods out Of doors was made
for babies no less than for
babies grown up, and we children of u
larger growth who have 1t in our
physical owe to hinder or to help the
growing child are coming more and
more keenly to realize our responsible
ties in this direction. Under present
/ social conditions many babies are born
and must live in crowded city tene-
ments, in places where there is little
air and that little contaminated. To
take an infant from such surroundings
and give him even a few days of free
| air is at least to minimize his suffer-
ings in the heated summer, and often
] it is to save his life.
Thus it is that baby camps have
| come to be a part Of the regular char
ity summer work in many OF the large
cities of the country. Wholesale trans
fers Of the youthful Inhabitants OF
baby asylums from stuffy Institutional
buildings in the city to open air camps
! for the summer months have been sue
cessfully tried in many cities. Camps
for the accommodation of other and
their babies are well established feat
ures of summer charity work in many
others
Small Camps Are Ideal.
The ideal camp is not too large.
! Half a dozen tents each accommodate
ing a dozen babies are better than one
I large affair where there areN5O or SO
| to be cared for. The equipment is sim
I pie and inexpensive. Sometimes an
old building can be rented for a nominal
I price which Will form the ideal nucleus.
y Two or three room cottage IN any
healthy rural locality, where there is
shade and a sufficient supply of pure
water, Will meet the requirements. The
out door life strengthens the babies so
that many adJunctS necessary in the
home may be dispensed with as, for
example. the hot water supply which
is essential for any building in town
in which any lumber of human beings
are to be cared for. The bathing facil-
| tiles for a dozen babies may be pro-
vided by the natural water supply
tempered perhaps for the very young
! est babies by a little hot water heated
in a tea kettle. Half a dozen tin or
enamelled bath tubs costing less than
a dollar apiece are quite sufficient TO
give all the youngsters their proper
Refrigerator Is Necessary.
The other equipment consists of a
refrigerator or some other means of
keeping milk at a proper temperature
after it has been prepared upOn the
kitchen stove, which stove serves also
TO prepare the meals of the nurse in
charge Of the camp. Sometimes a
porch will serve for 4 sleeping room
but, when porch room is not available.
tents can be added as needed. The
idea is that the babies should spend all
Of the q hours out of doors if pos
Sible. even a light summer rain will
not hurt a baby if it is properly cared
for afterwards. For any prolonged
rainy spell suitable shelter must of
course be provided.
Camps for Mothers.
A baby camp recently opened under
the auspices Of the Associated Chari-
ties in the District of Columbia has
also undertaken to care for the babies
mothers. The baby camp is located
within easy reach of a summer camp
for older children so that a mother hav-
ING a sick bapy and several other
chlIdren may give her own personal
care TO her baby and also to be able
10 see her other children each dav.
This camp has several unique features.
II VIII accommodate Is babies with
their mothers and could take in a few
more If necessary. Most of the guests
go there for a period Of two weeks but
this time may be extended il the con-
dltlon OF the baby seems to warrant 1t.
A woman physician is in attendance
and watches carefully over the health
Of the mothers and babies, especially
the nursing mothers because of the eff
1ect their health has upon that of their
little ones.
The mothers are taught in the sim
plest manner possible all that they
should know. Each mother battles her
own baby each morning under the df-
rectlon of the nurse and is guided as
to the amount of clothes to be Dut
upon the child for the day During the
greatest heat this should be reduced as
much as possible. The sweIterinr
flannel bands which old FASHIONED
mothers will cling to are now taboo.
and the little body is left as unen-
numbered as possible to OAK in the
fullest quantity of oxygen from the
out door air. If the day is chilly
heavier clothes are provided but these
are Of the simplest kin and within
reach of every mother.
School of Instruction.
When the babies have been oroner1v
oathed and are placed in a shady spot
IOE IIelr morning maps, the mothers
VINO do not nourish their babies from
their own breasts are taught how to
prepare the fOOd from the formula
which has been provided for each in
dlvldual child by the Camp doctor. who
usuaIly makes a daily visit. Sometimes
Ilme water, barley and other ingredf-
ents are added to the milk which in
every case must be sterilized and kent
In a cool place during the, day. For a
yOuhg oaoy this prepared milk may
nave 10 De warmed to a blood tempera-
ture at each feeding period. The
moIhers are taught how each process
may be done in the simplest. easiest
way, as Wen as the danger to the health
OF the child which comes from m
omission of any of these precautions
IN addlIlon TO this, lectures are Civ
IN 70 the moJners upon the means of
IMPROVING their own physical condi-
lions Nursing mothers are taught the
IoouS for their own nOurishment which
are best suited to keep their babies in
soou health ana to avoid those which
AAE n Ease OF CRllE
which gives prolonged agony to a habv
as wei as s~leepless hours to his par
ents, Is entirely due to something the
motner has eaten. Food NAV dis
agree with the baby without causing
the mother any discomfort at an
Ignorance of the causes of such IN
nesses to nursing infants Will soon be
overcome IN the summer baby camp.
Outing Aboard Boat.
An IDEAL baby camp is maintained at
a point a few miles down the river from
Philadelphia. 1t was made possible nv |
the generosity of a child loving couDle
VINO equlppe a boat which makes two
Trips each day for the purpose of CON
Veylng mothers and children. A moth |
er may take her baby for a day in The /
open air during which he may sleeD in
a little hammock and be supplied with
properly prepared food. If the babv is
III he may be left for a week or more
IN care of the nurse and a residen- !
physician who attend to his indfviduaI
needs depending. however. largely mon
the pure air to restore him to health
Factory Owners Aid Work.
IN the suburbs of a New England CITY I
IS located a large factory which has
seemingly achieved the acme of gem
crosby IN its welfare work. Thousands /
or hands. both man and -o-.-- I