The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1913-07-22
ADOPTS SICK WAITS
TO MAKE THEM WELL
Dr. Putnam Has Taken Five
Children Into His Home
From institutions.
ALL WERE PUNY AND WEAK
Under the Doctors Treatment
They Have Grown Well
and Strong.

DR.. Charles Russell Lowell Putnam OF
121 East Thirty-eighth street. who Is as
slstant surgeon in the babies ward In the
ost-Graduate Hospital. attending physl-
clan OF the Convaiescents Home at Sea
Cliff. L. l., and well known specialist on
Infants diseases. has adopted five children
whose parents abandoned them or were
unable to care for them because they were
sickiy
DIR. Putnam IL wealthy and a member
OF one OF the Oldest Massachusetts fami.
lies and Is related to the late James Rus
sell Lowell. II is understood.
These facts came out yesterday after
Surrogate Fowler had signed an order
permitting Dr. Putnam and his wife, Mrs.
Angelica T. Rathbone Putnam. to adopt
legally Christine Bucale. an Italian child
+ia years old, whose mother left her at q
boarding house after agreeing to pay -
week for her care, and Helen Conrad. q
founding now 2is years old. whose real
name was never known to the authorities.
She was picked up In the street by q po-
liceman.
The two children were taken from the
Nursery and Childs Hospital. from which
the three other foster children now In the
home Of DR.. and Mrs. Putnam were taken.
and were adopted with the permission of
the State Charities Aid Association. which
has the duty Of finding homes for infants
sent to the Nursery and Chiid's Hospital.
the leading institution In the city for the
rar NJ IN oh
The Ave children were all selected by
Mrs Putnam after frequent visits to the
founding hospital because they were
sckly and the hospital authorities had
little hope that they would grow to q
healthy childhood. In the case Of Helen
Conrad the hospital physicians had little
belief in their ability to save her life. but
Mrs Putnam desired to try the effect Of
her husbands treatment Of the child In
their own home The little girl IL now
well and strong. as are the other children
who found homes with DR.. and Mrs. Put.
nam.
Wanted sickly ChilAreu.
ohicers OF the local charities which
work for infants and Older children say
that the action Of Dr.. and Mrs. Putnam
Is unique. Babies are usually taken for
adoption with the UNDER
standing that the children may be sent
back II they prove to be sickiy. and only
healthy children are wanted. In the
case Of the Putnam foster children they
were taken because they were sickly, and
after they had been made strong they
became the legal heirs Of DR.. Putnam and
his wife
DR.. Putnam 10 a graduate OF the Har.
ward medical school In the class Of 1895,
and is member OF the University and
Harvard clubs and OF the Loyal Legion.
In addition to his other hospital duties
he 10 attending surgeon at Lincoln
Hospital DIR. and Mrs Putnam have
ony one child OF their own. a boy years
old.
DR.. and Mrs. Putnam came 70 New
York shortly after their son was born. and
panion for their young son that Mrs. Put.
nam. with her husbands cooperation.
visited number Of founding hospitals
to find a boy for adoption She found
one. now years old. and the legal adop-
tion papers In his case were signed some
years ago.
Little Christine Bucale became a mem.
ber OF Dr. Putnams household and one
Of his private patients on February 8,
1911.
Shortly before Christmas Of the same
year Mrs. Putnam and her husband con.
cluded that the little girl needed a play
mate. and when she went to the babies
hospital her attention was directed to
the child who had the name Helen Conrad
picked out for her by the authorities.
The superintendent OF the State Charities
Aid Association directed her attention TO
this child not through any idea that It
would be the one chosen for adoption
but because Of her pitiable condition.
The Children Grow Healthy.
Mrs. Putnam not only took the little
girl home but engaged a trained nurse
to care for her until she was strong.
Under the rules OF the State Charities
Aid Association children must remain in
the homes Of their prospective foster
parents for year or 80 before they can
be legally adopted.
The two other children added by DR..
and Mrs. Putnam to their family are
twins. boy and girl. They were taken
from the Nursery and Child's Hospital by
Mrs. Putnam few months ago when
they were about a year old. They were
sickly and their parents were unable to
give them proper medical treatment. The
period within which the twins may be
adopted has not expired. but II is under.
stood to be the intention Of DR.. Putnam
and his wife to adopt these children az
they have the three others
DIR. Putnam's country place 10 at North
Mass. on Vineyard Sound. a few
miles from New Bedford. There he has q
large farm with q wide stretch Of coast
line. and there the sickly children have
crown healthy. DR.. Putnam and his wife
are now at North Tisbury with the chill
dreu